The Leica Q is a Gateway Camera 

I got a Q about thirty days ago. I am a professional landscape and documentary photographer, and besides my tripod queen (a Fuji GFX system) I carry a camera in my purse. The Q is the upgrade for a lovely Fuji X-100f, which I will still keep, but can't stand the comparison. The sharpness, the delicacy of the color interpretation, the bokehs... this camera is well beyond my expectations and worth every penny spent.

Best 28mm ff camera for street photography , beautiful colors tone /iq , fantastic monochrom night shots . Never let me down and will stay with me for ever .

People keep saying that the camera is overpriced and I used to think that, but in 10 yrs, their cameras have more value than younger models from other companies. They hold their value in the long run vs Sony. For instance, the Sony RX1R2 might be $1,800 less than the Q2, but in 5 yrs, bet the Q2 will have more value than the Sony.

I'm a Sony A7RIII studio shooter and got my Leica Q about 6-7 months ago for a vacation where I wanted a small portable camera that had decent quality and optics. I thought I could just stop there but lately I've been trying to rationalize how I could get a M7 and M10. I just love the portability of these cameras and so much fun to use.

I have one and it is absolutely the best! No comparison even straight out of camera. The monochrome renditions is superb! Well worth the investment.

Have had one since 2016 it is the camera I have been looking for all of my life - I don’t need to change lenses but I can easily control shutter speed and aperture without moving the camera from my eye. It’s insane at higher ISO. Ok it doesn’t fit in my pocket but it fits in my clunky hands perfectly and almost says to me “ what are we going to shoot today Paul”. I have an M10 and S-E but the Q is always in the bag first

I rented one last night and wow your opening statement is the most truthful string of words i've heard this year lol

Absolutely agree. I’ve owned several Leica cameras and the Q has been my favorite digital camera ever. The M3 my favorite film camera.

Its a gateway to spending shite-loads of money! :) I went from a Q to a M10! I love the simplicity tied in with the quality.

Adam, absolutely! Your thoughts and quick “snaps” with the Q show that the art of superb opto/mechanical engineering can certainly translate into photographic art and feeling. The gate’s open! Thanks!

my super rich friend just got this as his FIRST CAMERA.

Imma go for it, i saw many reviews of this leica Q, but this one is the best. Selling my Nikon D4s and will be looking for a second hand. Sadly i can't afford the Q2, but to be honest... i no need 4k video and don't need 47.3 megapixel, i don't crop, i go closer to what i want to shot 😂. And i gave a try to the sony rx1... the menu drove me crazy!

Bit late to the party but that car in the barn is a Chevrolet Corvair. Rear engine 2 door Coupe.

Do you like the Q or Q2? Some say the Q is better than the newer Q2

there are now "affordable" second hand cameras, I found one for $2300, in perfect condition, thanks Q2 and Q monochrome :-), it's still a lot of money, but really the right time to set foot at Leica

Couldn't agree more. The Q has been around for awhile, but it is still at the top of the heap!

Nice review! I buyed a used Q-P about 2 months ago. For me personally it finally closed the door. I feel no need to buy any other type of camera anymore. :)

Hello! Nice shots! But how do you take that portrait shot with 1/1000 shutter , while you have an F stop of 1.7 and ISO 100? Do I need an ND filter for that? Thanks...

You’re so right. I loved my Q as soon as I got it, but I’ve fallen through the gateway and got hold of another Leica, too: the CL with the 18 mm TL lens, but also acquired a 35 mm TL lens, too. I really enjoy them both, and I would agree with all you say in this video. Very helpful.

Just Bought my first Leica (Q) few days ago!

I love my Q, it really is a fantastic camera! Yes f1.7 is beautiful but I was hoping you would show some shots from f8 - the colour, sharpness and contrast is sensational at this aperture. 28mm is just so creative from portrait to architecture.

the leica q is an amazing camera and it is so underrated sadly leica prices are way to high thanks for sharing this with us! really enjoyed this

Your next cam should be either the Leica SL, or the M10 or M10 P. I sold my two 1dx ii bodies and 11 canon L series lenses and got the SL body with 5 native lenses and i couldn't be happier. Leica glass is legendary.

