Leica Q2 vs. Fujifilm X100V — from a Fujilover perspective.
So today I wanna share some thoughts on the Leica Q2 vs. Fujifilm X100V. In this article, I will discuss the Design, Handling, Image & Lens Quality, Autofocus, and general functionality of those two cameras. Throughout you will see a lot of sample pictures of both cameras. The photos have been edited with LR.
A little history: I’m a long-time Fujifilm user, so this comparison is from a Fujilover perspective. I started using compact cameras around 3 years ago with the X100 Series, first the X100F and now the X100V. The Leica Q2 got added recently to my gear. If you wanna see my thoughts about the Leica Q2, go check out my Leica Q2 review.
Design
Let’s start with the Design. Both cameras are beyond beautiful, simple minimalistic, and very well crafted. The X100V comes already from a long heritage, it is the fifth version of this lineup. Over the years Fuji fine-tuned every aspect of the camera and you can feel this while using it. The alloy body is a nice touch and the camera is weather resistant. It feels great in the hand and engages you in the act of taking pictures in a way that many cameras simply don’t do these days.
Leica on the other hand also improved the Q2 reasonably of the original Q. The body is built like a tank from a magnesium alloy combination. It is also dust and moisture resistant and the EVF is a big improvement with now 3.68 Million Pixels. So for the looks, I would prefer the Leica but it’s a very close call.
Handling
Well handling those cameras is a different story and for me here has Fuji the better handling. First of all, I love a flippy screen, it’s so much easier to shoot from lower angles. Also, the integrated ISO Dial in the Shutter Dial is awesome, so Shutter, ISO & Aperture just at one glance. You also get a few customizable buttons on the X100V, which comes in very handy for some quick changes.
Compared to the Leica, which has a much simpler design, there are not so many customizable options and also no ISO Dial. Both cameras have a touchscreen which works fine and is responsive.
On the Fuji, you’re able to switch the EVF to an OVF while on the Leica you’re stuck to the EVF. Also, the Leica misses a USB port.
Image & Lens Quality
In terms of Image & Lens Quality, both cameras are top-notch. The Leica shoots amazing 47 Megapixel photos on a full-frame sensor with a stabilized 28mm f1.7 lens while the fuji shoots 26Mp photos on an APS-C sensor at 23mm f2 — which is a 35mm equivalent. Both have amazing colors and great dynamic range, for myself I prefer the fuji colors just a little bit more. The lenses are both sharp with minimal distortion and awesome bokeh. On the Fuji you have the option to add conversion lenses to the kit, so you can additionally shoot 28mm and 50mm photos at 26 MP. On the Leica, you can digitally zoom, which means you lose resolution with each crop. But recently I fell in love with the crop modes, cause it gives you a lot of flexibility. You need fast SD Cards for both cameras, but the RAW photos on the Leica are around 80MB and on the Fuji 50MB.
For me, this battle is mostly even but I see Leica slightly in the lead here because the lens is impressive. But both systems have their advantages.
Autofocus
So if you’re using Autofocus a lot, you’ll be better of with the small Fuji. It’s faster, more snappy and face detection works awesome, even if you’re subject is very small and far away. But as I mentioned in the beginning the Fuji is also the newer camera and the AF is still great on the Q2 too. For manual focusing, the Q2 has the better handling cause the lens and the focus ring are bigger and easier to handle, while on the fuji the ring is pretty small.
So some other thoughts: You have to get used to both menus, but I think both systems are easy to get. The Fuji features more Film Simulation modes which are awesome if you shoot jpeg only. The Leica has a quick function menu which is very intuitive.
Conclusion
Both cameras are exceptionally beautiful and make a lot of fun to work with, the Leica excels in Image Quality with its 47MP Sensor and 28mm f1.7 lens, while on the other hand, the fuji offers a lot of features, is impressive in every technical level and the overall package is just very justified for its price. Either way, you decide, you’ll get a great camera. For most of us, the budget will decide anyway…
