Leica Q2 After the Hype - Honest 2 Year Ownership Review

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I have bought my Leica Q2 exactly 2 Years ago and since then the Q2 has become one of the most hyped but also one of the most controversial cameras out there. Here are my thoughts after owning and using it for two years.

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[AJoLi]

I used my Q2 now for 1, 5 years - mainly for portraiture work and for my travel / street photography. Even though I worked with a lot of good gear over the last 25 years - the Q2 is my preferred "to go" camera. The picture quality is superb and because I don't shoot jpg the RAW files of the Q2 deliver excellent quality for post processing. The Q3 is a kind of a shock - the (non) integration of the flexible screen is like "oh our customers want a flexible screen - let's glue one on". The Q3-look doesn't has the design-feeling the Q2 has. So I will keep my Q2 (and my X100V) for many years to come.

[donjagoe]

Have one, coming from Canon, and totally love the Q2. Good review—agree with all. I would add that the Leica Fotos app is also a compelling reason to use Leica.

[slowinfastout]

I love my Q2 Reporter, never regret getting it for one sec and not planning on updating it any time soon…

[SuchanBajracharya]

Leica Q2 is my absolute favorite camera 📷 😍

[sarvjotbaxi]

I am also moving from the xt20 to a q2! Great video

[NWind-goqn]

Everything in photography has to do with aesthetic energies. The aesthetic experience which leads to photography that stands out begins the moment you pick up the camera, and moves onward and upwards from there, or not. If your camera does not begin to tug at your insides to produce an aesthetic state that nourishes something deeper in you, well, now you are starting with a deficit. Good luck with that Sony.

[OpenDGuitar]

I too have been using the Q2 for almost two years. Exquisite quality, and it has made me more intentional in my photography. I would love to have a Q3, but can’t do that now. I expect I will buy one used in a year or two. I have an old Canon XC10 with a similar tilt screen, so I think I would like that.

For fast action though, I still use Canon…and for video Canon and Sony. But the quality of materials and workmanship, the feel in the hand, and the Leica color…if you get it, you get it. Wow.

[grotepewe]

Nice statement and happy to see that you have a Triumph motorcycle yourselfI, sold my Sony A7 and A7mk2 with the FE lenses I had in order to acquire the Q2 3 years ago, it goes everywhere with me. Love it! In the meanwhile I added a Sony A6500 with 1655F28G, 11F18, 20F28 and 70350G, the I use for sports and some wildlife, want to add the A6700 next year.

[peetje]

I bought the Q2 reporter edition as my take wherever camera and I couldn’t be happier with it.

[IntrovertAmateur]

Sehr schönes Video, danke für deine Erfahrung! :)
Coming from the Q2M and owning the Q3 for several months now I have to say, if someone is happy with the Q2 and don't see any value in the tilt screen and video function, just stay with the Q2. I really like the tilt screen and don't care how Leica implemented it, since in daily use I don't think about it. My current main disappointment is the AF. I did NOT expect AF on the level of Sony or Canon, but since Leica is working with Panasonic and the Q3 has phase detect AF like the Lumix S5II, I was hoping it would at least come to the level of the S5II. Because of that the video function is also not as great if you want to film people, since it hunts a lot in video. But image quality is amazing with that 28 Summilux :).
I'm still hoping Leica will improve this in the upcoming firmwares, since they have a record of supporting their cameras long term, as you mentioned.
One small feature I love to use everyday is USB-C charging. Since I own the Q3 I never took the battery out to charge :)
Grüße aus BaWü :)

[OttawaTony]

Leica not only issues firmware update. I noticed recently that they updated the instruction manual to incorporate operating changes up to, and including, firmware update 4.0.

[hoot]

Comment from an English subscriber: how/why is your English so good? You use English idioms and patterns of speech incredibly naturally.

[plantagoo]

Had the Q3. Sold it. Bought the Q2 again. ❤😉

[MartynEdwards-cx]

Hi Tobis, my story is almost the same as you. I had the X100F and was very happy but felt I wanted to explore full frame and the IP52 protection was the clincher as my wife and I used to go for very long walks in all sorts of weather. Like you we have traveled around Europe and the US and have plans for Far East and South America. The Q2 is an ideal companion for these trips and it fits into carry-on bags easily and doesn’t look like a Leica to the untrained eye (black duck tape is perfect for the red dot!).

Image quality has been brilliant, even on multiple fame stitched panoramas - I’m currently trying to perfect this for internal church/cathedral shots where I am looking for 21deg effect..

Great video. 👍

[meFatuations]

Love the Q2. Great image quality, and a beautiful camera. I like have high quality things. It is wonderful in the hand.

[xmarcika]

I'm now in the similar situation haha. I have XT3 and X-Pro2. But after 3 years of using them, even I really love X-Pro2, somehow I'm more and more looking for something more of a Q2 type. Only thing I'm not sure is 28mm as I prefer 40-50mm. Need to check one in the camera store to see what's what 😊 Great and honest video! Wish you many good photos!

[marinodacostafotografia]

Hi Tobia, I just watched your video. I also own a q2 and I agree with every word you say in this video. I have a question. At minute 7.27 you show the camera monitor and I don't understand what type of AF you're using. It seems to recall the AF modes of other brands like Fuji but that I've never found on Leica! I haven't tried changing the AF Field frame but I can't get it like that.

[tomscott]

You mention the Q2 being good in low-light, but a lot of reviews say the exact opposite, especially when compared to the older Q or new Q3. The Q3 is more camera (and money) than I need, but even with the sky hi price, a bit more "future proof" than a Q2. That being said, Leica's do tend to have a long life and hold their value, so it's hard to go too wrong. Right now I'm considering trading in my Fuji X-Pro-2 kit and I'm vacillating between the Q and Q2. FYI, that already outrageous battery is now $380 USD. Leica blame the tariffs, but it feels like corporate greed to me.

[profan]

Hi Tobis! Great review for the Q2! I just want to ask if you still shoot JPEG on the Q2 like you mentioned two years ago when you had the X100V that you are a JPEG shooter than a RAW shooter. Are the samples in this video SOOC JPEGs or edited (or RAW edited)? Thank you and hope you do good with the Q2

[bobbleczar]

I'm trying to decide between the Q2 and the Q2 Monochrom... How's the lowlight on the Q2? I'm a little worried about lowlight noise, which the Monochrom seems to not have.