Great way to put it. And you know what, it worked out that way for me too. I've also put it up against my Sony a7rii and Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 and in every way I always prefer my Q.

Thank you very much for this nice review. The images are great !

Great video. I have a Sony a7iii and I’m wondering is it worth investing £2000 on this Leica Q or should I just buy 28mm lens for my Sony at much less?

Just sold my Nikon D810 and some lenses to get the Q. I think I did the right thing!

Yup. It’s a gateway selling organs for camera gear. 😂

Great video. I absolutely love my Q. It's the perfect camera companion for me. Well worth it for anyone considering it. I've had fujifilm cameras also and those are fantastic but you can tell the difference as you said.

Why did Leica not continue to make the Q even with the new Q2....they just need to price it differently or reduce the price of Q a few hundred $

I heard the Q does not shoot at 1.7 when you are close, even if that is set on the lens, it will go to 2.8 instead. So, were the close 1.7 images really 1.7 or did it go to 2.8. Steve Huff references this in his video comparing the Q to the Sony.

I understand. Photography is such a complex thing. There's the technical ability. There's the usability/fun factor. There's personal preference.... and ultimately there's cost performance, which may vary for individuals. For me, I understand the love for Leica glass. It's amazing. It has a certain "je ne sais quoi". Zeiss is pretty damn close. In some areas (like micro-contrast) it exceeds Leica, but Leica colour is better. ... yet all of that is top end, splitting hairs between 98% and 97% performance. Then you get the lens guys like "Voigtlander", who, lets face it is just "Cosina" and who make Zeiss lens for them and then learn and make their own cheaper versions. These guys are great too. Then you have the big and bigger guys. Fuji, out of the (relative) large scale guys are doing great. Their glass also has "je ne sais quoi", so do their cameras. Glass almost equal to a Leica/Zeiss, and camera alomost equal to technical perfection as Sony sensors.... but packaged together they get you there 90% of the time. Nikon in the old days did amazing glass. Some modern Canon glass is great too. Sony glass, while technically good lacks "je ne sais quoi", and has far too much sample variety and imperfection. So, what a, I trying to say.... (after a few drinks this evening here, over in the Land of the Rising Sun where I now reside). - If money was no object, I'd buy a Fujifilm GFX and complete set of native GFX lenses, and some adapted legacy glass. That would be portrait, studio, time is no object shooter. I'd then get the Leica Q as my secondary replaceable camera. This would be daily carry. My fun, shoot what I see every day camera. - If money was a little tighter (but kinda available), and this is what I'm seriously considering right now..... GFX as my main shooter, with a Fuji X100F or a Fuji X-E3+Zeiss wide angle mount adapted. - If money is tighter again... get the best APS-C or Full frame camera, with GOOD usability (which means Sony is still struggling for, but improving) and spend a s**tload of money on excellent manual focus Leica/Zeiss/Vogitlander/... glass. Canon and Nikon are not doing it for me. Their older glass may be great, but the technical advantage over Fujifilm APS-C, or their advantages over a fixed-lens Q is not enough compared to the subtle image quality PLUS shooting experience. Man, rambling post.... in the end. Do want you want to do. I'll do what I want to do. We know when to separate the subjective from the objective, and when to balance the subjective/objective balance... and understand when another person has different subjective/objective balances. Peace, out (:thumbs up:)

Super review on the Q! I am sold on it.

Try the video function. It’s equally impressive. Photography wise after the Q, my 24 1.4 and 35 1.4 Nikon are sitting in the dry cabinet

Hi Adam, thank yo for sharing this video. Do you know how big can you print with this camera?

