For a short moment the Leica Q camera got displayed on the official leica site. You can still see the page via google chache.
For a short moment the Leica Q camera got displayed on the official leica site. You can still see the page via google chache.
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7 Responses
Is this a mirrorless or a fixed lens point and shoot?
It’s a mirrorless camera with a fixed lens. Pointing and shooting is up to you. 😉
I can’t tell by the photo, but It’s not clear to me whether this a rangefinder camera or not. If it’s a coupled rangefinder it is not mirrorless, and in fact relies upon mirrors for focusing and framing.
Does it really matter?
If the image is real it can’t be a true (traditional) rangefinder as this focusing system requires two fundamental pieces, the optical viewfinder and the finder window.
None of these is shown, so the only possibility left is that focusing is done (total or partially) by electronics and that Leica found a way to do it with the required precision, besides using a lens that can also autofocus and an EVF.
Well there are several types of optical rangefinding device that only require one lens.
As for accuracy, contrast AF, as done on compact cameras, is the most accurate type of AF, albeit slowly! Many mirrorless cameras also incorporate phase sensors to improve response at a negligible reduction in IQ. I doubt this is the case with the Leica, Leica shooters would almost certainly prefer every drop accuracy and always manually focus!
The camera description says ‘Focus peaking’, this is essentially the detector part of the contrast AF algorithm with most in focus bits highlighted in the VF. In use I find this very similar to using a rangefinder. It is accurate and both easy and intuitive to get what you want in focus.
BTW, one of my cameras, a Minox, has no focus measuring device 😉
Don’t worry, it’s not a rangefinder, but a typical non-ILC digital camera, like every digital camera that came prior to mass-market dSLRs. The thing is, it looks great.