Leica’s new Q2 full-frame camera has a 47.3MP sensor and is also dust & water resistant

German brand Leica is updating its popular Q compact camera lineup with a new model – the second generation or Q2 - that retains most of the design as well as the full frame sensor of the original but brings in more megapixels, a sharper OLED viewfinder, faster performance and IP52 dust and water resistance. There is also the ability to simulate focal lengths (35, 50 or 75mm over the default 28mm setting) as well as support for 4K video recording at 30 or 24fps. Lastly, there’s also Bluetooth LE (along with Wi-Fi) for wireless transfers (the Leica Q2 does not ship with any ports). 

Leica has launched the Q2 in the US at a price of $4,995 which roughly translates to Rs 3.5 lakh – the company will start selling the Q2 in India starting from mid-April at a price of around Rs 4 lakh. 

On first look, the Leica Q2 looks a lot like the original – there’s also the all-familiar diamond pattern on the leather trim, but Leica is making some changes especially in button placement for more simplicity. The viewfinder now uses a sharper and less power-consuming OLED instead of the LCD found in the original. The biggest update however comes in the form of weather proofing – the Q2 is IP52-certified and while it isn’t exactly water or dust-proof, it is a little more water and dust-resistant than competing products.  

The original Q shipped with a 24MP sensor and while the Q2 uses the same Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH lens, it is now capable of shooting 47.3MP resolution photos – it is also capable of simulating exposures made with focal lengths of 35, 50 or 75mm adding to its all-round versatility. But more importantly, the Q2 packs a more powerful processor so it is faster – Leica claims it is one of the fastest cameras in its class. With faster autofocus (less than 0.15 seconds) and higher sequential shooting rate, the Q2 can shoot at 10fps at the full resolution of 47.3MP. And it can do 4K – at 30 or 24fps. It can also shoot 1080p videos at 120, 60, 30 or 24fps respectively. 

The Q2 also packs a larger 1,860mAh battery and is claimed to offer up to 30 per cent better battery life than the original.