In an industry filled with cameras that promise to do everything, and do it well, a niche model like the Leica Q2 Monochrom might seem like a strange and curious beast.
Well, that’s because it is – but it’s oh-so-lovely at the same time. Let’s face it, nobody who's counting the pennies is looking towards a Leica, but for those with deep pockets who want the ultimate in photography, the brand delivers time and again.
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Following on from the success of its black-and-white only M models, it’s now introduced the Leica Q2 Monochrom. It has the (slightly obvious) honour of being the world’s only full-frame fixed-lens black-and-white only camera.
Flexing its muscles for street photography, with whip-smart autofocus, a natural-feeling 28mm f/1.4 lens and a gorgeous body design which is intended to be as discreet as possible, it’s quite probably the best camera you could ever hope to use for street photography.
The sensor boasts 47.3 megapixels, plus there’s a top sensitivity of ISO 100,000 - which is higher than the standard Leica Q2 and should make for some beautifully grainy, dreamy film-like shots when shooting in low-light.
That said, the f/1.4 lens lets plenty of light in, so when light levels are dim you can still rely on it producing the goods. There’s a 3.69MP OLED viewfinder, or a 3-inch TFT touchscreen for composing in whichever way you see fit.
Now prepare to wince - this is a Leica after all. The Leica Q2 Monochrom price is set to be £4,995 / $5995 / AU$8990, but the marginally better news is that it’s on sale immediately, so there’s no waiting at least. We’ll be getting two.
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