ma or Q

I have 2 oldish leica film cameras, no digital. Am tempted by the Leica Q but also the Leica MA (film).

What would you choose? They cost about the same. I like the lens of the Q and the macro feature.

I have no use for the audio, video, or wi-fi and there's probably other twitchy/fiddly features of the Q I wouldn't like.

There's nothing to dislike about the MA if one likes film and has the lenses. Please let's not start a digital-film

argument again -- it's been done to death. I would like to hear from users of the Q.

I would go for the Q. It is the one digital Leica that I thought was absolutely wonderful (except for the price). I really don't think there is much to dislike about the Q other than it does not have interchangeable lenses and it will, of course, date. You also have to really like a 28mm lens, which I do.

There's nothing about fixed lens digital cameras that get me all that excited anymore, be it a Q, a Sony, full frame, APS-C or any other variant. Give your choices, I get the MA.

I don't own a Q (but I did have a dream about it). I have seen comparisons on DPReview between the Q and other full frame cameras. Apart from the M10, it is arguably the best camera with that sensor size. It's sharper than the RX1rII and on par or slightly better than the Nikon D800E etc. It's not cheap but you have to spend the same money to get the Nikon to perform as well as the Q, and all you get for your trouble is a huge camera that you aren't going to take with you on a day-to-day basis.

 

I think I'd prefer the M7 to the M-A, FWIW, on account of its electronically controlled shutter.

I dream of having just a Q and living with its limitations. I wish Leica would produce a 35mm or a 50mm Q, but I doubt they will.

I did get excited about the Q and do like the 28mm focal length but don't like to spend that much on a fixed lens camera. Waiting for Leica to put their cards regarding a Q with M-mount on the table. That would make for the only Leica I could truly become interested in. Rangefinder - thanks, but no thanks.

Karim; I do have an m7 and use it all the time.

Apparently, the Q has a feature (software ? ) that changes, in camera, the viewpoint of the image to that of a 50mm focal length lens. I would think some pixels are lost or ignored in the process and I would assume the exact same thing could be accomplished in editing software with a judicial crop. Probably another useless feature?

the Q has a feature (software ? ) that changes, in camera, the viewpoint of the image to that of a 50mm focal length lens.

 

It does have the option to select crops equivalent to 35mm and 50mm focal lengths field of views; the resulting image dimensions are

 

28mm 6000 x 4000 px

35mm 4800 x 3200 px

50mm 3360 x 2240 px

 

Rather than showing you a cropped image, the camera creates digital frame lines (like the M).

GIven that you have an M7, I'd say you either should buy the Q, buy a back-up M7 body, or keep some money aside if/when you need to buy another body or lens. Or you could buy a 'poor man's' M-A, the M4. :-P

With that budget, I don't think I'd choose either. If I wanted a new fixed focal length compact digital, the Q's 28mm lens would put me off. Instead, I'd go for the new Fuji X100F: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/fuji-x100f/fuji-x100fA.HTM which has a 35mm-equivalent lens and costs about a third of the price of the Leica. Then I'd look at the remaining budget and probably decide that rather than saving up for the M-A, I'd just buy one of the classic Leicas it's based on (an M3 for a quarter of the price, or an M4 for half the price), get it serviced by one of the top technicians to run like it just came out of the factory, and then contemplate how to spend the rest of the money...

I totally agree with Richard Williams. That's by far the best option out there. Get an X100F and spend the money on some good lenses for your M7.

Well of course there are other alternatives, but the OP seemed to want a Leica. The Fuji Xpro2 could also be considered as a cheaper alternative.

This way Bruce does get a (film) Leica too, just not a new one. I think I'd only be in the market for a new film M at current prices if I had a gift voucher from Leica. The Xpro 2 is also an interesting option for shooting M lenses, though the crop factor isn't ideal.