Which photographer hasn’t been tempted to try the “Leica magic”? Photographer Mathieu Lakoik had the chance to use one of their cameras for the first time: The Leica Q2. Beyond the prestige of the brand, I tried to understand what makes this camera technically a tool of choice for reportage and street photography.
Even before turning it on, you can already appreciate its handling. The camera is neither too light nor too heavy. The finishes are well done and the Made in Germany body is impeccable. Equipped with a fixed lens, it is very pure and seems to be made of a single block, which reinforces the feeling of quality. Details like buttons, screen or even the viewfinder are neat, right down to the battery outlet and SD card insertion.
The Leica Q2 has a sleek design, but it’s no less rugged because the camera is protected against dust and splashes, certified for the tropicalization standard (IP52). Add to this its compact, space-saving design and it’s easy to see why the Leica Q2 can be taken with you anywhere and under any conditions: an ideal camera for reportage and street photography.
The camera is equipped with a non-interchangeable 28mm Summilux lens with an aperture of 1.7. It allows you to take pictures in low light without necessarily increasing the ISO, but also to have a perfect background, especially for portrait photography.
This lens is coupled with a full-frame sensor of 42 million pixels, which is still rare for a camera of such a small size. The level of detail is impressive and brings a lot of detail in the pictures, a strong point for street photography or reports.
The choice of a 28mm lens can be a bit confusing at first if you are not used to this kind of focal length, especially for a camera where the lens is not interchangeable. But be reassured, thanks to its 42 megapixel sensor, the Leica Q2 offers a crop mode to directly capture images in a 35mm, 50mm or 75mm equivalent.
I was able to test the Leica Q2 in various situations. The first impression is undoubtedly its simplicity of use. It allows you to fully concentrate on your picture, the frame and the light, without wasting time on technical adjustments. The single lens also limits the choices to be made: there are none.
Then, the camera has a particularly precious characteristic for street photography, its small size allows it to be ultra portable but also very discreet. It is therefore easy to be forgotten in a crowd. It is far from the intimidating look of an SLR or a full frame hybrid.
Spontaneity is precious in photography. I particularly liked the manual focus switch directly on the lens ring with one push. This allows you to change modes while keeping your eye on the viewfinder. A significant plus for some scenes that require precision, especially with an aperture of 1.7. The autofocus is also quite responsive.
The only weak point of the Leica Q2 is its price. Like all high-end cameras with a high quality in both the finishes of the body and the sensor, its price is not accessible to all.
The reflex of many professionals in this case is to turn to the purchase of second-hand to lower the budget. But one is then exposed to many unknowns: quality of the product, state of use, reliability of the salesman, hidden defects…
MPB, the website specialized in the purchase and sale of second-hand equipment, is committed to removing these obstacles. You can find on their site a very large choice of cameras and lenses, for all budgets and all uses.
The main obstacle to the purchase of a used camera, even more so online, is to make sure of the quality of the product you will receive. For this, MPB is very transparent about the products listed on its eshop. For the same model, all the devices sold are displayed. No bad surprises, you see the product you will receive. Before being put online, the devices are appraised by professionals, who evaluate them according to their condition. The products ordered on the site benefit from a 6-month guarantee, which allows you to start with peace of mind.
Are you tempted by the purchase of a Leica Q2? Find several used ones on MPB. For a high-end photographic experience at a lower cost.
Mathieu Lakoik
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