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Leica Q2

 
Leica Q2 front
 
  • 47MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 50 - 50000
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 28mm (F1.7) lens
  • 718g - 130 x 80 x 92mm
  • Launched March 2019
  • Also Known as Type No. 4889
  • Superseded the Leica Q
  • Newer Model is Leica Q3
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
61
Imaging
79
Features
70
Overall
75

Leica Q2 summary

Leica Q2 is Leica's Large Sensor Compact digital camera first launched on March of 2019. It uses a 47 MegaPixel, CMOS Full frame size sensor with a max resolution of 8368 x 5584. The camera is also known as "Type No. 4889" in other regions.

Leica released this model in an effort to update the earlier Leica Q (Read Full Comparison) and afterwards launched the fresher Leica Q3 (Read Full Comparison) to replace this camera.

The Q2 is positioned #2 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras and overall #98 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should try out our Smart camera finder to see camera rankings based on your customized criteria.

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Here is a chart of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Leica Q2 history

The Leica Q2 is part of a family of cameras. You can view the detailed list below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Leica-Q3 front thumbnailLeica Q3
Q2 vs Q3
28mm
F1.7
60MPFull frame2023
Leica-Q2-Monochrom front thumbnailLeica Q2 Monochrom
Q2 vs Q2 Monochrom
28mm
F1.7
47MPFull frame2020
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Leica-Q2 front thumbnailLeica Q228mm
F1.7
47MPFull frame2019
Leica-Q-P front thumbnailLeica Q-P
Q2 vs Q-P
28mm
F1.7-16
24MPFull frame2018
Leica-Q front thumbnailLeica Q
Q2 vs Q
28mm
F1.7
24MPFull frame2015

Leica Q2 Pros and Cons

Here is a list of pluses and minuses of the Leica Q2 based on criterias that are generally considered useful in a digital camera.

above average flash sync (1/500s)
big sensor size (Full frame)
boasts touch to focus
built in image stabilization (Optical)
doesnt have low pass filter
environment proof
features face detect autofocus
good battery pack (370 CIPA)
good ISO range (50,000)
good max aperture (f1.7)
good minimum ISO (50)
has bluetooth
has touchscreen
high quality video (3840 x 2160 resolution)
high resolution screen (1,040 k dot)
includes HDMI support
max frames per second high (20.0 frames/s)
MP count fantastic (47MP)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
silent shutter (1/40,000s)
supports RAW formats
you can focus manually
can't change focal length (28mm)
can't change lenses (fixed lens mount)
lack of headphone jack
lack of microphone jack
lacks phase detect autofocus
more heavy than competition (718 grams)
screen is fixed
screen is not selfie friendly
Photography Glossary

Leica Q2 Sensor information

The sensor spec in the Leica Q2 is 36mm x 24mm (Full frame). The 864 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 8368 x 5584 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). Sensor stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization as the latter may lead to cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 47MP and supports a standard ISO range of 50 - 50000. RAW files are saved which means that you have more room to maneuver in post.

Leica opted to omit the low pass filter with the Leica Q2. This might result in more clear photos but can create moire under some circumstances.

The image below displays the Q2's sensor size when compared to other popular sizes. The Q2 sensor comes with a crop factor of 1 and is displayed in green.

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To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Leica Q2 dimensions

Leica Q2 weighs in at 1.58 lb (718 gr or 25.33 ounces) and features exterior size of 130mm x 80mm x 92mm (5.1" x 3.1" x 3.6"). The weight of typical Large Sensor Compact camera is 396 gr so the Leica Q2 is heavier than its competitors.

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Listed below is a photo of the Leica Q2 besides a soft drink to help you have a feel for its size.

Leica Q2 dimensions scale

The top view here will highlight the button design on the Q2.

Leica Q2 topview buttons dials

Leica Q2 Lens information

The Q2 offers a fixed lens with a constant focal length of 28mm which means you do not have the ability to zoom.

At it's widest 28mm, the lens provides an aperture of f1.7 which will be awesome in low light conditions and getting good bokeh. It is going to also allow you to go with a much lower ISO to have more clean images.

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Leica Q2 Connectivity

The Q2 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that incorporate NFC and Bluetooth support can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You are able to copy images and oftentimes change settings without the hassle of connecting physically with the camera.

Some apps also stream a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI out, it could be connected to an external screen. A good number of cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Leica Q2 Video information

The max video resolution in the Leica Q2 is 3840 x 2160 and it can save in MPEG-4 file format. 2160p provides a outstanding resolution for video. You will be able to downsample to 1080p in order to get improved video. Be wary of the massive file sizes and ensure you own high quality SD cards with good write speeds. The body does not have a mic and headphone jack which means you get zero control over your sound. It is probably a better idea to look into an alternative camera in case you want decent sound in your videos.

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Leica Q2 Weather Sealing

Leica Q2 features environment proofing which makes it a great choice to use in challenging climates. This is particularly handy when you are unsure about the elements you may face in outdoor photography.

Leica Q2 Screen and Viewfinder

The Leica Q2 houses a 3" fixed display screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots.

Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means that you will be able to adjust focus point and change settings with your fingers.

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The View Finder specs regarding Leica Q2 are the following:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 3,680k dots
  • Coverage 100 percent
  • Magnification 0.76x

Viewfinders can be quite beneficial in bright outdoor situations which can make the camera screen washed out and hard to view.

