Leica Q2 Monochrom

Why make a brilliant camera black-and-white only?

- Rod Lawton

£4,995/$5,995

Specifications

Sensor: 47.3MP full-frame monochrome sensor

Image processor: Maestro

AF points: 225-field contrast AF with face detection

ISO range: 100 to 100,000 (50,000 for video)

Video: Uncropped 4K UHD up to 30p

Viewfinder: EVF, 3.68m dots, 100% coverage Memory card: SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II

LCD: 3-inch fixed touchscreen, 1.04m dots Max burst: 10fps

Connectivity: Wi-Fi

Size: 130 x 80 x 92mm

Weight: 734g (with battery)

The Leica Q2 Monochrom (like the regular Q2) does not form part of Leica’s regular camera ranges.

It might look closest in design and audience to the Leica M range, and the Summilux lens bears the same name as some legendary M lenses, but this is a compact camera with an electronic viewfinder and a fixed lens and is about as far from the M rangefinder design as you can get.

The Leica Q2 is designed for photographers who are happy to embrace the limitations and the creative constraints of a fixed focal length lens in exchange for a stripped-down way of seeing and composing images, combined with some of the finest engineering in the camera world.

You don’t buy a Leica Q2 to get the most features for your money. And that’s certainly true of the Leica Q2 Monochrom, which strips away yet another modern convenience – colour – in its pursuit of a classic photographic experience.

Key features