Love my Q2M. The frame crop lines are useful in some instances for composition, so I'm happy to have the option if required. The macro is wonderful, more "close up" than true macro, which suits me perfectly. The files are very similar to medium format, which I used with film cameras on and off over the years. In fact, the Q2M is so perfect for me, I sold all my equipment to pay for it, and I'm very glad I did so. But it's not for everybody. You have to be confident in what you want to do with it before handing out the considerable sum of cash. Nice video and images. Cheers.
Great review, thank you. The bit on color filters was a little confusing, though. Color filters absorb the opposite color of light. Since blue is opposite to yellow on the color wheel, a yellow filter will darken the blue component of the scene. Because the yellow component isn't reduced, yellows will appear lighter compared to the (now darkened) blues than they would without a filter. This is why a yellow filter darkens a blue sky, and pulls more drama out of the clouds. A red filter darkens the sky even more, since the color of the sky is made mostly of cyan (blue and green) light. Because blues and greens are darkened by the red filter, reds (the other primary) will appear lighter in comparison. In case you don't have a color wheel handy, these colors are opposite: Red - Cyan Blue - Yellow Green - Magenta Hope this helps. My first Monochrom Leica was the M9M (still my favorite), and then the M10M. I agree that, usually, the video feature would be unwanted in a camera like this (the M9M and M10M don't have it). The main reason I'm considering the Q2M, however, is that I would like to shoot some 4K B&W video with this lens. Trying to decide if this specialized desire is worth the cost of yet another monochrome Leica. Thanks again for your thoughtful review.
Why macro mode? Detail shots at weddings - jewelry, flowers, invitations, shoes, lingerie lace, silverware, wedding cake close-ups, bride's lips and make-up details, details of veil, architectural details at church, nameplates on doors, door knobs, groom's cufflinks, close-up details of dress (the stitching, the appliqué, the texture of fabric, garter, etc.). After the day is over, these detail shots will provide a visual record of one of the most important days in a couple's life. So yes, the macro mode is super useful.
I’m not a macro shooter, but I love shooting macro. I love getting close up detail shots. And considering you can’t change lenses, it’s a nice feature to have. Especially if you shoot weddings with it. So useful.
I still have my original Q from 2015. I have used the macro feature a few times, but not in a traditional way. I've taken this camera into a lot of restaurants and snapped a pic of the food on the plate, just so that I could later remember what I had. Maybe I've taken some other close up shots where I was fooling around to see what I would get. It's a nice feature, but like you said, not one that gets used very often. I didn't upgrade to a Q2 because the original Q is better in low light. Also, I like that the single vs. continuous switch is on top of the camera and not in the menus. Continuing that thought, what you said about accidentally going to video mode is a good point. I would, however, buy my Q again as any Leica camera is worth having.
Wonderful review. No Leica hype. Just the facts we need to know about shooting with this camera and things to consider in making a decision on whether I should buy one. Great point on the amazing but useless macro feature on a B&W camera. You’re on fire brother, hang in there and keep cranking it out.
Spot-on critical appraisal of this gem. I too got rid of a 246 to buy this. You are right about the crop modes. For landscape I would prefer a firmware update to additionally offer aspect ratios. If you want to shoot the rising moon behind a skyline cropping to 75mm will never pull it in like a true 75mm focal length. Expect nothing OOC. DNG files from this camera means what it says: true negative which you can push hard to produce stunning images. Malleable is undoubtedly the word. Same applies to 246 files - I would not have changed save that I cannot focus a RF for toffee. Files from 246 mot as clean, more prone to blotting out higher lights than Q2M and yet, the 246 files, I felt had a certain magical mystery element to them. never ceased to be amazed what could be pulled from the depths of the DNG's.
The banding seen at 9:55 is almost certainly from Lightroom lens corrections. Try processing the image w/o any lens corrections, and those patterns should go away. I see this frequently on my 246.
Thanks a lot for this video! Your Portraits are stunning! I Was struggling in choosing between the M10/M11M and Q2/3M - with a tendency towards the M-System because of better Portrait-Capability. But your portrait samples show: The Mono-Q is very capable of making some really good portraiture even at a wide angle! That was a mind shift, my wallet will thank you for once the Q3M is released! :)
What "chokes up" the buffer would be the read/write speeds, not the amount of memory on the card. Regardless, I'm jealous of the fact you got to play with this beauty of a camera!
