Leica Q (Typ 116) Review – Design

It’s instantly striking how much the Leica Q is reminiscent of previous Leica rangefinder cameras. It boasts a solid body and curved design that mimic the Leica M-series, while the model also features a solid aluminium top-plate and magnesium-alloy body giving the camera a solid feel.

Leica fans will be pleased to hear that the Q maintains the brand’s familiar understated style – a simple matte-black finish is complemented by a textured front to aid grip, while the renowned red dot sits to the right of the front plate.

The controls based around the Q’s body are kept relatively basic

The control layout is also relatively understated, with five buttons to the left of the screen and a further directional control button sitting to the right of the screen. The emphasis is firmly on just picking up the camera and shooting in the most simplistic way possible, offering direct access to a wide range of manual controls in a straightforward fashion.

While basic camera settings are easily adjustable from around the camera body, the more advanced settings require diving deeper in to the camera’s menu system. This isn’t a huge problem as the menu system itself is well laid out and makes accessing camera functionality a fairly straightforward process.