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LEICA Q2 – DANIEL CRAIG x GREG WILLIAMS

March 9, 2021March 9, 2021Carly Rahl

The creative patrons of this camera require little introduction: award-winning British actor Daniel Craig and renowned British photographer Greg Williams are connected through their work on the James Bond film series – and their shared passion for photography. Both have long appreciated the discretion, flexibility and outstanding image quality of the Q2. The Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams underlines these strengths with its luxurious yet understated design.

All engravings are inlaid with gold paint; even the Leica logo adheres for the first time ever to the colour scheme of black and gold. The name of the special edition (which is limited to 750 units worldwide) and the sequential serial number are, also for the first time, shown as a laser engraving under the display glass. The grippy leather trim of the Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams is textured with an exclusive diamond pattern.

“The Q2 is, for me, the perfect camera and needs no improvement. So, to have the chance to work with the amazing people at Leica and my friend, Greg Williams, to create something as unique as this, has been a privilege and an honour.” – Daniel Craig

Both the camera trim and strap are made of Napa calfskin leather that has been gently dyed with plant-based agents. The comfortable carrier strap is hand-stitched and adorned with the embossed Leica logo. Thanks to their gold finish, the strap rings and strap-mount eyelets of the Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams blend seamlessly into the camera’s elegant design.

“We bonded over our shared love of cameras on ‘Casino Royale’. Daniel takes beautiful photos and has a great eye. The Leica Q2 is an extension of me – you never see me without one around my neck. So to work with Daniel and the team at Leica on this limited edition has been a very special.” – Greg Williams

Daniel Craig and Greg Williams worked together to conceptualise the design of this special-edition Q2. Their core inspiration was the look of vintage Leica M models whose black paint had become chipped through years of use, only to reveal glimpses of the gold-coloured brass beneath. The black exterior of the Leica Q2 Daniel Craig x Greg Williams with its discreet gold elements conceals the modern, fast and robust technology of the serially produced Q2 – a camera that combines the convenience of automatic functions with the option of using manual control whenever the photographer desires.

The Leica SL2-S

December 26, 2020December 27, 2020Carly Rahl

Two Worlds, One Choice

For photographers and videographers who seek outstanding imaging performance to express both still and moving visual stories, the new Leica SL2-S is the ideal choice to capture brilliant photographs and cinematic videos through an intuitive camera that is built to last. With its new 24MP CMOS-BSI sensor and separate modes/menus for photo and video, the new Leica SL2-S offers the best of both mediums in one all-metal, state-of-the-art body.

An ideal camera for the photographer who wants to shoot in the most demanding situations. With fast, endless shooting thanks to the latest Maestro III processor, outstanding low-light performance up to 100,000 ISO, and full support with Capture One 21 tethered shooting, the Leica SL2-S is suited for all applications – from the field to the photo studio to the film production set.

Now Available for Pre-Order: $4,895.00

The Ultimate Dream lens for Bokeh Lover’s everywhere

April 11, 2020April 13, 2020John Tworsky

Taken wide open at F/1.25 with the new Leica Noctilux-M 75mm ASPH lens on a Leica SL.
Image Courtesy of Jeremy Lebled

As we all know Leica is world renowned for making some of the best lenses on the planet. One lens in particular that they are known for is the so called “Holy Grail,” the 50mm 0.95 Noctilux ASPH lens. A flagship lens for them. It has been one of if not the most desirable lenses for photographers across globe. The ultimate lens for bokeh as smooth as butter that have many of us dreaming to own. Up until now . . .

Leica has been able to come out and replicate the 50mm 0.95 in a different focal length with even better results, in my opinion. The New 75mm Noctilux-M F/1.25 lens. The new lens is basically an enlarged version of the 50mm Noctilux with the same beautiful build quality. It definitely is not a light lens by any means and as some heft to it. Just holding it, you realize you have something significant in your hands. I was lucky enough to be able to take it for a spin for a weekend. Here are some of the images I was able to capture with the lens. I want to warn you though . . . You might want to give your wallet or purse to your spouse and have them lock it up! After you see what this lens can do you will have some serious lens envy!

One of the first things I noticed right off the bat was how rich and smooth the bokeh of the images were. It separated my subjects effortlessly from the background and gave my photos a “painting” like quality. Something I would hope for from a lens of this stature. It surely did not let me down.

The second noticeable thing I saw. Was the incredible sharpness that the lens has even wide open at F/1.25! Which at that aperture is very hard to do for most lenses. Let’s take a look at the next two photos so you can see what I mean.

**Photo taken wide open F/1.25, no crop, straight out of camera.**

Okay, so the first shot here above is taken wide open at F/1.25. Straight out of the camera, no editing, no cropping. With some beautiful natural light coming through a window. Lets take a look at the same image but cropped in below.

**Image cropped 100% straight out of camera, no editing.**

Now, featured above is the same image cropped at 100%. Holy Cow! Notice the detail in his eyes. You can see if you look very closely the cars on the street right outside of the window where we were shooting. Once I saw this, I realized just how special this lens was. It really helps separate it from the rest of the herd.

Thirdly, I feel having the 75mm focal length rather than a 50mm lens is ideal if you love taking portraits like I do. The reason is, it’s going to give you a better compression to the background. Which in turn will give you a better bokeh. Another advantage is it will also allow you not to be right up on top of your subject. Let’s be honest, no one likes having a camera stuck right in their face. Having that extra focal length will put your subject more at ease and let them be more of themselves.

In conclusion, if you love taking portraits of people and you currently have a Leica M camera or even a SL camera. I think it would be the perfect addition to include in your toolbox. If you have a SL or SL2 you can easily adapt this lens with a Leica M to L adapter. It also is incredibly easy to focus on the SL or SL2 camera with the integration of focus peaking. Which allows you to nail focus more accurately and quickly for manual focus lenses. I believe the photos speak for themselves. There is definitely something very special about this lens. To further inquire about the Leica Noctilux 75mm F/1.25 lens feel free to call our store at 201-473-2050 and anyone one of us would be more than happy to help. Till next time..

All my best,

Jeremy Lebled– Leica Boutique Specialist at Bergen county Camera

Introducing the Leica Q2!

April 3, 2019April 3, 2019John Tworsky

Leica Camera has announced the Leica Q2, the highly anticipated successor to the popular Leica Q (Typ 116). The new model keeps the same compact form factor and exceptional 28mm f/1.7 Summilux ASPH lens, but offers notable and quite significant improvements over its predecessor. The headlining changes include the brand new 47 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with updated Maestro II image processor, a stunning 3.68 MP OLED EVF, revised camera controls, and a larger battery from the SL, not to mention full weather and dust sealing. As good as the original Q was, and still is, the Leica Q2 is a giant leap forward

The Leica Q2 is a newly developed 47.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, offering almost double the resolution of the Q (Typ 116). The additional pixels now make using the built-in crop modes a much more realistic option. At the 35mm setting, you’ll now get 30MP and at 50mm expect 15MP. There’s also a new mode, 75mm, which will result in a 7MP final image. If you do use the crop modes, the on-screen review will show the cropped images, but rest assured that the DNG recorded to the SD card still contains the uncropped, full image off the sensor.

The maximum ISO remains unchanged at 50,000, but we’re expecting a slight improvement in performance. Even if noise remains the exact same as the previous 24MP sensor in the Q, the result should still be better. Keep in mind that magnification at viewing size, be it online or in print, will be much less due to the increased pixel count. This means that any noise will be smaller and less noticeable. We’ll reserve judgement until we can fully evaluate for ourselves, but our initial impression after some quick test shots show about a one stop improvement.