Great review. I keep thinking about getting one but can't justify the cost vs. converting my Leica Q files to BW. Can i ask what strap you're using in the video. Looks nice.
Nice review. Your shots w this are amazing too. Now Im stoked to see the A/B w your new film compact there...those last two images looked great. So, regarding the touchscreen., I set my M10M-W to spot metering in live view, and this is a fantastic use for that. You touch the highlight you want to protect in the shot and/or set up your comp to let the black fall right off. My shots sooc still need post, but they come into LR a lot like the contrasts of Tri X and I dig it.
Thanks! I agree that the touch screen has it's use- maybe I'm just old fashioned. The focus and recompose or meter and recompose methods have worked for years. Glad you're enjoying your kit!
Great review! I like and use the macro mode on my Q2M as well as my Sony RX1R ll and find them very handy and efficient. It's like having an additional lens onboard at all times. I also have and use macro lenses for my Nikon and M43 systems often in my walk around shooting and like the added ability to see the world differently. I also have a dedicated fisheye setup (Pany GX1 with a Rokinon 7.5mm) because it also gives me a different and interesting way of seeing the world. The flexibility adds to my "creative juices."
I use the crop for Jpegs for social media on my original Q2 as well as they give me a reference to what I had in mind when I took the shot, for raw processing. The girl with the laptop seems to have a green cast in the highlights, did you use a filter? Great images. The macro is very useful for plants and flowers. a lot easier then having to change lenses or carry a second camera for closeups.
Thanks for your review. I agree with just about everything you said especially the lack of a jack for an external mic for shooting video - one has to ask WHY. I asked Leica if they could add the multi-shot to the camera but they said that, unlike the SL2, the Q2 Monochrome has lens stabilization instead of sensor stabilization so this is not possible. I have just purchased the camera but not had the opportunity to use it much but so far LOVE the output - almost like shooting a 4x5. Thanks again for your review.
Amazing (street) portraits Quintavius! I wish i could afford the Leica Q2M but i can't at this moment. I use the GR3 right now for street photography which is a fun little camera and easy to carry around!
What a great video! I found it informative and very pleasant to watch and I enjoyed all of those beautiful and inspiring sample photos along with your thoughts on this camera. Good job!
Yo Quin man I love your camera, you seem like a fun dude to hang with man, Im super thinking about getting this q2m.. I shoot the sl2s primarily but Im in love with the q2 for some reason.
I think your 246 images really sing. I hope you get a used one sometime soon. I haven’t seen anything from the q2m or the m10m that convinces me to upgrade from the 246.
Thanks for your work, Q. Lots of years with 35 f2, I have some fears about going wider. Specially when getting close to people. Do you feel you can show the same love for subjects with the 28?
Mats - I recently picked up the Q2M and prior to that shot both 35 f2 and 28 f2.8 (on M rangefinders). I can say that a very cool aspect of the Q2M in-camera crop feature is that when you select 35mm frame-lines you still have enough space outside of them to visualize the action of a scene coming into view, much as one might with a true rangefinder. So, with the Q2M you still have the flexibility to shoot in 35. And the files, when cropped to 35, are still something like 30MB, so you're really not losing much resolution. As a 28 and 35 user, I'm finding it's the best of both worlds. Thx, Quintavius for this review and your excellent portraits!
I agree with a lot of what I say I think u wanna buy the name Leica, which is ok Wish I could find a basic camera that didn’t have video and these other things Thanks for reciew
quintavius - great videos. love the work. voice is great and amazing insight. as an aside - anyone ever said you kinda look like george strombolopolous (or vice versa)?
Each site on the sensor is not inherently color sensitive. In a color camera's sensor, a particular site is blue-sensitive (for example) because the Bayer filter is filtering away the red and green light from that site. A site is red-sensitive because the blue and green light is filtered away, etc. The Bayer formula is then used on the back-end to build the color using interpolation (the color for each pixel is made using information from several sites). Because a monochrome camera doesn't need to see in color, there is no Bayer filter and no Bayer formula, therefore no light filtered from the front end and no interpolation on the back end. Every pixel is an exact rendition of its corresponding site. For a given pixel count, this gives a higher quality image (at least theoretically) than converting to B&W from color.
