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Premium, full-frame Leica Q compact shooter
As nearly everyone can take pictures like a pro with their smartphones nowadays, the idea of buying a camera may sound outdated
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As nearly everyone can take pictures like a pro with their smartphones nowadays, the idea of buying a camera may sound outdated.
But for real photography aficionados and billionaires, buying a Leica camera worth US$4,250 is not a big deal if they can create images that live up to Leica's big name.
Leica Camera AG has released its latest line, the Leica Q, offering a full-frame digital compact camera that combines traditional aesthetics with a modern touch.
It features a full-frame CMOS sensor combined with a 24-megapixel imager, with a maximum aperture of f/1.7 and a 28-millimeter wide-angle fixed focal length lens.
Made of magnesium alloy with a matte black finish, the Leica Q delivers rich detailed exposures with optimum quality extremely low noise and an ISO range of up to 50,000.
The specs allow a photographer to take pictures in any kind of lighting with a view angle that reproduces scenes with natural perspectives and proportions, making the camera ideal for street, architectural and landscape photography.
'Leica Q is a statement of masterpiece. All functions of Leica Q are clearly laid out and logically placed to guarantee perfect ergonomics,' said Wilson Gunawan of Leica Store Indonesia.
Documentary photographer Romi Perbawa had the chance to try out the Leica Q before it was released, saying that the camera had a satisfying overall performance.
'I used to have the Leica Digilux and Leica X, but I only used them for a short period of time because the autofocus was slow. But the Leica Q has significantly improved,' Romi, who works with Leica M9 Rangefinder, said.
He took the Leica Q to Lirboyo Islamic boarding school (pesantren) in Kediri, East Java, to take pictures of the atmosphere there during Ramadhan.
'I took pictures mostly at night during tarawih [special prayer services during Ramadhan] and sahur [predawn meals] and only relied on the street lights. The results were amazing, quite accurate although I had to put the ISO at 6,400,' Romi, whose works have been featured in LightBox-Time, said.
Supported by newly developed image processor Leica Maestro II, the camera also offers almost real-time precision, capturing 10 frames per second at full resolution.
'In dim lighting, the autofocus can capture the subjects I want to shoot perfectly. Its ability to shoot 10 frames per second also allows me to get accurate pictures,' Romi said.
Amateur photographer Yongki Lie also took Leica Q out for a test run.
As a street photographer, Yongki likes taking pictures without looking at the viewfinder.
'It's like a focus trap; I put the camera on my chest, I roam around and talk to people and take photos without them noticing as I want to capture their natural expressions. When I see the results, the focus is precise,' he said.
'When I did this with another camera, the focus was missed most of the times.'
Yongki also took the camera to shoot lines and said that it could differentiate the focus in those lines.
'For example, if we take pictures in an area that is full of trees, it can see which leaves to focus on even if we don't see from the viewfinder,' he said.
'Most importantly, this compact camera can produce the colors and contrasts that only Leica can produce.'
Leica is also known for staying true to its traditions, but the new shooter also incorporates a modern touch as it features a Wi-Fi module for wireless transmission and remote control by WLAN from a smartphone or a tablet PC.
'I tried to connect it with an iPhone, and I put the camera up above me. I pushed the shutter from my iPhone, and the autofocus is still fast and accurate,' Romi said.
Leica Q can also record video in full HD, allowing users to choose between 30 and 60 full frames per second for video recording in MP4 format.
'The shutter button of the video is too close to the photo button, so sometimes when I need to take photo quickly, I accidentally push the video button,' Romi said, adding that the battery exhausted quickly if the 3-inch LCD touch was used.
' Photos Courtesy of Leica
