Leica Q2 Review

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Main Features

47MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

No Optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter

ISO 50 - 50000

28 mm f1.70 Prime Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3 Fixed Type Screen

3680k dot Electronic viewfinder

20.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video

Built-in Wireless

718g. 130 x 80 x 92 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Also known as Type No. 4889

Replaced Leica Q

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Leica Q2 Overview

First introduced in March 2019 , Leica Q2 is a 47.0MP Large Sensor Compact camera with a Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 28 mm F1.7 lens. Q2 is also sold as Type No. 4889 in some of the countries. Leica replaced the older Q Typ 116 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Leica Q2 vs Leica Q

Leica Q2 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Leica Q2 is the latest member of Leica's Q series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Leica Q Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Leica Q2	2019	47.0MP - Full frame	20.0 fps	130 x 80 x 92mm	718g
Leica Q-P Compare	2018	24.0MP - Full frame	10.0 fps	130 x 80 x 93mm	640g
Leica Q Compare	2015	24.0MP - Full frame	10.0 fps	130 x 80 x 93mm	640g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Leica Q2 vs Q-P vs Q Typ 116

Leica Q2 has an Overall Score of 83/100 and ranked #1 out of 60 in Large Sensor Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #33 out of 1218 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Leica Q2 Physical Specs

Leica Q2 weighs 718 g (1.58 lb / 25.33 oz) and has external dimensions of 130 x 80 x 92 mm (5.12 x 3.15 x 3.62″). Considering that the average weight of Large Sensor Compact type cameras is 395g, Leica Q2 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 92mm, it is not small either, 36mm thicker than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica Q2

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica Q2

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Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Leica Q2 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Leica Q2 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Leica Q2, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Leica Q2 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Leica Q2 with its main competitors:

Leica Q2 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs Q2	Thickness	vs Q2
Leica Q Compare	640g	78g lighter	93mm	1mm thicker
Fujifilm X100V Compare	478g	240g lighter	53mm	39mm thinner
Leica Q-P Compare	640g	78g lighter	93mm	1mm thicker
Sony RX1R II Compare	507g	211g lighter	72mm	20mm thinner
Leica SL2 Compare	835g	117g heavier	42mm	50mm thinner
Ricoh GR III Compare	257g	461g lighter	33mm	59mm thinner
Sony A7R IV Compare	665g	53g lighter	78mm	14mm thinner
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	403g	315g lighter	64mm	28mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Leica Q2 has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Leica Q2 will serve you well.

Leica Q2 Sensor and Photography Features

Leica Q2 has a 47.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 8368 x 5584 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. Q2 has a native ISO range of 50 - 50000 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Leica Q2 is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Leica Q2 vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Anti-Aliasing Filter

Another important feature about Leica Q2's sensor is the lack of anti-alias (Low-pass) filter. Removing anti-aliasing filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but on the other side it also increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Let's look at how the size of the Leica Q2's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Leica Q2 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Leica Q2 Lens

Leica Q2 features a 28 mm F1.7 Prime lens. This prime lens makes Q2 a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Widest - Sony ZV-1

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Fastest - Leica Q

Average

Q2 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Leica Q2's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Leica Q2 LCD and Viewfinder

Leica Q2 has a Fixed Type 3 LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

Q2 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder, making it easier to shoot in direct sunlight and in other situations where it might be difficult to view the LCD monitor. The viewfinder has a resolution of 3,680kdots and coverage of 100%. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later. The magnification ratio of the viewfinder is 0.76x (35mm equivalent).

Leica Q2 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Leica Q2 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.Leica Q2's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our Q2. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect Q2 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Leica Q2 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 370 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Large Sensor Compact type cameras is 302 shots, Leica Q2 has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Leica Q2

Min

Average

Max

Leica X Vario with its 450shots is the model with longest battery life among Large Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Leica Q2 vs Leica X Vario or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Leica Q2 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Leica Q Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm X100V Compare	4096 x 2160	420shots	Yes	Yes	No
Leica Q-P Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony RX1R II Compare	1920 x 1080	220shots	Yes	No	Yes
Leica SL2 Compare	4096 x 2160	370shots	Yes	Yes	No
Ricoh GR III Compare	1920 x 1080	shots	Yes	No	No
Sony A7R IV Compare	3840 x 2160	670shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Leica D-Lux 7 Compare	3840 x 2160	340shots	Yes	Yes	No

Leica Q2 Video Features

With Leica Q2, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30p, 24p fps and save in and MPEG-4 formats. This means that Leica Q2 provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.
It is also a big step up from its predecessor Q Typ 116 which has a max video resolution of 1920 x 1080 only. If you are thinking of upgrading your Q Typ 116 and shoot a lot of video, this is a big factor to consider in favor of Q2.