Took this macro with the leica Q2 Monochrom today instagram.com/p/CJ4AX2HjHpg/? Never usto shoot any macro stuff but its truly addictive with this camera.
Love my Q2M. The frame crop lines are useful in some instances for composition, so I'm happy to have the option if required. The macro is wonderful, more "close up" than true macro, which suits me perfectly. The files are very similar to medium format, which I used with film cameras on and off over the years. In fact, the Q2M is so perfect for me, I sold all my equipment to pay for it, and I'm very glad I did so. But it's not for everybody. You have to be confident in what you want to do with it before handing out the considerable sum of cash.
Nice video and images. Cheers.
Great review, thank you. The bit on color filters was a little confusing, though. Color filters absorb the opposite color of light. Since blue is opposite to yellow on the color wheel, a yellow filter will darken the blue component of the scene. Because the yellow component isn't reduced, yellows will appear lighter compared to the (now darkened) blues than they would without a filter. This is why a yellow filter darkens a blue sky, and pulls more drama out of the clouds. A red filter darkens the sky even more, since the color of the sky is made mostly of cyan (blue and green) light. Because blues and greens are darkened by the red filter, reds (the other primary) will appear lighter in comparison. In case you don't have a color wheel handy, these colors are opposite:
Red - Cyan
Blue - Yellow
Green - Magenta
Hope this helps. My first Monochrom Leica was the M9M (still my favorite), and then the M10M. I agree that, usually, the video feature would be unwanted in a camera like this (the M9M and M10M don't have it). The main reason I'm considering the Q2M, however, is that I would like to shoot some 4K B&W video with this lens. Trying to decide if this specialized desire is worth the cost of yet another monochrome Leica. Thanks again for your thoughtful review.
Why macro mode? Detail shots at weddings - jewelry, flowers, invitations, shoes, lingerie lace, silverware, wedding cake close-ups, bride's lips and make-up details, details of veil, architectural details at church, nameplates on doors, door knobs, groom's cufflinks, close-up details of dress (the stitching, the appliqué, the texture of fabric, garter, etc.). After the day is over, these detail shots will provide a visual record of one of the most important days in a couple's life. So yes, the macro mode is super useful.
I’m not a macro shooter, but I love shooting macro. I love getting close up detail shots. And considering you can’t change lenses, it’s a nice feature to have. Especially if you shoot weddings with it. So useful.
1. Best review, that I've come across. Literally other videos have horrible photos. These are beautiful.
2. Man has the deepest voice.
I still have my original Q from 2015. I have used the macro feature a few times, but not in a traditional way. I've taken this camera into a lot of restaurants and snapped a pic of the food on the plate, just so that I could later remember what I had. Maybe I've taken some other close up shots where I was fooling around to see what I would get. It's a nice feature, but like you said, not one that gets used very often. I didn't upgrade to a Q2 because the original Q is better in low light. Also, I like that the single vs. continuous switch is on top of the camera and not in the menus. Continuing that thought, what you said about accidentally going to video mode is a good point. I would, however, buy my Q again as any Leica camera is worth having.
The M9M was better than its CMOS successor imo. But I’m a sucker for CCDs.
Hard to argue with that. I love the way the M9 rendered colors. Haven’t found a digital camera since that made photos as amazing as that.
Probably the best Q2M review Ive seen.
Nice work. This camera is nuts. I wouldn't choose it over a normal Q2 but I just love it exists in all it's expensive glory.
Totally agree! Can't say I'd ever buy one of my own but its a nice tool
Man, I love your images, and this camera is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
This is THE camera. I get that it has functions not everybody likes or wants but, mate, you just ignore them. At least they’re there as an option.
Great video soo what’s better the 246 mono or the Q2M? GREAT VIDEO!!
Macro mode on Q2?
1) detail shots for weddings
2) textures
3) artwork
4) typical macro like flowers
Wonderful review. No Leica hype. Just the facts we need to know about shooting with this camera and things to consider in making a decision on whether I should buy one. Great point on the amazing but useless macro feature on a B&W camera. You’re on fire brother, hang in there and keep cranking it out.
