Leica Q
The Leica Q is a full-frame compact camera announced on June 10, 2015. The original price was $4,250 in the US and roughly £2,759 in the UK. It was Leica's first full-frame compact, and when it was announced it sat at the top of the company's compact line as the newest flagship.
The core of the Q is a fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens and a 24-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with an ISO range of 100-50,000. Photography Blog reviewed the camera at launch. It called the lens "razor sharp" with lovely shallow depth of field, and rated the Q's JPEG color output among the best seen from a compact camera. The same review noted a macro mode with a minimum focusing distance of 17 centimeters, a 3-inch touchscreen, built-in Wi-Fi, and 1080p video. There are two control dials on the top plate, one of them a dedicated shutter speed dial. The shutter is described as quite quiet. The battery is rated for approximately 300 shots.
Photography Blog's verdict was not uncritical. The fixed 28mm lens means no zoom, and framing relies on the rear touchscreen or the electronic viewfinder. The reviewer found the viewfinder good, but not up to the standard of the best mirrorless cameras. Autofocus was described as accurate if not the fastest. Noticeable distortion at 28mm can be auto-corrected in JPEGs. The same review identified the Sony RX1(R) as the Q's only real rival at the time.
Exact dimensions, weight, storage configuration, and shutter speed range are not documented in the sources used here.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.