Meticulously crafted to meet the challenges of reportage and press photography, the Leica Q2 Monochrom Reporter Limited Edition Digital Camera is distinguished by its commitment to image quality and understated practicality. Both the red Leica dot on the front and the engraving on the top plate are inconspicuously omitted, letting you work without drawing undue attention to yourself. The camera features a 47.3MP monochrome sensor, which is used for the sole purpose of recording vivid and rich black-and-white imagery. The Monochrom Reporter Edition retains Kevlar body armor, a synthetic material known for its exceptional resilience. Over time, exposure to naturally occurring UV rays will change the material's color, until it matches the dark green, highly scratch-resistant finish of the camera body. In addition to these traits, the Leica Q2 Reporter offers the same level of protection against dust and water infiltration as the original Q2 model.
Compared to a standard CMOS sensor, this specialized monochrome sensor omits the color filter array to enable recording of just luminance values for greater visual depth and clarity, along with improved sensitivity to ISO 100,000 and reduced noise levels to suit working in difficult lighting. The sensor's design also sees the omission of an optical low-pass filter, and inclusion of an updated microlens array, which helps to produce sharper, higher resolution imagery.
The camera features the same impressive wide-angle prime Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. fixed lens, which has been matched to the sensor design for exceptional resolution and clarity. The lens design incorporates three aspherical elements and its bright f/1.7 maximum aperture suits working in low-light conditions. Additionally, a macro setting permits working with subjects as close as 6.7" away.
Complementing the imaging and optical assets, the Q2 Monochrom Reporter Edition remains an especially compact and intuitive camera, well-suited for street and travel photography. Its sleek magnesium alloy body is protected by a Kevlar covering for working in trying environments, and it has adopted the same battery featured in the flagship SL mirrorless camera for longer battery life. A high-resolution 3.68MP OLED electronic viewfinder is featured for fluid and clear eye-level monitoring and a rear 3.0" 1.04m-dot touchscreen LCD also affords straightforward playback and settings control. Built-in Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi permit wireless sharing and remote camera control from a linked mobile device via the Leica FOTOS app.
The Maestro II's processing capabilities also afford fast shooting performance, up to 10 fps at full-resolution with a mechanical shutter, along with an especially quick autofocus system. Stills can be recorded as 14-bit DNG files and JPEGs. The added resolution also enables unique digital zoom capabilities to simulate working with different focal length lenses: 30MP images can be created using a 35mm field of view, 15MP images with a 50mm field of view, and 7MP with a 75mm field of view.
In addition to stills, and unique among Monochrom cameras, this Q2 supports both DCI 4K24p and UHD 4K30p video recording, along with high-speed Full HD recording at up to 120p.
- High-resolution 3.68MP (1280 x 960) OLED electronic viewfinder provides a clear and realistic means for eye-level viewing. Its high refresh rate virtually eliminates lag and an updated eye sensor provides faster automatic switching between the EVF and the rear LCD.
- Rear 3.0" 1.04m-dot LCD features a touchscreen design for intuitive navigation and playback, as well as the ability to touch to focus.
- Lightweight magnesium alloy body and a Kevlar synthetic fiber covering for dust and moisture sealed performance for use in harsh environmental conditions.
- Unobtrusive design enriched with matching details that fit the concept of the M10-P Reporter
- Discreet design with no Leica logo on the front and no engraving on the top
- Robust matte green finish is scratch and fingerprint resistant
- Adoption of the BP-SCL4 battery, as used with the SL (Typ 601) mirrorless camera, affords an improved 370 shots per charge and the battery's physical design incorporates a rubber gasket to further reinforce the overall weather sealing.
- Enhanced haptics, following suit of the M10 and CL-series cameras, emphasize a simpler interface, including a single-stage On/Off button, a three-button rear control set, a programmable button within the thumb-wheel dial, a push-button diopter adjustment, and a distinctive thumb grip.
- Mechanical shutter affords flash sync speeds up to 1/500 sec.
- Lens features a 49mm filter thread diameter for attaching optional filters.
- Accepts one SD-type memory card and supports the UHS II protocol.
- Built-in Wi-Fi, when used in conjunction with the Leica FOTOS app for iOS and Android, permits sharing imagery directly to a linked mobile device and also enables remote control over the Q2 and remote shooting via a live view image. Additionally, Bluetooth LE helps to maintain a permanent connection between the mobile device and the camera, enabling remote waking of the camera and automatic connection anytime within range.