Bro, the pic of the girl on the bed, that was amazing, the way the light was hitting her face, absolutely amazing!
Spot-on critical appraisal of this gem. I too got rid of a 246 to buy this. You are right about the crop modes. For landscape I would prefer a firmware update to additionally offer aspect ratios. If you want to shoot the rising moon behind a skyline cropping to 75mm will never pull it in like a true 75mm focal length. Expect nothing OOC. DNG files from this camera means what it says: true negative which you can push hard to produce stunning images. Malleable is undoubtedly the word. Same applies to 246 files - I would not have changed save that I cannot focus a RF for toffee. Files from 246 mot as clean, more prone to blotting out higher lights than Q2M and yet, the 246 files, I felt had a certain magical mystery element to them. never ceased to be amazed what could be pulled from the depths of the DNG's.
The banding seen at 9:55 is almost certainly from Lightroom lens corrections. Try processing the image w/o any lens corrections, and those patterns should go away. I see this frequently on my 246.
Thanks a lot for this video! Your Portraits are stunning! I Was struggling in choosing between the M10/M11M and Q2/3M - with a tendency towards the M-System because of better Portrait-Capability. But your portrait samples show: The Mono-Q is very capable of making some really good portraiture even at a wide angle! That was a mind shift, my wallet will thank you for once the Q3M is released! :)
Perfect review, agree with your notes! DPreview pointed there are sensor artifacts when Sun is in the frame, did you face these problems?
Not sure if its in the comments but the crop does crossover into LR. The full raw is still there but imports to the crop set in the camera.
Hi Oliver. Great review! Can you share DNGs from the camera, please? I would love how they behave during post processing.
Your images shot with the Q2 monochrome are amazing. Beautiful work! I liked your review as well but I was captivated by the examples you shared.
What "chokes up" the buffer would be the read/write speeds, not the amount of memory on the card. Regardless, I'm jealous of the fact you got to play with this beauty of a camera!
Thanks for the great insights! Important advice.
I think the in-camera cropping helps people compose their image
Great review. I keep thinking about getting one but can't justify the cost vs. converting my Leica Q files to BW. Can i ask what strap you're using in the video. Looks nice.
Nice review. Your shots w this are amazing too. Now Im stoked to see the A/B w your new film compact there...those last two images looked great. So, regarding the touchscreen., I set my M10M-W to spot metering in live view, and this is a fantastic use for that. You touch the highlight you want to protect in the shot and/or set up your comp to let the black fall right off. My shots sooc still need post, but they come into LR a lot like the contrasts of Tri X and I dig it.
Thanks! I agree that the touch screen has it's use- maybe I'm just old fashioned. The focus and recompose or meter and recompose methods have worked for years. Glad you're enjoying your kit!
Great review!
I like and use the macro mode on my Q2M as well as my Sony RX1R ll and find them very handy and efficient. It's like having an additional lens onboard at all times. I also have and use macro lenses for my Nikon and M43 systems often in my walk around shooting and like the added ability to see the world differently.
I also have a dedicated fisheye setup (Pany GX1 with a Rokinon 7.5mm) because it also gives me a different and interesting way of seeing the world. The flexibility adds to my "creative juices."
I use the crop for Jpegs for social media on my original Q2 as well as they give me a reference to what I had in mind when I took the shot, for raw processing. The girl with the laptop seems to have a green cast in the highlights, did you use a filter? Great images. The macro is very useful for plants and flowers. a lot easier then having to change lenses or carry a second camera for closeups.
Tesla adding engine noises? Ha! About spit my coffee all over the table!
Good review, some excellent photos, too. Thanks!
Thanks for your review. I agree with just about everything you said especially the lack of a jack for an external mic for shooting video - one has to ask WHY.
I asked Leica if they could add the multi-shot to the camera but they said that, unlike the SL2, the Q2 Monochrome has lens stabilization instead of sensor stabilization so this is not possible. I have just purchased the camera but not had the opportunity to use it much but so far LOVE the output - almost like shooting a 4x5.
Thanks again for your review.
