Leica Q2 First Impressions Review 

I really appreciate the 'auto-focus on kids' highlight since this is the most challenging 'real-world' scenario that not enough camera reviews cover. It's the most important for me as a dad of two. Thanks again.

My heart stopped when Chris “dried” that camera 😅

Love how you guys have always made balanced reviews, and this is no exception. Nice to know that there are still reviewers out there who can promote cameras without selling out the consumer! 👍

Wow. These ice castles look magical.

That's the correct way to dry the camera.

Some years ago I was hired to photograph a (important) persons fathers 75th birthday party in their huge mansion. I came equipped with my Canon cameras but was informed that the (important) person would prefer me to use their Leica cameras as my Canon system was not good enough. I didn’t argue but as soon as the (important) person left the building to attend a meeting ( which was very soon) I went back to using my Canons. When I came back to show the pictures not only could he not tell the difference but insisted that the change of cameras to Leica had made a vast difference. I think that says it all!

I see Chris and Jordan, I watch and like.

Thank you for this honest review. Also IP52 is not IP68, better to keep it far from water...

As an Edmontonian (former Calgarian) watching you for years just wanted to say cool seeing you shoot in e-town

I LITERALLY SCREAMED when he swung that camera around. My heart.

That's actually a Leica I could see myself buying if I had all the other items I want for my main camera. If I had the money saved and had everything else I need, I'd feel ok buying this particular Leica to have as a 'keep it with me at most times' sort of camera and a long term purchase too.

I'm still here, almost 3 years later, wanting this camera. At this point its just a money thing lol. 0:12 sure was some accurate foreshadowing though.

I recently got the Leica Q2 and I love it. I am a fast shooter at different events. I've had to slow down a little to let the camera catch up. I just shot a car show and was glad to see it could autofocus shiny metal surfaces without too much problem. I sometimes had to aim at the black tires to get it to focus or the engine if the hood was up. All in all, it did a good job focusing. The best thing about this camera is that I leave everything set to manual and because the three main settings are on top of the camera I can change something very fast without having to go into a menu and look around for what I want. I was constantly changing the f/stop for different situations and it was so fast to do then put it back to auto if I wanted, same with the shutter speed. I usually shoot with a Nikon D4 and a D810 and love those cameras because I can shoot fast with them. The Leica Q2 is a camera for getting up close to people and shooting slower but getting great results. It has a 47MB sensor which produces 87 to 89 MB DNG files. The JPG files set to large end up at about 12 MB.

Waiting for Q1 to go under £2000.... getting there 👍🏻😀

Thanks for the review, Chris and Jordan! I wish you guys showed some sample images from the crop "digital zoom" modes in the different lengths.

Hi there, quick one... I ride a motorcycle around the world. Leaving in a month from Miami to Los Angeles then to Montana and then back to Miami. Then in July I'm off from Amsterdam through Europe, Russia, China, a few ISTAN's, Laos, Thailand.... You get the idea... Camera on a motorcycle. One camera, one lens generally -- Space for a camera on a motorcycle is seriously limiting along with weight. Also, hate using a large lens in from of local people -- they get intimidated and I love shooting portraits of local off the grid people. I'm always under time pressure to get to the next place so its all about running and gunning shots sadly. I took a XT-2 with 35mm on last large trip last year -- was ok, but I wanted to take a FF camera instead since I need to crop often and need more mp to do so. I am thinking about Sony A7RIII with 35mm or other (had a A7RII and loved it). I am also seriously tempted to get the new Q2 due to its simplicity. Question: It's a stupid hardware question which I know is not the most important -- but which camera and lens would you take if it could only be one of each. Must be a hardened camera because it will get beaten down to death at the end of these trips. Cost is not most important -- the best tool is most important. Thanks.

like an ex who was smart, elegant and charming but drank too much and sometimes showed up to dinner way too drunk and puts you into substantial debt. i like it.

Chris, you psycho! My jaw dropped when you started “drying” the camera! Hahaha Awesome!

Really great review, love seeing the mix of usability and technical performance. This is why I keep coming back to this channel!

That vaccination joke was ahead of it's time.

What a cool place to shoot at

2:46 - Best Video Ever! Please spin-dry every camera moving forward. This should be a Chris Signature Move.

Y'all brought your thumbnail game next level

An unromantic and undeferential review. Refreshing.

Nice review - none of the negatives were unknown to me which is a relief as I have my order in for a Q2 with one of the UK’s largest camera stores. I’m 59th in line and they’ve had 4 units so far! I’m in it for the shooting experience of my beloved M6, the perfection of a 28mm SUMMILUX (that I wouldn’t be able to afford on its own) and the crop-ability of the sensor. Seems like a winner to me.

