My Review of the Leica Q2: The Perfect Candid Camera
Leica is never really at the top of anyone’s minds when they think of performance and innovation in the camera world. That’s because Leica is more concerned with user experience, being pretty, and being prohibitory expensive. Make no mistake, Leica is the king of documentary style photography and they always have been. They have an incredibly rich history that commands respect and justifies the high price tags. The Q2 was a major departure from the brand’s norm. Leica has made a number of different camera types but none of them have had the same impact as their M series of rangefinder cameras. M cameras date back to the inception of the M3 in 1954. Funny enough, Leica then released the M2 in 1958 and the M1 in 1959. Leica has always marched to the beat of their own drum and while the choices they make often lead their customer base scratching their heads, the cameras have always maintained the classic German engineering. The user experience is the reason you buy a Leica. I can gush over Leica for hours but there are already plenty of others doing that and I am here to talk about the impact that this camera has made in my own photography. The Q series was a daring choice from Leica. Essentially they made a point-and-shoot version of their beloved M series, added a fixed 28mm f/1.7 lens and then did the unthinkable… They gave it auto focus. You cannot change lenses, nor does the lens zoom at all. But what you are getting is a camera designed to force you to be the one that changes. The wide lens encourages you to get closer to the action. When you meet this camera halfway and change your approach, it rewards you with ridiculously good image quality and a shooting experience that encourages you to keep pushing your own boundaries. What makes it the perfect camera for candid photography? It is tiny, quiet, and unassuming. People don’t flinch when you point it at them. You can keep a much lower profile.
Below, I have added two different series of images. The first is work I have done with the Q2 during weddings and elopements. The Second series is all work I have shot in my personal life. Both of these sets are entirely comprised of unedited JPEGs. Yeah… It’s THAT good. Enjoy.
P.S. I am well aware that they have already released the Q3 but I have yet to hit a wall with the Q2.
Weddings
Personal Work
