The Leica Q2 Monochrom Hands-On Review

Removing the fluff and embracing the soul…

I’m not usually one for black and white photography, I’ll be honest. I’m a sucker for exquisite color, rich hues, tonal interpretations, and vibrancy. Though, with that being said, there’s something so uniquely soulful and mysterious about monochromatic images. So wildly timeless, effortless, and a true testament to a photographer’s talent. There’s zero fluff or editing discrepancies — the images are what they are, making them so wonderful. Having been a lover of Sally Mann’s body of work for my entire photography career, you can see why my expectations for black-and-white captures are rather high. I’ve never seen such a true-to-life manifestation of light painting as I have with her work, so with testing the Leica Q2M I chose to embody her similar approach.

When first unboxing the camera, I felt a sincere boost of energy, like this tool had been perfectly sculpted for the human hand. Having been my first time ever holding (or using) a Leica camera, I grew immediately intimidated. Excitingly, yet nervously, I ran outside to my fiance's garden box, where he and our pup, River, tended the suckling roots of our propagated fig tree. With exceptional clarity and brilliantly sharp contrast, the images I made within a few minutes became some of my favorites from the bunch I captured later that week. Scenes of my boys dripped with integrity, almost bleeding into my frame without effort. I knew this camera was special within the first hour of use.

Unlike the colorized counterparts of the Q2, this monochrome sensor features no color filter array with no interpolation required — only pure light captured and rendered sharper than any other predecessor. Additionally, the sensor’s 47.3-megapixel resolution is better capable of extreme cropping in any person’s camera bag arsenal. Its digital zoom provides a simulated focal length of 35, 50, and 75mm for JPEG files, while the DNG files of the original image are always preserved at full sensor resolution. The dynamic range boasts extremely low noise level performances at high ISOs up to 100,000, which I’ve noticed immediately upon use.

Its built-in Summilux 28 F1.7 ASPH lens is distinguished by razor-sharp image clarity and creamy bokeh backgrounds. Among the fastest-rendering Leica wide-angle lenses, the Q2M delivers outstanding results. While I live in Arizona, the brightest and sunniest state, I can tell that the contrast delivered in bright conditions would mirror that of a dark alleyway or blue hour. Boasting eleven lens elements, including three elaborately constructed aspherical features, ensure the highest quality possible so that textures and details are shown in their finest light.

As a film photographer needing to ensure the perfect photograph with even a digital camera, I thoroughly enjoyed the OLED screen on the backside. Screening a 3.8-megapixel resolution, I could definitely retain all detail to ensure a perfectly exposed image every time. And while I’m in the sunny state of Arizona, where rainfall comes once in a blue moon, the camera is weather resistant. Equipped with dust and splash protection (rated IP52*), the Leica Q2 Monochrom is always ready to capture that perfect interplay of light and shadow, even through equally dramatic weather.

It’s quick, swift, and simply gorgeous. I can see why the fanbase behind Leica’s classically designed cameras is so passionate.

In Detail

The lack of Bayer Color array boosts light sensitivity on the Q2M, since there are no color filters over the pixel, meaning images are 30% sharper. Tones become more continuous, and details at an individual pixel are cleaner since each pixel captures a single detail in a shade of gray. Because there is no color data at the highest exposure side, it’s important not to overexpose, as clipped highlights will be less recoverable. When shooting DNG raw, the original file remains intact, and the crop can be adjusted or backed out in Lightroom. To maintain family consistency with the M-series, Leica applies crop-in white frame lines to allow a view outside the capture area.

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