Was the Leica Q2M a Mistake?

I took my Leica Q2M to our local Independence Day celebration. Was it wise using a monochrome camera at an event like this? Let me break down why I brought this instead of my Leica M11.
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[@ziggy149]

People, even my own mother, have said they wish they could see stuff in color. So I bought the M10M to pair with my Q2M.

[@davidherring]

Haha good call.

[@forgottenamericana]

Black and White is beautiful.

[@davidherring]

Agreed!

[@tripswithgriff]

Had my Q2M just a few weeks and already love it. I totally get what you say about reasons to shoot B&W and am really enjoying learning it!

[@davidherring]

It’s been a wonderful challenge for me, and I’ve grown a ton using it. Loving it so far!

[@usacic]

I have owned the Q2M pretty much since it came out. To this day, when i go to see my family, or to a friend's wedding is the only camera i want to take.

[@davidherring]

Nice! I really love it!

[@danielscheerer3032]

LOVE my Q2M. I use it when light is poor or dark, without a flash, because there is SO much room to bring out the subjects with exposure, and the clarity you get is remarkable. And yes, the results are timeless! The images I got at a rehearsal dinner a couple of weeks ago just have such a great feel to them. So ditto your comments!

[@davidherring]

Thanks!

[@Spearmanmark]

“When lighting is your hero, composition can take a back seat” cries out to be on a black Hanes Beefy-T and sold via Etsy.

[@davidherring]

Haha thanks man.

[@sebastiengombau]

beautiful shots man, b&w photography works well in daylight / middle of the day ! Congrats for the last frame.

[@davidherring]

Appreciate it!

[@WayneSerrano-x5t]

Dave, and your video pretty much wraps it up!

[@davidherring]

Thanks Wayne!

[@islandbyfilm]

Fantastic video & great points.

[@davidherring]

Appreciate it!

[@sc0ttmagoon]

I agree about color being a distraction and vastly prefer b&w for street photography. For other types of photography I am still learning my style.

[@davidherring]

We're all still learning our style. I don't think we ever get there.

[@crespotakesphotos]

I totally agree with all that you’ve said in this video. I would say that there are 2 things that have made me grow as a photographer: 1. Having a pocket camera like the Ricoh GRiii 2. Shooting in Black & White It feels timeless, it documents, it’s emotive, it makes you think more of how you compose and how you create shapes and contrast with light.

[@davidherring]

Absolutely! Thanks for the comment!

[@ericmorales1934]

I am late to comment and I saw the video as soon you posted, my opinion on monochrome is that with monochrome we see the photo in a naked sort of state? You see a sort of different depth than with color? You see actual emotions, sentiment and more like a story to chase beyond the colors, to me monochrome is more than just black and whites, is a legacy and a story that we want to portray in a permanent matter. Colors fade and die, black and white remains eternal.

[@davidherring]

Well said! Thanks for sharing!

[@makmak69L7]

Absolutely great video. Many thanks Dave. And list fireworks photo is a killer 😍. I am lucky enough to have the best of the two words. Usually I travel with my Leica Q2M and the Leica M11P with Summilux 50mm F1.4 ASPH New Version.

[@davidherring]

Thank you! And that's a great setup you have.

[@ericrjennings]

1 week with my Q2M so far and this hits home

[@davidherring]

Awesome! Congrats!

[@jayj8524]

Hi, Finally, I think it's a matter of taste, it all comes down to your personal preference. Me personally, as a hobby photographer, I shoot mostly in b&w, which I adore, but also in colour (60%/40%). Sometimes colour is able to convey more adequately the mood of a certain situation, but even this is so subjective !!! Keep up with your interesting videos, it's always a pleasure 👍.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@thepathofbri]

Great video. Agree with all said. Seriously thinking about biting the bullet to get Q2 Mono. Shoot mainly bnw anyway. Enjoy your channel. Keep bringing it. Cheers from former SF resident. Lived in Sausalito for couple years before moving full time to Asia.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing! The Q2M is awesome, but what I'd really love to eventually get is an M monochrome.

[@deadreckoningoutdoors]

The screen in each hand pic is awesome 🎉

[@davidherring]

Thanks! I was really stoked for this one.

