The Leica Q2 Monochrom - the first full-frame compact camera with a monochrome sensor

To this day, black and white photography continues to exude a unique fascination, mystery and beauty. Compared with colour photography, it is the most authentic manifestation of "painting with light." With its 47.3 megapixel resolution, exceedingly sharp and fast Summilux 28 f/1.7 ASPH. lens, quick and precise autofocus and crisp OLED viewfinder, the Leica Q2 Monochrom is an intuitive tool for timeless monochrome photography with an inherent focus on the essentials for the modern-day photographer.
 

The new Q2 Monchrom sensor

State of the art technology and a new microlens design result in a completely new monochrom sensor, that was exclusively developed for the Q2 Monochrom. With a total of 47.3 million pixels, the camera achieves outstanding detail, quality and image structure, with low noise, even when used at its maximum ISO of 100,000.

Unlike its chromatic counterparts, the monochrome sensor features no colour filter array – with no interpolation required, only the pure light levels are captured and rendered even sharper.

View recommended SD card.

Summuilux Lens

The built-in Summilux 28 f/1.7 ASPH. prime lens is distinguished by both the razor-sharp details and exceptionally soft bokeh it renders. As the fastest lens in its segment, it is perfectly matched to the sensor of the Leica Q2 Monochrom, and delivers outstanding results even in the darkest and most challenging lighting conditions.

Eleven lens elements, including three elaborately constructed aspherical elements, ensure the highest image quality possible so textures and details can be seen like never before in tones and shades of crisp and contrast-rich black-and-white. 

The 28mm all-purpose lens allows for macro photography up to 0.17m, while the wide-angle is perfectly matched for street, architecture and landscape photography. The shallow depth of field of the lens also allows for stunning portraiture.

True to its reputation as one of the best cameras for street photography, the Q2 Monochrom can autofocus on a subject in under 0.15 seconds. The camera's new and improved processor also allows continuous shooting modes with up to 10 frames per second at full resolution.

To allow you maximum flexibility when composing shots, the camera features an integrated digital zoom function. Crops of 35, 50 or 75mm can be selected and images are saved in JPEGs in the corresponding resolution. An uncropped version of the image is simultaneously saved as a DNG file at full resolution, allowing you the creative freedom of picking the right crop in the editing process.

Made for video

If video is your thing, the Q2 is equipped with best-in-class video solutions. Whether recording in Full HD at 24, 30, 60 or 120 fps, 4K in 24 or 30fps, or industry-standard Cinema 4K (C4K), there is a video mode for every need.

With the option to use manual settings while shooting video, the Q2 Monochrom makes a wide range of creative and experimental opportunities possible. 

All conditions

Just like its chromatic version, the Q2 Monochrom is dust and spray waterproofed. This protective sealing allows the Q2 to be used in all weather conditions, without compromise.**

The camera's high-res OLED viewfinder has a resolution of 3.68 megapixels and offers true-to-life image depth and contrast, ensuring you always have full control over your composition, even in dark environments. The viewfinder is activated upon being brought to the eye and shows a live view without any perceivable delay.

Quality and longevity

In the tradition of Leica, the Q2 Monochrom is designed to focus on the essentials. Elegant monochrome design and the omission of the traditional red Leica dot make the camera discrete and unobtrusive. The "Made in Germany" seal of quality guarantees that only the finest and most resilient of materials have been used in the crafting of the camera. A secure grip is ensured through a thumb-rest design and the pattern of the body's leather trim.

The result is a unique compact camera that lives up to these intrinsic values in every way, including further down the road through developments of ongoing firmware updates.

**Ingress Protection, class 52: Protected against dust in damaging quantities. Protected against dripping water when the body is tilted at 15°.