You know, I like this video. I like the Q. But comming from a anoloque era, I still like to know and see what you DID with the picture. I strife to get the pictures almost ready when I shoot. eg the Church and the farm compared to the original (very bland, I might add) raw file. Without that, one could argue that you can do that with almost any picture, right. Anyway, thanks for the time and effort on this video! But, again, I would love to see what you actually did with the pictures:-) Have a great one!

You look a lot like Stanley Tucci. Great review!

If this is good the new Q2 must be beyond words.

Don't shoot on railroads kids.

28 mm Summilux f/1.4 for the Leica M is $6,595. That's lens and body for almost $15K. Even with the inevitable compromises (f/1.4 vs f/1.7 in the Q for example) at $4,495 it is a great value. When was the last time anyone said that about a Leica? I think you may have borrowed "gateway camera" from Thorsten Overgaard, but that doesn't make it any less appropriate. :-)

Great camera. Enjoy.

It is a perfect camera. I wish i can share with you some of my photos taken by this little beast.

Leica lenses absolutely do live up to the hype. These stunning images strongly remind me of...now don’t laugh...my Sigma SD Quattro. That’s a seriously, (though understandably) underrated system. Funny you should bring up the X100. My satchel camera is a 2011 Limited Edition X100. So outdated now but gets great images IF you stay on top of your exposure triangle. It’s like a permanent learning experience, and so much less to worry about in case of an unexpected camera disaster 😁. Still, I’d love to get my hands on the Q. Who wouldn’t?

I almost feel like you don’t even have to edit these images straight out of the camera

Nice. How are the in-camera monochromes? (Not post-processing conversions, which are nice as you showed us).

Adam, thanks for your video. I shoot Leica 35/50/90mm on a A7 II. The results always blow me away. On a M Body it gets even more crazy. Already the DNGs. 28mm I shoot on a Fuji X70. Four reasons: It´s smaller, it has a tilting screen which is good for low angle shots (and sometimes even selfies), you can screw on a 21mm converter and I bought it used for 500€. Against this advantages I was willing to sacrifice image quality. Also I get very good results with the X70, also when shooting with f2. If the Q had a tilting screen (low on the ground is very often my shooting style) I would be very tempted. The Leica Store Munich lent me a M10 with a 35mm f1.4 ASPH FLE for a afternoon. I just can warn you. Testing Leica can have very expensive consequences ... (-; The only thing , I decided for a A7 II as body. The EVF is much easier to focus, especially with 50 and 90 mm, no lense in the viewfinder and also tilting screen for some situations. Plus, bought used, saved me over 4.000€ to a USED M10 body. And you now why I was going to the Leica store in the first place? I wanted to have a look at a Q.... (-;

‘Gateway camera’ Haha you’re totally right! I’ve had my Q for over a year now and I’m now seriously wanting to explore more Leica lenses :) I’ll be honest though, I found the 28mm pretty tough to shoot with at first, close up was fine but wide shots you really have to work hard creating good compositions. But I actually think its made me a better photographer, I’ve really improved in the past 6 months. I kind of also like I’m restricted to using one fixed lens and I’m findings ways to make the very best of it. Also stops me falling into buying more lenses... for now :) If you want to see my progress with the Q check my IG @madedigital (not looking for followers)

“The bokeh reminds me of film”??? That makes no sense. Bokeh is a function of the lens, not the sensor/film.

Great info, thanks.

Jared Polin's like: GET OFF THE DAMN TRAIN TRACKS!

If money wasn't an issue, I'd definitely sport an M7 & the Q.

Great review, Adam. Was looking for more Q info, discovered your site this morning and have so far watched this review twice, plus both of your two GFX reviews. All very helpful and well done. Was wondering if you could comment on the Q’s viewfinder. Though everyone raves about it, I can’t find any info at all as to what the actual eye point/eye relief is. Do you, by chance, wear your glasses when shooting? If so, could you please compare the view through the Q with the X100F’s? If you don’t wear your glasses shooting, could you at least relate your user viewfinder experience with each camera? I have an X100F, and with my thick glasses, I find I have to look around a bit to check the edges when using the EVF. I’m floored by the Q, at least everything I’ve seen or read about it, and am thinking, hoping, that it might be a great upgrade to the Fuji. Thanks for your help. I just subscribed and am looking forward to more of your videos. Cheers!