Great initial review Chris (and Jordan). Thank you!

You buy the lens, and get the camera for free. Outstanding image quality

IAM GOING WITH FUJI X100F!

i love how Chris specified the digital M my M2 was a tank

Nice if you have the cash for it - i shall stick to my Fuji X100V which i love lots of things to like functionality and of course its a lot cheaper thanks Chris for the review. Keep em coming lots have fun

Best intro since the a7M3

Amazing ice corridors. For some reason, I feel like renting The Shining.

This is a real review, the others on RU-vid are basically commercial for this camera .

The native ISO 50 is impressive. Most photographers are more interested with high ISO but very few know that low ISO offers greater dynamic range. Nearly all cameras have a native ISO 100. The mirrorless Nikon Z7 has native ISO 64 and is another exception too.

What I love about his reviews: he ain’t nobodies boy! Just going to tell it how it is!

I just talked to a guy that has one. He said it's the ultimate travel camera. And let's be honest. We'd all love this camera if we could afford it 😂

I'm glad I'm not the only one who dries my cameras like that.

This is the first review that wasn’t glowing. I’m still considering this machine..

I borrowed a brand new M11 with 35mm lens a few days ago. I wanted to see what was so different about Leica and the always talked about ' Leica Look'. I have compared very detailed shots of the new M11, a Sony A7iii and Fujifilm XPro3. Aside from resolution, i seriously cannot fathom the extra $10000 price tag for the Leica. Sure the image is much higher in megapixels, but honestly all 3 cameras produced roughly the same quality photo. I appreciate that people like to purchase high end brands as they like prestige gear, but......i do not see it worth it. For anyone stuck on the fence about getting a Leica camera, I can honestly say that if you have the money do what you want. i have the money to purchase a few of these M11's but to be brutally honest I cannot see the any reason aside from image status to own one. i have tested dynamic range and processed the photos like any normal consumer would and I would bet nobody reading this could determine which camera made which photo. Note to newcomers, DO NOT get caught up in the leica hype. Like all other mirrorless bodies, they are just sensors and a lens like any other mirrorless camera. After shelling out $10,000 plus for a leica, you are kidding yourself if you think your photos are superior to anything else a fifth the price on the market.Sure if leica gave me a camera i would take it, but i am in no way paying that much money for something that delivers image quality on par with much much cheaper brands. Dont believe me?......rent one and see for yourself. I have leica raws I could tell you came from a sony a7iv and you would believe me. RU-vidrs seem to pushing the Q2 at the moment, avoid it at all costs. You are not getting a camera that is superior in any way. Leica cameras do have once strength that none of the other brands have yet to achieve. Their bodies and lens drain your wallets very quickly with no noticeable benefit to the owner. Maintenance on leica is insanely offensive too along with accessories. I dare you to prove me wrong.

That drying technique is worth a like alone

Amazing looking camera, although I very much preferred shooting with my Fuji x100f or xpro 2, 47mp is pretty overkill for street and I can't see myself dropping that amount of cash on a camera. If I were to get one it would either be a q1 or a M6 body

Cool location ;-) And Chris, you got so a kind way to step on other peoples toes (your findings on low light performance...) I'm sure they won't scream as loud as they would otherwise ;-)

Leica Q: an amazing Leica Chassis camera with yesteryear specs Leica Q2: all caught up baby

Gosh, that kid is so... teenage dramatic with the headphones. So relatable :D The body on these Leicas are genuinely amazing. Such a shame they're so pricey.

I would have liked to see more info on manual focusing this camera for street.

I wouldn't do that to an IP52 camera...lol....you and the Leica got lucky there :) ........(5 is for dust, 2 is for liquids) btw Great review again guys! ....

I've been curious about this. I still don't get why a $5K camera would not have a class-leading low-light, can't keep up with sports camera's, portrait images, etc. Is it just the Leica badge and German-made bragging rights that people would buy this?

My heart almost didn't survive your drying ritual

Would love to own a Q2, but I like the Q with easy access of continuous shooting switch. And, I wish the Q2 is equipped with GPS. I guess I have to wait for Q3 ... lol

2:50 Just a casual camera strap test. Gulp!!!

Music is serious guys. 👏🏾

Excellent review, I’m drooling.

