Spy photo of the Leica Q2.
Come on, have a sense of humor.
What has to be the worst kept secret in the Leica world these days is the pending introduction of the Leica Q2. Although there is not much that needs to be changed cameras are updated from time to time because that is how the companies make money. A friend of mine that has owned a camera store in Los Angeles for close to forty years told me that most of the sales of a new model are in the first 90 days of a camera’s release. It is in a companies interest to get some hype around the release of a new model.
The Leica Q has been a very successful model for Leica. Salesmen and the manufacturer representative have both told me how the “Q” has been a big surprise for the company. When it was introduced many pundits were down on the camera because of the choice of a 28mm lens. Turns out that was a good decision on the part of the company. When purchasing the “Q” you are buying a high quality 28mm f 1.7 lens and getting the body as an added bonus. The camera appeals to both first time Leica users and to current users that would like to have an autofocus second body.
The Leica Q2 looks to be the same as the current camera with the addition of a higher megapixel sensor and waterproofing. Talk is that the sensor fill be in the 45-50 MB range. The crop settings for the camera will be at 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm in addition to the native 28mm lens. 75mm is a nice addition but not a desperate need to the camera. My concern is that a lot bigger files will need a lot more hard drive space for storage. Those will be big files for the occasional 75mm crop factor.
I have gone to the Leica Store twice with the intention of buying the Leica Q. Both times I changed my mind because of the fixed 28mm lens. I really like the concept of the camera and it has an exceptional build quality. It feels like a real Leica. But I’m a 50mm guy at heart and I don’t feel comfortable going out with just that focal length. I own the 28mm Summaron 5.6 lens and I enjoy shooting with it but it has a specific look that is not what I want for all of my images.
I’m sure the Leica Q2 will be a success and I will recommend the camera, it’s just not for me.