Skip to main content

The matte-black Leica Q-P is a statement piece for affluent introverts

If the all-black, minimalist Leica Q was just too garish for you — with its brazen red dot logo and all — fret not, Leica has you covered with the new Q-P. Although internally identical to the Q, including the same 24-megapixel full-frame sensor and fixed 28mm f/1.7 lens, the camera’s exterior has been coated in a new matte-black paint for the ultimate in unobtrusiveness — and that pesky red dot is nowhere to be found, the job of branding having been relinquished to an exquisitely engraved “Leica” script on the top plate.

So what will all this extra understatement cost you? An additional $500 over the base Leica Q. That’s right, the Q-P is a $4,995 fixed-lens camera. It’s like a statement piece for introverts; you know you spent more than you needed to, but you don’t necessarily want other people to know.

In truth, we would be more surprised — a bit worried, even — if the Q-P didn’t cost more than the regular Q. Charging a premium for cosmetic updates is Leica’s modus operandi, so this is just business as usual. Leica doesn’t just sell cameras, it sells ideas. It sells emotion. And you can’t put a price on those, can you?

If we take a moment to give the Q-P a more solemn assessment, the fact is, even approaching $5,000, it remains one of the more affordable Leicas. For a brand steeped in the street photography tradition, Leica has long appealed to photographers who demand high-quality results from compact, stealthy cameras. The Q-P is narrowly tailored for this task. Its built-in wide-angle lens, fast aperture, and autofocus (something Leica M series rangefinders lack) all specifically target the street photographer, while the downplayed styling gives users the best chance they have of remaining unnoticed while they work.

Or, you could save $500 by picking up the standard Q and put a piece of black gaffer tape over the red dot — no, wait, that would sacrilege.

The Leica Q-P is on sale at Leica stores, boutiques, and dealers, but it appears to not be in stock yet, at least at major online retailers, which are currently offering preorders. While you wait, it’s a good time to turn down the lights, grab a Rauchbier, and get caught up on Netflix’s acclaimed German series Dark.

Editors' Recommendations

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
Leica’s $15,000 special edition M-P Grip is all about the … well, grip
leica m p grip 1

Leica is no stranger to one-off special editions. The German camera manufacturer often releases new variants of current models with a refreshed look (it even partnered with Lenny Kravitz for a pre-distressed M-P). But the company’s latest special edition is one of the rarest yet: The M-P Grip by Rolf Sachs will see just 79 units produced.

With such low production numbers, the camera must be finished in platinum or some other rare material, right? Nope, it’s rubber. In fact, Leica says the material is based on that of a table tennis paddle (no joke). The traditional leather trim has been removed, replaced by a bright red rubber that wraps around the camera, giving it a bold look.

Read more
Leica adds 50mm prime lens to SL mirrorless system, announces lens roadmap
leica adds bright 50mm lens for the sl full frame mirrorless camera 11180 slsummilux 50 asph top  rgb featured

Last year Leica announced the SL System, a full-frame mirrorless camera that was well received by press and photographers alike, and with the promise of bringing some serious glass to the series. Leica is finally putting out some new glass to take advantage of the SL’s EyeRes electronic viewfinder technology and 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, and is expanding its current lens options. During Photokina 2016 Leica announced a prime lens for the SL, the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, as well as its 2017 roadmap featuring three additional primes and an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens.

The Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH will be the first SL prime lens available and features a bright f/1.4 maximum aperture that's designed to deliver a shallow depth of field, and sharp results even in challenging lighting conditions.

Read more
The wait is over, the dual-lens, big-screen Leica-tuned Huawei P9 Plus is yours to buy
Huawei's P9 will soon come in metallic red and blue

If you want a smartphone with a brilliant, and innovative camera, then you must consider the new Huawei P9. Built with the help of camera experts Leica, the P9 and its larger sister phone the P9 Plus succeed the P8  from last year as Huawei's new flagship phones. Here's everything you need to know about the P9 and P9 Plus.
New color options
Just like the P8 before it, the P9 is a gorgeous phone. The same design language flows from the smaller P9 to the larger P9 Plus. Huawei used curved-edge glass on the front of the device and aerospace-class aluminum on the back, like the iPhone. On top of that, so-called "diamond-cut edges" shine and catch the light, while adding some grip the the metal phone. The power button and volume rocker rest on the right side of the device.

At IFA 2016, the Berlin-based consumer electronics show, Huawei announced a red and blue variant of the P9 -- take a look below for what they look like.

Read more