[@cleanlens]

Good points.

[@davidherring]

Thank you!

[@derrenleepoole]

Good photography, is good photography regardless of whether or not it's shot in colour or black and white. Having said that, black and white can be read quicker by the eye - the story and composition is easier to determine without colour distraction.... I think we subconsciously read any black and white photo and infer colour information upon it, even if we're not aware we're doing this. I love black and white, but have recently been enjoying colour more with my purchase of the Canon 5d Classic. Loving the results out of that camera in colour. Some nice captures in here. But maybe in a year or two you'll make a video about how you only shot such an event in colour and asking if that was a mistake ;)

[@davidherring]

We'll see! Thanks for the comment.

[@RandumbTech]

That last shot is money! I still see the world in color, so that's my preference, but I can appreciate yours as well. I do sometimes convert to B&W, but it's fairly rare.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing! I shoot in color 75% of the time, but I always love and appreciate black and white photography, and think it is preferable in many situations.

[@CalMukumoto]

I agree with this video. I took the Q2M to a night outdoor concert and was surprised by the results. I always carry the M11; I should have the Q2M solo more. Fireworks make for a great photo outing. Great fireworks photos!

[@davidherring]

Thank you!

[@timbradburn3967]

Thank you Dave. Always enjoy someone making me feel good about my sticking two fingers up at the world, selling a kidney, and buying an M10Mono

[@davidherring]

LOL

[@photo_dude1686]

Wayne it's wrong. I love Walker Evans and Aaron Siskind. They both shot Vernacular Americana and oh how I wish I could see those famous monochrome images in color.

[@davidherring]

To each their own!

[@RoelandCSchaart]

Great final shot! What settings did you use?

[@davidherring]

It’s 1/30, f/1.7, ISO200. I will handhold down to the focal length and then bump ISO as needed. With a 28mm lens, 1/30 is fine for me, so the amount of light from the fireworks made this shot work with these settings.

[@RoelandCSchaart]

@@davidherring thank you, absolutely beautiful picture. Love to see more of your work 🙏🙏

[@scottgray4877]

Amen…….said very well.

[@davidherring]

Thanks!

[@Xingchen_Yan]

1 minute into the video, I must agree with what you said about how people react to those fireworks video/photos they took. It's like those PPT photos they took in schools. I just wanna say we all should enjoy our life more rather than the digital marketing tools we become. Now I am going to finish the rest of the video

[@davidherring]

Haha thanks!

[@haarsager]

Three thumbs up, one for each point!

[@davidherring]

Thanks!

[@Plus_KEN]

Challenge accepted my friend 😊

[@davidherring]

Let’s goooooo

[@ziggy149]

Last image was a banger

[@davidherring]

Thank you!

[@absonus]

Always preferred BW myself although back in the day I shot a lot of Kodachrome. You make a very good point when you say BW is timeless. My go to now is a Leica 246 . Always Interesting content by the way .

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mgscheue]

I love my Q2M.

[@davidherring]

Same!

[@c.a.reeves]

Hey man. Quick non photography question - what shirt are you wearing in this video? I’ve been looking for a good simple tee shirt to try out in my search for the perfect tee. Love the content 🤙

[@davidherring]

True Classic is my only shirt at this point, because they actually fit me and don't just drape my body. I have a bunch of black shirts, all the same thing haha.

[@aljawad]

Who said colours please the eyes, but monochrome pleases the soul (heart)? I like to make portraits in the style of Yousuf Karsh, and even though originally they are shot in colour, I process them in B/W, and more often the subject of the portrait prefers the monochrome version. Oh, and it has been awhile since I’ve been to the SF Leica store, where I’d spent many great moments with Wayne and the rest of the team (and purchased a lot of gear as well 😊)!

[@davidherring]

Something special about monochrome for sure!

[@mr_dowsett]

Like you know I have just grabbed another M8; do I like the muted colors? Yes 100%; will most of my output be in B&W, yes. Call it a 95% B&W and 5% color Do I own a Q2, yes, do I shoot in color and then edit in B&W... nearly all the time lol

[@davidherring]

You should try the Q2M!

[@MKWHD]

Yes, the BW are so timeless and I am surprised how great the fireworks look. But as an artist/photographer your style changes over the years and you should not look down on past edits. It is part of your history and evolution as an artist.