Are you in some way sponsored or got discount by Leica?

its not there prime lens line !

For me… it was an escape hatch from the fetishized world of the Leica M system.

Not a huge price difference now. X100v £1600 / Leica q used 2k now.. bargain.

MAJORCOOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. This makes me think the only drawback of Sony full frame mirrorless camera is not expensive enough.

Leica color science is second to nothing.

Gateway to poverty but I like it I like it!

it's only a Sony sensor, and the body has parts made in China bla bla.....all until the day you start shooting with this and you never want to give it away.

You can achieve the same look with other lenses!...with software!!

See,I knew at least one person was going to cry about the price.If that's you,the Leica brand is not for you,over your head,not your personal taste.Point being,if that's the case,there's no logical point in even looking at one.That's like wanting to drive 200 MPH on the weekends,yet shopping at a used Yugo dealer.There's no debate,it's just not for that person.Evidently,this is going to happen in just about every single review,especially about niche products,and some folks cannot mentally process ONE thing at a time,so they have to compare,no matter what. I understand the Leica mindset,because I have gear for my skating,DJing/studio work,and IT gear,that's way outside the range of the standard stuff.People will keep saying how much they can get things for,just like i know I would not buy $300 sneakers,yet i have the common sense and maturity not to make a big issue about it,unless that person is homeless and hungry with $300 sneakers on,asking people for money.Would get a Leica Q2..YES...Is it a great value?YES,for me,because I street shoot my ass off....Great review,and those images,wow..............

Now i believe the Q2 is the Gateway.... if you can find one.. although the Q is still right up there!

"similar to canon's red-ring and nikon's yellow-ring lenses" lmfao

Using Q is pure joy, handling, image quality etc are excellent.Though in terms of IQ Nikon A and Ricoh GR are able to provide 90 percent of what Q can provide. The only difference in IQ is the ability to shoot at f1.7. If it worths to pay the premium for this is very personal matter. Also the 35mm Zeiss on the RX1 is more capable than Leica's in many areas, plus the sensor is better. It does'nt handle as well as Q or gives as much pleasure while shooting (Mark II is better with EVF, fast enough AF and flexible LCD) but the end results are just amazing at 1/5th of the price. For me X100f is just a meh camera with no specialty, I'd rather have 23mm f1.4 with a cheap x body.

A $5000 gateway camera?!!

Not a gateway!

When you can see the CA/color fringing on photos from a RU-vid video it does not bode well.

First farm shot is over saturated

Wow what a fanboy video, see fuji pics every bit as good all day long online

A Nikon D750 with the Voigtlaender 28mm f2.8 Color Skopar produces better pictures, and costs 3 times less than the Leica Q. You Leica people really think there's nothing better out there, lol.

You are certainly a nice guy but you must stop saying bokA. Bokeh is ぼけ and it pronounces BokAY, not BokA.

Railroad photo was so stupid. Ruined the whole video. STOP SHOOTING RAILS

OMG nothing too special to see here.

Could you please make sure you pronouce Bokeh correctly. A lot of people (especially Americans) now starting to pounce the A sound without seeing any A in the word (even in Apple's TV commercials). It's BOH-Kay with a short ending sound. In the late 90s when the word appeared in American books. Some people pronounced it Boke-Uh which is a slight different than the original Japanese pronunciation from the word Boke (暈け or ボケ) that means "blur" or "haze". This is not the Tomahto/Tomaeto thing. You are a good influencer and I just want your content to correctly educate viewers. Here's the correct way to pronounce it (toward the end of the video) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Y0Brf2l8Ysc.html

There is nothing special about these images. Check any Fuji camera ... Disappointed !