There are some photographers out there who love black and white images and, come to think of it, they have many reasons to do so. I mean, with the digital enhancements and dedicated software – such as Photoshop – now available to everyone and anyone, mastery of the arts should be proven, one way or another. You need a good camera, some props for photography and you might take an awesome photo in no time.
The Leica Q2 Monochrom follows the M10 Monochrom, introduced to the world in January, and its black and white magic is set to cost you exactly $5,995. That means this impressive camera is about one grand pricier than its color-capable sibling. Odd, wouldn’t you say?
Aside from the name, the two cameras also share many of the same features – the same pixel count, for instance. The monochrome iteration and its naked luminance sensor deliver super-sharp 47-megapixel images with a 13-stop dynamic range; the ability to resist noise when fiddling around with the sensitivity for low-light shooting will be appreciated.
Furthermore, compared to the regular Q2, light sensitivity rises from ISO50,000 to ISO100,000. This camera is also capable of 10 frames per second continuous shooting, and it shares the same fixed Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH prime lens.
The camera offers electronic “zoom” modes, with drops in resolution in the JPG output files. If you’re shooting in RAW, these crops are non-destructive, and you can re-crop all the way out to the original image size in your RAW editing software.
Packing a fast, quality autofocus system, Leica’s newest toy also can shoot old-school – so to speak. The 3.68-MP OLED electronic viewfinder will help users make the perfect shot. Also worth mentioning is that the Q2 Monochrom can record 4K (3,840 x 2,160) videos at 30 or 24 fps, or Full HD at up to 120 fps.
Modern-era features also include a 3-inch, 1.04-million-dot touchscreen, built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth LE connectivity, while the magnesium alloy body is sealed against dust and water splashes to IP52 standards.
Made in Germany, this is not a camera to impress everyone. Truly passionate and gifted photographers will love it, to be sure. Plenty of incredible photography has been done in black & white, and the Q2 Monochrom forces shooters to view the world differently.