Leica Q2 Shutter information

Leica Q2 has the ability to shoot continuously at 20.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000s. The camera also comes with silent electronic shutter of 1/40000s. Beware that the electronic shutter could produce "rolling shutter" under some conditions.

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Leica Q2 Flash and Hot shoe information

Leica Q2 has got external flash support but comes without inbuilt flash. The highest flash sync speed is 1/500s.

Leica Q2 Autofocus information

Leica Q2 has got only Contrast Based Autofocus and lacks Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot quicker and exact than Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera boasts Face detection which makes it valuable for people photography.

It boasts 49 focus points to select from. Leica Q2 has touch to focus. You are able to use your fingers in order to change focus points. Leica Q2 boasts manual focusing when needed in low light scenarios or you need to have more accurate focusing control.

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Leica Q2 Battery life

The battery pack (BP-SCL4) on the Leica Q2 is designed to last for 370 pictures with respect to the CIPA measurements which is above average ın comparison with its category. The usual Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U comes with the maximum (450) battery life in this group of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Large Sensor Compact cameras with the best battery life:

Leica Q2 for specific forms of photography

The following bar chart provides a summary of the Leica Q2 for specific forms of photography. To see more, have a look at the specific section below.

Leica Q2 Portrait photography features

The Leica Q2 gets a rating of 87 which is outstanding, meaning that it is a fantastic option to use for portraits. Shooting portrait photos leans heavily to sensor specs, RAW support along with the ability to use external flash.

Photography Glossary
focusing manually
above average flash sync (1/500 seconds)
high MP (47 megapixels)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
features face detection focus
exports RAW formats

Leica Q2 Street photography details

With a very good points tally of 69, the Leica Q2 is a fine pick to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera comes with a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Optical)
big sensor size (Full frame)
delivers RAW formats
supports touch to focus
environment sealing
very good ISO range (50,000)
no moving screen
heavier than competition in class (718g)

Sports photography with Leica Q2

A outstanding sports photography score of 78 suggests the Leica Q2 is a wonderful option for taking photos of sports. A camera should have good autofocus plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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quiet shutter (1/40,000 seconds)
fast continuous shooting (20.0 frames per second)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
amazing resolution (47MP)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
environment proofing
good battery power (370 shots)
fixed focal length (28mm)
doesn't have phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Leica Q2

Weight is extremely crucial when choosing a camera for travel. All things considered, the Leica Q2 gets a nice 70 as a travel camera which is a very decent pick to buy for your holidays.

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great battery power (370 shots)
weather proofing
has bluetooth
boasts touch to focus
amazing sensor resolution (47 megapixels)
fast max aperture (f1.7)
heavier than competitors in class (718g)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen

Leica Q2 Landscape photography features

For anybody who is planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photos, the most essential factor is going to be image quality. The Leica Q2 at it's wonderful score of 80 for a landscape camera is a tremendous choice among it's competition.

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focusing manually
good maximum aperture (f1.7)
nice screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
excellent MP (47MP)
sensor size is large (Full frame)
doesnt have anti aliasing filter
good high ISO (50,000)
exports RAW formats
environment sealing
great battery power (370 per charge)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
focal length is fixed (28mm)

Leica Q2 Vlogging information

A vlogging camera really should posses a moving screen, microphone input and preferably IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Leica Q2 is not suitable for vlogging as it delivers a awful rating of 32.

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great maximum aperture (f1.7)
touch screen
has image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focusing
video res high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
doesn't have external mic support
heavier than average in class (718 grams)

Leica Q2 Alternatives

If you are trying to find alternatives to the Q2, below is a range of the top scored cameras which fall within the family of Large Sensor Compact.

The diagram just below provides you an overview of the Q2 versus it's top rated rivals shown earlier.

Following are additional cameras you might look into as alternatives. To read through a complete comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Leica
Model type
Leica Q2
Also Known as
Type No. 4889
Class
Large Sensor Compact
Launched
2019-03-07
Body design
Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor measurements
36 x 24mm
Sensor surface area
864.0mm²
Sensor resolution
47 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Highest Possible resolution
8368 x 5584
RAW data
Maximum native ISO
50000
Minimum native ISO
50
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points
49
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
28mm (1x)
Highest aperture
f/1.7
Macro focusing range
17cm
Focal length multiplier
1
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen sizing
3 inches
Screen resolution
1,040k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
3,680k dot
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.76x
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
96
DXO Color Depth rating
26.4
DXO Dynamic range rating
13.5
DXO Low light rating
2491
Features
Min shutter speed
60 secs
Max shutter speed
1/2000 secs
Max silent shutter speed
1/40000 secs
Continuous shutter speed
20.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
no built-in flash
Flash settings
no built-in flash
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash sync
1/500 secs
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
4K/30/24p, 1080/120/60/30/24p
Maximum video resolution
3840x2160
Video file format
MPEG-4
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
718 grams (1.58 lb)
Physical dimensions
130 x 80 x 92mm (5.1" x 3.1" x 3.6")
Other
Battery life
370 images
Battery format
Battery Pack
Battery ID
BP-SCL4
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 secs)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
Single
Launch pricing
$4,985