One Year With The Leica Q2 Monochrom: My Story

Is buying a Leica akin to strutting around with the latest ridiculously priced Louis Vuitton handbag? Is it all hype and image? Is it mandatory that Leica owners place their camera on the table in a coffee shop and spend more time taking photos of it—with their phone, I assume—than actually photographing with it?

Twelve months ago, I was about to find out. Note to self: I might need a better iPhone.

How It All Started

Nostalgia hit me about 18 months ago. I dreamed for months about the idea of shooting black and white again, like I did when I started my photography journey.

When I was 17, I signed up to go to college to learn photography and bought a second-hand Nikon EL2 and a 50mm lens from my local camera store. Wow, was that an exciting time! I still have that camera. It’s a joy to hold and use. Solid, beautifully made, and oh so simple. Adjust the aperture and shutter speed, manually focus, and that’s it. Black and white was my thing; that’s all I shot with this camera.

I wanted this experience again.

I’ve bought many lovely cameras and lenses over the years, but was never excited about them. They were just tools to help me do a job.

Should I dust off the EL2, maybe? I even bought a roll of HP5 for it, but then decided I’d done enough film photography over the years. It was too much messing about. And too costly. (Yup, I see the irony of talking about cost when considering buying a Leica).

I needed to find a camera that was fairly small and simple, free of all the annoying little buttons and functions that most cameras have these days. A camera that is beautifully designed, lovely to hold, and crafted with the finest materials. I craved a camera I could feel good holding again.

The first camera that came to mind was the little retro-styled Zfc from Nikon. Then I looked at the offerings from Fujifilm. A friend swears by Olympus. Nothing was really speaking to me, though. They all seemed compromised. They still felt like modern cameras, and they are loaded with features I don’t need. And micro 4/3 sensors, nah. And then a friend suggested Leica. He said he owns an original Leica Q from 2015—it’s full frame—and would I like to borrow it?

Leica? Don’t Be Silly.

I’d never considered Leica. That was a brand wealthy people bought to make a statement. In 40 years of enjoying photography, I considered buying a Leica as many times as I considered buying a Ferrari.

I’ve always known that cameras aren’t that important. Lenses are. It’s the lens that helps you get the aesthetic results you want. Summilux lenses are the best in the world. And the Q series has one of the finest of those lenses attached to it. A 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. This got my attention. Is that drool on my keyboard?

The Leica Q2 had a little more appeal for me over the Q. It wasn’t the jump from 24 MP to 47 MP—24 MP is perfect for everything I shoot. It was the weather sealing. The Q didn’t have any; the Q2 did. Very good weather sealing, as it turns out.

Wait, There’s a Monochrome Version?

Things became stressful. Now, decisions had to be made. Serious decisions. I’d made up my mind—1000%—that a Leica Q2 was the only camera for me. But now I had to choose between a color or monochrome version. Aaaarrgghhh.

My friend said, “Why do you need a monochrome camera when you can turn color files into black and white?” He had a point. But he was also missing the point.

To go back to my roots to enjoy photography again on my terms, to shoot for me, it had to be monochrome. Now I’m no technical person, and pixel-peeping and listing off and comparing specs, for me, is as fun as having a root canal performed. So here’s the justification simplified: A monochrome sensor only registers light. There are no Color Array Filters attached to it for the light to pass through, which means you get a sharper, cleaner image. More clarity, and improved light sensitivity. This allows you to get better results in low-light situations. If I’m going to shoot black and white, I may as well do it properly and go all in.

Now, all that remains is justifying the price tag. Hmm. Life is short, and I might get hit by a bus next week, so enjoy life while you can. There.

12 Months on, My Leica Q2 Monochrom Rarely Leaves My Side

Nope, not an exaggeration—this little puppy goes everywhere with me. From the moment I took it out of the delightful box it comes in and unwrapped the accessories from the little branded fabric pouches, it was love at first sight. And first hold.

Within three days of owning it, I shot a wedding. I’d never shot a wedding before—I’ve always hated the idea of being a wedding photographer—but one of my best friends asked me. And I wanted to test out my new baby, so why not. Just this once.

Looking through the photos from this first Q2M shoot, I was astounded at the image quality. And how much everyone drinks at weddings. The lack of filters on the sensor gives you results you would think are from a medium format camera. The clarity and sharpness of this camera are incredible. And I found myself shooting in near darkness at ISO levels I would not dare venture toward on any of my other cameras, and getting phenomenal noise-free results. I’ve now started pushing the ISO even during the daytime with the aid of a red filter and fast shutter, because the noise that does start to appear looks more like film grain. I used to shoot and push HP5, and I can get similar results with the Q2M. I’m one happy chappy.

What Does One Shoot With a Leica Q2 Monochrom?

The reason to buy this camera was for street and documentary photography and environmental portraits. These genres are where I’m putting most of my attention these days. One thing I’m finding great is the ability to shoot manually, and use a lens that still has distance markings on it. So I can zone focus and not have to worry about it as I walk around. I love that I can switch from manual to autofocus with a little tab on the lens.

As the months went by, I started taking it with me on trips and doing travel photography. Now I’m doing landscapes too. And architecture. Really, the only thing that is challenging is shooting food in black and white. Except for mushrooms.

It’s Not for Everyone

Other photographers I’ve talked to who own a Q2M feel the same way about it as I do. We love it and are very aware this stunning and unique camera is undoubtedly a niche camera. To own a Q2 Monochrom, you need to be really dedicated to the pursuit of black-and-white photography. Many photographers have said they don’t like the idea of only being able to shoot in black and white, and only being able to shoot at 28mm.

For me, these constraints are a joy, and the reason to own it. And after 12 months of using it, that joy is not going anywhere.

Constraints and limitations teach you how to be more creative and make better photographs. You have to rely on your ideas and really think things through, rather than simply rely on technology. I had to learn this having only a cheap camera and 50mm lens at college; I had no choice. I have a choice now and choose to learn it all over again. The Leica Q2 Monochrom, for me, is what photography is all about.

Conclusion

If I didn’t make my living doing photography and video, I would sell all my gear and just use my Q2 Monochrom. I might consider buying a regular Q2 for the times I wanted to shoot color. But that would be it.

They say a Q is the gateway drug to the cult of Leica. An M next, maybe? Honestly, probably not. I’ve got exactly what I want and need already.

The Leica Q2 gives me everything I enjoyed when I got into photography. It gives me a simple, pleasurable experience unhindered by technology. A tool that feels good to hold, that oozes craftsmanship and quality, and is built to last. A camera that can be used manually, instinctively. Like my old film camera, I can set the ISO and forget about it, and just use the shutter speed and aperture to help me get the result I want, all while manually focusing. Sure, there’s great tech if you need it. I couldn’t tell you what exactly, though. I’ve yet to look in the menus and find out. I don’t need to. I use the very capable autofocus now and then, but that’s about it.

Photography, for me, is about exploring ideas, the beauty of light, seeing the world in a certain way, and documenting it. It’s about creative vision and art. The less that is between what I see and what I capture, the better.

And yes, I have taken a photo of my Leica sitting on a table in a coffee shop. I didn’t get a new iPhone, though. I can’t afford one now.