Amazing (street) portraits Quintavius! I wish i could afford the Leica Q2M but i can't at this moment. I use the GR3 right now for street photography which is a fun little camera and easy to carry around!
What a great video! I found it informative and very pleasant to watch and I enjoyed all of those beautiful and inspiring sample photos along with your thoughts on this camera. Good job!
Yo Quin man I love your camera, you seem like a fun dude to hang with man, Im super thinking about getting this q2m.. I shoot the sl2s primarily but Im in love with the q2 for some reason.
I think your 246 images really sing. I hope you get a used one sometime soon. I haven’t seen anything from the q2m or the m10m that convinces me to upgrade from the 246.
Excellent review - thanks. Are you able to show more images with the Selenium toning effect? - Cheers
Nice photos Q! Great content about the shooting experience with this Q2 Monochrom. It was a fun day!!
I’m wondering if you made any large format prints while using this camera. If so, how do the look compared to like a darkroom print?
Great video! Do more with black and white on film with filters! Also, digging that strap.
Awesome portraits and awesome review.
solid advice. thanks!
Now, try to make a colour photo with RED, GREEN and BLUE filter with the Q2M, you'll be amazed how good the colour is. :)
Great review. I’ve had mine for a couple of weeks and am loving it. Still a lot to explore.
Very informative....I like your input...
Excellent work again Q. Keep it up, loving your photography.
Really really great review! 👍🏼
Excellent and informative review.
Glad you liked it
Quinty' talking absolute sense here..
Thanks for your work, Q. Lots of years with 35 f2, I have some fears about going wider. Specially when getting close to people. Do you feel you can show the same love for subjects with the 28?
Mats - I recently picked up the Q2M and prior to that shot both 35 f2 and 28 f2.8 (on M rangefinders). I can say that a very cool aspect of the Q2M in-camera crop feature is that when you select 35mm frame-lines you still have enough space outside of them to visualize the action of a scene coming into view, much as one might with a true rangefinder. So, with the Q2M you still have the flexibility to shoot in 35. And the files, when cropped to 35, are still something like 30MB, so you're really not losing much resolution. As a 28 and 35 user, I'm finding it's the best of both worlds. Thx, Quintavius for this review and your excellent portraits!
Thanks for the Italian subtitles! Subscribed to the channel 📸
Thanks from Germany! this was helpful!!!
I agree with a lot of what I say
I think u wanna buy the name Leica, which is ok
Wish I could find a basic camera that didn’t have video and these other things Thanks for reciew
Wow, awesome shots. Please do a black and white Lightroom or Photoshop edit especially from color. Thanks and stay safe!
quintavius - great videos. love the work. voice is great and amazing insight. as an aside - anyone ever said you kinda look like george strombolopolous (or vice versa)?
Great review, great photos
Great review !! Thanks
Excellent review (btw the background "music" is irritating!)
Why not shoot in color with the Q2 and convert in B&W in lightroom with b&w presets ?
Each site on the sensor is not inherently color sensitive. In a color camera's sensor, a particular site is blue-sensitive (for example) because the Bayer filter is filtering away the red and green light from that site. A site is red-sensitive because the blue and green light is filtered away, etc. The Bayer formula is then used on the back-end to build the color using interpolation (the color for each pixel is made using information from several sites). Because a monochrome camera doesn't need to see in color, there is no Bayer filter and no Bayer formula, therefore no light filtered from the front end and no interpolation on the back end. Every pixel is an exact rendition of its corresponding site. For a given pixel count, this gives a higher quality image (at least theoretically) than converting to B&W from color.
@@davidbaddley2197 Many thanks for the info! :-)
Also gives better high iso performance. Useable up to 25,000!!! No flash needed in dark churches.
Great review
Thanks for a good review 🙌🏻
The Type 246 Monochrom look a lot better to me......I don’t know Why tho
The imperfections perhaps..
⚡️
Nice Fuji Klasse !!.
Definitely a new favorite!
Took this macro with the leica Q2 Monochrom today
instagram.com/p/CJ4AX2HjHpg/?
Never usto shoot any macro stuff but its truly addictive with this camera.
mmm... Why so crusty?
💁♂️🌻😃
It is a matter of lust