Leica Q2 Monochrom

**Fontan** · 11-11-2020, 12:38 AM - **1 Like**

Leica Q2 Monochrom initial review: Digital Photography Review

I wish Pentax would do a camera like this. A full framer EVF with a fixed FA 31 Ltd stuck on it. Because I know they won’t, I’m really tempted to get this camera. Mrs will of course promptly kill me but I’m not sure if I can resist not buying it. Somebody stop me please.

brofkand · 11-11-2020, 05:54 AM

The closest you'll get from Ricoh imaging is a GR.

**Fontan** · 11-11-2020, 11:41 AM

Got a GR II. It’s somewhat of a comparison of some sort but the lens is just vastly different

house · 11-11-2020, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by Fontan

Got a GR II. It’s somewhat of a comparison of some sort but the lens is just vastly different

The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different.

shyrsio · 11-11-2020, 01:37 PM - **1 Like**

I think (if they make it through these dire times) they will eventually make a camera like that, on the steps of the GR, but it will be larger, so it will be called something else. they do have all teh technology required, but also they will have to design the camera from scratch.

**gofour3** · 11-11-2020, 03:15 PM

You can get a Pentax 6x7 with interchangeable lenses and lots of b&w film for the 6k this camera costs. When you get sick of b&w you can also shoot colour slides with the 6x7 as well. Can't do that with the Leica...

Phil.

automorphism · 11-11-2020, 03:27 PM - **1 Like**

Just get it. Better yet, get two!

**Fontan** · 11-11-2020, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by house

The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different.

Ya that has been mentioned here and there for sure.

While these images are not perfect for evaluating all aspects of the camera / lens, they do suggest to me that the issue of vignetting is a bit over blown.

Leica Q2 Monochrom sample gallery (DPReview TV): Digital Photography Review

I am very familiar with Q2 (not Mono - yet) and I didn’t think it wasn’t much of a problem then.

lesmore49 · 11-11-2020, 10:53 PM

I've got a Leica Rangefinder, a '51 11F with an interchangeable 50mm Elmar collapsible F 3.5 lens. Had it since '81, Used it a lot. Still takes wonderful sharp photos Screw mount.

I like the idea of a new digital Leica, a rangefinder with interchangeable ability, although I would still probably only have one lens...and that would be an F 2.8 28mm, F 2 35mm wide angles.

Lots of bucks though. I mean Geez...I only spent about $ 350 back in '81 and that was when a buck was a buck, but still.

Instead I bought a new, old stock Ricoh GR ll...ASP-C sensor, excellent 28mm F 2.8 fixed lens. For a lot, lot less. The sensor I believe maybe the same as the Pentax K5, which I've also got and these two,,,K5 and GR ll are serious cameras.

I'm a happy boy. The small GR ll reminds me a bit of my old Leica rangefinder. Small, quality lens, big sensor for it's size and it packs a photographic punch.

noelpolar · 11-11-2020, 11:15 PM

Mmmm..... every time I get tempted I just shoot with my silver K1 and K 50/1.2 for a week or 2.... turn everything off in the viewfinder (has a S screen) and have a B&W user setting..... sorta fun.....I'm mostly just Leica M tempted.... but I know it would just be a phase..... I'm also somewhat scared of what my wife would do to me.... I don't think it would be pretty.

house · 11-12-2020, 12:35 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Fontan

Ya that has been mentioned here and there for sure.

While these images are not perfect for evaluating all aspects of the camera / lens, they do suggest to me that the issue of vignetting is a bit over blown.

Leica Q2 Monochrom sample gallery (DPReview TV): Digital Photography Review

I am very familiar with Q2 (not Mono - yet) and I didn’t think it wasn’t much of a problem then.

Those are software corrected jpeg's. The Q2 lens is designed for aggressive software correction. The end result after correction is not bad as the samples make clear. Despite rather extreme distortion correction the corners are acceptably sharp. The corners won't improve stopping down like "normal" lenses though.

