As nearly everyone can take pictures like a pro with their smartphones nowadays, the idea of buying a camera may sound outdated.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.

'€œLeica 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.

'€œI 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.

'€œI 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.

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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.

'€œIn 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.

'€œIt'€™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.

'€œWhen 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.

'€œFor 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.

'€œMost 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.

'€œI 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.

'€œThe 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

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