Q2 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Leica Q2 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Large Sensor Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II or Fujifilm X100V in a similar price range.

Leica Q2 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Leica Q2 can shoot continuously at max speed of 20.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. Q2 also has an electronic shutter which can shoot silently at max speed of 1/40000s. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic shutter may cause rolling shutter / jello effects, and also banding issues under artificial light on your images.

Flash

Unfortunately Q2 doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Leica Q2 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 49 points to choose from.

Leica Q2 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Leica Q2 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Leica Q2 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

Image Stabilization

External Flash Shoe

4K (UHD) Video

Touch Screen

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder

RAW Shooting

Face Detection Focusing

47.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

50.000 Max ISO

49 Focus Points

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

1/40000s Electronic Shutter Speed

20.0fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

Long Battery Life (370 shots)

Manual Focusing

Manual Exposure

Environmental Sealing

Timelapse Recording

Fast 1.70 Lens at Wide

Fast 1.70 Lens at Tele

3680kdot Viewfinder Resolution

Good Low Light ISO - 2491

AE Bracketing

Remote control with a smartphone

UHS-II Memory Card Support

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Buy Leica Q2 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Articulating Screen

Heavy Body: 718

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What type of Photography is Leica Q2 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Leica Q2 in 5 different photography areas.

Leica Q2 for Portrait Photography

Leica Q2 has a score of 79 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Leica Q2 for Portrait Photography

Leica Q2 for Street Photography

Leica Q2 has a score of 90 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Image Stabilization

Fast Lens at Wide: f1.70
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Small Body
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Leica Q2 for Street Photography

Leica Q2 for Sports Photography

Leica Q2 has a score of 56 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 20.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
External Flash Shoe
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
28 mm Tele Lens

Read the details of how we scored Leica Q2 for Sports Photography

Leica Q2 for Daily Photography

Leica Q2 has a score of 90 for Daily Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor

RAW shooting capability
718g
Body Thickness 92mm

Read the details of how we scored Leica Q2 for Daily Photography

Leica Q2 for Landscape Photography

Leica Q2 has a score of 67 for Landscape Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Landscape Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 47.0MP
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Leica Q2 for Landscape Photography

Leica Q2 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Leica Q2 compares with other Large Sensor Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Leica Q2 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Leica Q2

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Leica Q2 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Leica Q2 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Leica Q2 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Leica Q2's price range.

Frequently Asked Questions about Leica Q2

Does the Leica Q2 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Leica Q2 have RAW support?
Does the Leica Q2 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Leica Q2 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Leica Q2?
What is the Sensor Size of Leica Q2?
is the Leica Q2 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Leica Q2 have Touch Screen?
Does the Leica Q2 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Leica Q2?
What is the Weight of Leica Q2?
What are the Dimensions of Leica Q2?

Leica Q2 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Leica
Model	Leica Q2
Also known as	Type No. 4889
Announced	2019-03-07
Body Type	Large sensor compact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28 mm (1x)
Max Aperture	F1.7
Macro Focus Range	17cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	3,680k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.76x
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	60s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter Speed	1/40000s
Continuous Shooting	20.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/500s
Flash Modes	no built-in flash
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	96
DxO Color Depth	26.4
DxO Dynamic Range	13.5
DxO Low Light ISO	2491
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Full frame
Sensor Dimensions	36 x 24 mm
Sensor Area	864.00mm²
Sensor Resolution	47 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	8368 x 5584
Max Native ISO	50,000
Min Native ISO	50
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	49
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	4K/30/24p, 1080/120/60/30/24p
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	718g
Physical Dimensions	130 x 80 x 92mm
Battery Life	370 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	BP-SCL4
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 12 secs)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1

Most Popular Large Sensor Compact Cameras

Sony RX1R II
42 MP | Full frame Sensor| 35 mm

Panasonic ZS100
20 MP | 1" Sensor| 25-250 mm

Leica Q2
47 MP | Full frame Sensor| 28 mm

Sony RX100 VII
20 MP | 1" Sensor| 24-200 mm

Canon G1 X III
24 MP | APS-C Sensor| 24-72 mm

Fujifilm X100F
24 MP | APS-C Sensor| 35 mm

Panasonic LX100 II
17 MP | Four Thirds Sensor| 24-75 mm

Leica Q
24 MP | Full frame Sensor| 28 mm

Latest Compact Cameras

Sony ZV-1
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 24-70 mm

Fujifilm X100V
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | 35 mm

Sony RX100 VII
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 24-200 mm

Canon G5 X MII
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 24-120 mm

Canon G7 X MIII
20 MP | 1" Sensor | 24-100 mm

Leica Q2
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm

Nikon A1000
16 MP | 1/2.3" Sensor | 24-840 mm

Leica D-Lux 7
17 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | 24-75 mm