Are you rich? Are you looking for a full-frame camera that can fit in your pocket? Well, Leica might just have the perfect camera for you, having announced the Q for a cool $4,250.
OK, you might not want to put the Q in your pocket, but it is one of the most compact full-featured cameras to date, offering a huge sensor, a 24 megapixel imager and a burst mode that can capture 10 images per second — all in a body that's far smaller than the standard DSLR.
"With a full-frame sensor and a particularly high-speed, classic focal length prime lens, the Leica Q stands out due to its fast and intuitive handling," said the company in a statement. "Its Leica Summilux 28 mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens makes it ideal for available light situations and has an angle of view that reproduces scenes with natural perspectives and proportions. This makes it the perfect camera for street, architectural and landscape photography."
The Q includes a number of features found in previous Leica cameras, such as the M series, but it also adds features such as an electronic viewfinder, a large touchscreen on the rear of the camera and autofocus capabilities.
With the maximum aperture of f/1.7, a fixed focal length of 28 mm, a fastest shutter speed of 1/16000 and a maximum ISO of 50,000, this camera certainly has a lot to offer. Not only that, but the company claims that the autofocus system is the fastest system in the full-frame compact class of cameras.
Of course, there are a few hints that the camera isn't a DSLR. For example, it doesn't have an interchangeable body lens and isn't a rangefinder.
Leica itself has long been hailed as one of the most unique camera makers out there and is one of the few independent camera companies in Europe. It has consistently offered great products for a number of decades and is an extremely old company as well, having been established in 1849.
All that experience and class, of course, doesn't come without its trade-offs, at least from the consumer perspective. With a $4,250 price tag, this camera isn't for the amateur, unless that amateur is a rich amateur.
Of course, the camera isn't the only one in its class, with its biggest rival being the Sony RX1, which is also full-frame and smaller and lighter than the Q. In terms of specs, however, the Q beats out the RX1cyber-shot digital camera, although the Sony carries a list price of $2,799.