The center of the mono is incredibly sharp.

ZombieArmy · 11-12-2020, 12:42 AM

Originally posted by gofour3

You can get a Pentax 6x7 with interchangeable lenses and lots of b&w film for the 6k this camera costs. When you get sick of b&w you can also shoot colour slides with the 6x7 as well. Can't do that with the Leica...

Phil.

And some gorgeous negatives/slides to boot.

Raffwal · 11-12-2020, 03:27 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by house

The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different.

Yes, I downloaded a RAW sample from Dpr and opened it with Darktable (Linux). The corners are really black like shaded by a hood. Is the jpeg cropped?

EDIT: Yes, the jpeg seems to be cropped

house · 11-12-2020, 04:49 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Raffwal

Yes, I downloaded a RAW sample from Dpr and opened it with Darktable (Linux). The corners are really black like shaded by a hood. Is the jpeg cropped?

EDIT: Yes, the jpeg seems to be cropped

I think its the distortion correction that pushes those corners out. It really has monsterous distortion. Otherwise they wouldnt keep the data in the file. I wonder though if the sensor is bigger than ff or if you effectively get a smaller than ff sensor.

The dpreview galleries have unusable samples to check distortion but the older q2 galleries have if I remember correctly. And the lens should be the same.

Edit: I see in your sample that the mid frame window is cropped as well... so perhaps not just distortion correction.

**Fontan** · 11-12-2020, 09:55 AM - **1 Like**

Wait. There is no flippy. Game over!

11-11-2020, 12:38 AM - 1 Like	#1
Fontan Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: 5th floor Posts: 1,610	Leica Q2 Monochrom Leica Q2 Monochrom initial review: Digital Photography Review I wish Pentax would do a camera like this. A full framer EVF with a fixed FA 31 Ltd stuck on it. Because I know they won’t, I’m really tempted to get this camera. Mrs will of course promptly kill me but I’m not sure if I can resist not buying it. Somebody stop me please.

11-11-2020, 11:15 PM	#10
noelpolar Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Goolwa, SA Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,310	Mmmm..... every time I get tempted I just shoot with my silver K1 and K 50/1.2 for a week or 2.... turn everything off in the viewfinder (has a S screen) and have a B&W user setting..... sorta fun.....I'm mostly just Leica M tempted.... but I know it would just be a phase..... I'm also somewhat scared of what my wife would do to me.... I don't think it would be pretty. Last edited by noelpolar; 11-11-2020 at 11:21 PM.

11-12-2020, 03:27 AM - 1 Like	#13
Raffwal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The North Posts: 879	Originally posted by house The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different. Yes, I downloaded a RAW sample from Dpr and opened it with Darktable (Linux). The corners are really black like shaded by a hood. Is the jpeg cropped? EDIT: Yes, the jpeg seems to be cropped Attached Images Last edited by Raffwal; 11-12-2020 at 03:56 AM.

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11-11-2020, 05:54 AM	#2
brofkand Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina Posts: 836	The closest you'll get from Ricoh imaging is a GR.

11-11-2020, 11:41 AM	#3
Fontan Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: 5th floor Posts: 1,610 Original Poster	Got a GR II. It’s somewhat of a comparison of some sort but the lens is just vastly different

11-11-2020, 11:51 AM	#4
house Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,306	Originally posted by Fontan Got a GR II. It’s somewhat of a comparison of some sort but the lens is just vastly different The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different.

11-11-2020, 01:37 PM - 1 Like	#5
shyrsio Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Tirana Posts: 780	I think (if they make it through these dire times) they will eventually make a camera like that, on the steps of the GR, but it will be larger, so it will be called something else. they do have all teh technology required, but also they will have to design the camera from scratch.