Leica V- Lux 5 & Panasonic Fz1000 wondering if you guys think there is much difference? Also your thoughts on the leica v lux 5

Would you recommand the Q or Q2？ I like the switch on/off with single/continuous shot on the Q, but then I like the dust/moisture resistant feature on Q2.

2:50 heart attack achieved.

M10 is also weather sealed. That little amount of water will not hurt most cameras.

Thank you for this review, good stuff! Who out there actually has this camera, uses it, and has insight on pros and cons? What are your thoughts and experiences with it? Would you buy it again? Would you recommend it?

digital M cameras from the 240 onward are also weather sealed.

This is the shortest video review ever! I wanted more Jordan screen time tho

How do Leica price their camera? Through auction in Leica boardroom meeting.

The music during the night shoot made me feel like I was watching Austin Powers.

it's simply said: The Q2 is a 28mm Summilux that gives you an excellent body for free. I will consider it as my budget is around 5000€ and with this camera, I can have both, M type body with the newest technologies as well as the Summilux in one.

Thanks! I had a chance to test it out and it's much better than I expected. Now is it worth $5,500? Honestly I'd rather buy a Fujifilm X-T3 combined with 2, 3 or even 4 of their best prime lenses for the same price as I'd get a better outcome

Great - and intelligent - review. Thank you!

The best part about Q2 is that a used Q with the same lens and design is now more affordable. As a Q owner, I found it to be the only camera I need. If I need better low night performance, I have my iPhone with night mode.

I’ll stick to my analog Leica MP and 28mm summicron 👌

So you can have a both a7iii and an a7riii for the price of one of them Q2 leica ? ...

Do you think that the high ISO/low light issues can be be fixed or at least improved in a future firmware update?

Thanks for the honest review. Now why didn't I think of that drying method?

Available on Amazon UK for only £4,200-and free delivery! And for that price it should not only be weather proofed but able to withstand a 5 megaton atomic blast!

What exactly is the point if these Leica’s other than being good at jpeg. You would think they would put the ultimate sensor into this for $5K but the cheaper competitors out way it by a bunch. For $5K I can get a Fuji Medium format.

Thanks guys, “cool” review as always!

Great video guys!!

Hmm do you consider IP52 proper weather sealing? That's a very low rating in my opinion 🤔 But better than nothing 🤷

I use a lot my vintage lens ( 50 f1.2 ais , 24 F2 ais, 105 F2,5 ais ) with Zhongyi speedbooster and it's very efficient et nice rendition...and it work fine with new nikon mount lens too.

I saw there was a FW update that allows for all manual settings in video now. I wish it came with Leica-Log.

The spin dry 🤣 Also, phoning from the future to let you know that in a few months, you'll have realized how important being "Up to date" will end up being.

相変わらずカッコいいですね！ メキシコ旅行前にGR3を買った Q2にしなかったのはQP2が欲しいから！

Very well balanced and informative. I own the Q and know it's not perfect. But it's great!

Hey. Now that the Q3 is “on order” in most stores in Canada the Q2 is now coming down (a little) in price. Running into an issue, kind of. What the heck is the difference between Leica Q2 Digital Camera 19050 and Leica Q2 Digital Camera 19051? Any ideas?

I would love to see a Leica drop test.

Gordy's straps are the shit! I need to order another one.

2:51 That's one way to test the strength of your camera wrist strap! :)

2:51 oh my poor heart

camera is a wee bit out of my price range. But nice footage of that great ice. We will need some massive Global Freezing for us to get any ice castle action here in south Florida.

I wish Leica will make a "Q" Camera with 60+ megapixels sensor, 9.5+ mill. dots EVF and Leica M mount !

Q2 seems like a wonderful performer, l will stick with my GFX 50R and XT3

Love the camera but can’t afford the price...😟

Leica is my favorite camera

The lens itself is already a good reason to get this camera

Hey Sony take a note on the battery type for your future RX1 III. Slap a Z type in it!

great channell. can you do more with the q2

Do I understand it correctly that the Q2, like the Q, relegates half stops to the sub-dial? I wish they'd implement the Leica M style shutter dial with half stops.

Obviously nice camera but 5k is a lot of dough and I'd like to see if Sony does a follow up to the RX1.

Well done. Great demo!

Digital zoom feature is cool.

Please be careful. IP52 is a good thing but it's just protection against dropping water - like you showed us.

A late comment, as usual, an excellent camera, at least for stills, as usual, pity about the price. Excellent for those who can extract what the camera is capable of- I doubt many owners will be.

You can afford it Chris! great review

So we have a Monk moment at 4:20 - do you know the episode ;)