Podcast: A Well-Conceived Design – Hands-On Review of the Leica Q2 and Q2 Monochrom
05/13/2021This week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast is an old-fashioned hands-on review, but in this case, made with six hands. Allan, Jason, and I were pleased to be loaned the Leica Q2 Digital Camera and the Leica Q2 Monochrom Digital Camera, and we use our consideration of these 47MP cameras as a springboard to talk about camera grips, and point-and-shoot cameras, and value. We also talk about macro photography and cropping and about how to create black-and-white images from color files.
We begin the conversation mentioning the specs and features of these two incredible cameras and each of us offers our pros and cons regarding the features we liked best and those we felt lacking. Autofocus, body design, focal length, and responsiveness are mentioned. Other Leica cameras, such as the Leica M10-P, get discussed, too, as do the practical differences between rangefinders with removable lenses and point-and-shoots. Join us for this casual chat about photography and about how each of us, with our different workflows, aesthetics, and goals, found these cameras to be versatile, yet also challenged us to create better images.
Guests: Allan Weitz, Jason Tables, John Harris
Photograph © John Harris
Host: Allan Weitz
Senior Creative Producer: John Harris
Senior Producer: Jason Tables
Executive Producer: Shawn C Steiner
2 Comments
Hello! Can I just say thank you? This podcast has brought the world of photography to me, and it's a beautiful world.
I'm 27 and in the last month I bought my very first camera on a whim, a used Sony a6000. This camera inspired me to get out to my local conservation areas, hoping to capture my sense of nature. It also helped me get on the road and to new states to see more of Western America. I figured since I was going to be on the road, I'd like to have something to listen to, this podcast was the first hit on Spotify when I searched for "photography" podcasts. I'm so glad it was.
It is so affirming to hear people speaking about how they digest and dissect their environment. I've taken a lot of pictures up until now with disposable cameras or camera-phones. I've always had powerful reactions to the stories my eye points me toward, and until I heard this podcast I felt a bit awkward about it, it's a hard thing to talk about... It's relieving to hear from other emphatic "lookers".
I'm a computer nerd by trade and passion, I can't justify picking up one of these monochrome cameras, but I'd really love to see their character first-hand. Allan, I'm glad you mentioned how you play with your color channels prior to exporting black-and-white, I can't wait to try that.
This show has recently impressed upon me the importance of black-and-white. After I listened, I went through my images that I just couldn't quite call keepers, converted them to blank-and-white, and BAM it hit me! I was consistently ruining images by detracting from the subject with color. It's like a whole other kind of focus. Your lens might be focused on your subject, but the hues aren't. It checked my camera for a setting to change the viewfinder to black-and-white. I think that'd be a great feature. If I want a color view-finder I can just use my eyes!
Hello Michael,
Thank you very much for checking out this podcast. We're glad to hear that it provided some inspiration to you.