11-11-2020, 03:15 PM	#6
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,088	You can get a Pentax 6x7 with interchangeable lenses and lots of b&w film for the 6k this camera costs. When you get sick of b&w you can also shoot colour slides with the 6x7 as well. Can't do that with the Leica... Phil.

11-11-2020, 03:27 PM - 1 Like	#7
automorphism Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 791	Just get it. Better yet, get two!

11-11-2020, 04:52 PM	#8
Fontan Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: 5th floor Posts: 1,610 Original Poster	Originally posted by house The raw files of the Q2 Monochrom show extreme vignetting. Like completely blacked out corners and very heavy distortion. So yes besides being FF the Q2 lens in vastly different. Ya that has been mentioned here and there for sure. While these images are not perfect for evaluating all aspects of the camera / lens, they do suggest to me that the issue of vignetting is a bit over blown. Leica Q2 Monochrom sample gallery (DPReview TV): Digital Photography Review I am very familiar with Q2 (not Mono - yet) and I didn’t think it wasn’t much of a problem then.

11-11-2020, 10:53 PM	#9
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,325	I've got a Leica Rangefinder, a '51 11F with an interchangeable 50mm Elmar collapsible F 3.5 lens. Had it since '81, Used it a lot. Still takes wonderful sharp photos Screw mount. I like the idea of a new digital Leica, a rangefinder with interchangeable ability, although I would still probably only have one lens...and that would be an F 2.8 28mm, F 2 35mm wide angles. Lots of bucks though. I mean Geez...I only spent about $ 350 back in '81 and that was when a buck was a buck, but still. Instead I bought a new, old stock Ricoh GR ll...ASP-C sensor, excellent 28mm F 2.8 fixed lens. For a lot, lot less. The sensor I believe maybe the same as the Pentax K5, which I've also got and these two,,,K5 and GR ll are serious cameras. I'm a happy boy. The small GR ll reminds me a bit of my old Leica rangefinder. Small, quality lens, big sensor for it's size and it packs a photographic punch.

11-12-2020, 12:35 AM - 1 Like	#11
house Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,306	Originally posted by Fontan Ya that has been mentioned here and there for sure. While these images are not perfect for evaluating all aspects of the camera / lens, they do suggest to me that the issue of vignetting is a bit over blown. Leica Q2 Monochrom sample gallery (DPReview TV): Digital Photography Review I am very familiar with Q2 (not Mono - yet) and I didn’t think it wasn’t much of a problem then. Those are software corrected jpeg's. The Q2 lens is designed for aggressive software correction. The end result after correction is not bad as the samples make clear. Despite rather extreme distortion correction the corners are acceptably sharp. The corners won't improve stopping down like "normal" lenses though. The center of the mono is incredibly sharp.

11-12-2020, 12:42 AM	#12
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	Originally posted by gofour3 You can get a Pentax 6x7 with interchangeable lenses and lots of b&w film for the 6k this camera costs. When you get sick of b&w you can also shoot colour slides with the 6x7 as well. Can't do that with the Leica... Phil. And some gorgeous negatives/slides to boot.

11-12-2020, 04:49 AM - 1 Like	#14
house Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,306	Originally posted by Raffwal Yes, I downloaded a RAW sample from Dpr and opened it with Darktable (Linux). The corners are really black like shaded by a hood. Is the jpeg cropped? EDIT: Yes, the jpeg seems to be cropped I think its the distortion correction that pushes those corners out. It really has monsterous distortion. Otherwise they wouldnt keep the data in the file. I wonder though if the sensor is bigger than ff or if you effectively get a smaller than ff sensor. The dpreview galleries have unusable samples to check distortion but the older q2 galleries have if I remember correctly. And the lens should be the same. Edit: I see in your sample that the mid frame window is cropped as well... so perhaps not just distortion correction.

11-12-2020, 09:55 AM - 1 Like	#15
Fontan Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: 5th floor Posts: 1,610 Original Poster	Wait. There is no flippy. Game over!

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