I had some time last weekend, so I went for a walk with J around Higashinakano. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m using the Leica Q2 as my everyday-carry camera. On this day, I was feeling particularly moody (maybe I forgot to drink coffee in the morning) so I decided to shoot everything in monochrome.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the ability to crop in while still maintaining an incredible amount of detail is one of my favorite things about the Leica Q2. Truth be told, I’m still getting used to the 28mm focal length. When I was shooting with a Fuji X-Pro2, my widest lens was a 23mm (35mm equivalent). The jump down to 28mm means some of my photos end up being wider than I’d like. This is precisely why the Q2’s high megapixel count is useful to me.
The Leica Q2 retains details even after cropping.
At some point, we were walking along the JR Sobu line. I didn’t plan this shot, so I just whipped the camera up to my eye and pressed the shutter button. I wonder if I scared the lady on the bicycle. I guess the ability to just snap the photo and make small crops later is an advantage of 28mm. At f/5.6, pretty much everything in the frame is in focus, so that’s one less thing to worry about.
A train passing on the JR Sobu line.
I have a small (so I tell myself) obsession with vending machines in Japan. They all look pretty much the same, but I always stop to take a photo of them. Maybe I’m not actually interested in photographing the vending machine. Perhaps what I’m trying to capture is the environment surrounding the vending machine.
A vending machine in Higashinakano.
I’m not Eric Kim. I don’t like to invade people’s personal bubbles just to get a shot – nor do I believe that sticking a camera into someone’s face is the “correct” way of practicing street photography. Maybe my timidness when it comes to privacy is why I enjoyed the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 as a street photography lens so much. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that the Q2’s 28mm lens forces you to get close to a subject if you want that intimate vibe. So, I’m actually pretty proud of myself for sneaking up to the window of this ramen shop to get this shot.
A ramen shop in Higashinakano.
As we were walking home, we saw this guy passed out on the bar of this restaurant. I wonder if he was drunk or just taking a nap.
A guy passed out in a bar in Higashinakano.
I’m loving the Leica Q2 as an everyday-carry camera. How about you? Send me an email, or reach out on Twitter!