[@davidherring]

Appreciate this comment!

[@RikMaxSpeed]

B&W can be a cheat: it can simply look better when pared down by removing colour.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@brockburlando702]

I shot my whole 4th in black and white

[@davidherring]

Same!...obviously haha.

[@tundrusphoto4312]

Sometimes, colour is the subject of the photo and the meaning in the composition. Not so in black and white. And while black and white images are "timeless", there are many who believe black and white images are old, outdated, and from an aesthetic that isn't interesting. It's what happens when you put pearls before swine.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@lucas_yinghao]

Sometimes I had this passive-aggressive evil thoughts that because of the stigma around using a Leica and shooting B&W being so "pretentious" and maybe too classy to be just rich bastards, I'd go out and buy a Leica that only shoots B&W such as the Q2M, so I reach the ultimate stage of such stigma that it becomes a protest against such stigma. Anyways, very inspiring video! Another step towards buying a B&W Leica for me!

[@davidherring]

Lol thanks for the comment.

[@RikMaxSpeed]

Timeless = early photography only. Artists painted in colour before then, and colour photography became affordable in the 60s & 70s.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@RikMaxSpeed]

No, some photos work in B&W, some may even look better in B&W, but some things need to be in colour - there are several millennia of artwork to demonstrate this.

[@davidherring]

Thanks for sharing!

[@andrewdturton4535]

Agree, doubt Steve Mcurry ‘Afghan girl’ would be such an iconic image if it was in black and white

[@davidherring]

@andrewdturton4535 I shoot color 75% of the time and in this video never once made the point that it was black and white or nothing, but made a case that black and white works best in scenarios like this.

[@garymc8956]

Hats off to a man in a hat! Let’s get back to people- men and women - wearing hats! I’ve been wearing for over forty years- and I’m not a cowboy. You’d looks great, what is it? BTW, I love my M11 M.

[@davidherring]

Haha thanks. It's a Stetson. I wear hats all the time, and have for a decade. The more bald I get, the cooler my hats get.

[@garymc8956]

@@davidherring Is it a Stratoliner? I just received my Open Road.

[@davidherring]

@@garymc8956 It is! I tried an Open Road but it didn't look good with my head shape. I have a couple of Stratoliners instead.

[@Plus_KEN]

100% Facts re: BW photos force you to put composition 1st!

[@davidherring]

When you can’t rely on color to save you, you really see the photographer you are!

[@CallMeEsteban]

People always say “I like that better in color” but when I do B&W it just feels time;was, like it could be 1980 or 2024, and the image speaks for itself. I feel that the colors many times distract from what’s actually happening, I think it’s just the human brain doing its thing

[@davidherring]

Agreed!

[@joshualepik]

Now I gotta unsubscribe from this channel. Dave out here making me want a monochrome now!!! Great video

[@davidherring]

Haha just put your current camera in black and white and then you're set!

[@joshualepik]

@@davidherring yeah, but then I have to shoot JPEG or process raws. A Q2M seems like an easier choice Dave! Hahahaha

[@davidherring]

@@joshualepik I mean....it is haha.

[@iam.neekeeteen]

minority here, watching this pics you showed us here in BW for the very red-blue-white color centrist day in a year and i absolutely can't agree that it looks better in BW, i strongly believe you're in the BW photography honeymoon phase right now, all the pics in this particular video look absolutely out of context and absolutely dull, no offense, i believe that there is plenty of cases where BW works the best and this on isn't that one, sorry Dave for my IMHO input that you didn't ask

[@davidherring]

It's all subjective, so thanks for sharing!

[@e.d.s.1644]

Colour is distracting…. Period

[@davidherring]

It definitely can be!

[@thenowornerverkid1]

I'm sorry but to me this emperor (mono camera) has no clothes. The daylight files look like my Ricoh GR3x and the night files might be slightly better. So yes, the Q2M is an expensive mistake for most people.

[@davidherring]

Cool thanks for sharing.

[@markielinhart]

I’ve said this before and it’s worth repeating, colour is descriptive but black and white is interpretive…✌️🇦🇺 @markielinhart

[@davidherring]

Well said!