Leica's got a new camera, and like every camera its ever sold it's powerful and crazy expensive.
The $4,250 Leica Q is the German company's latest camera with a full-frame image sensor (that's the real professional quality stuff, for you regular shooters). It packs 24-megapixels; ISO 10 to 50,000; and 10 frames per second continuous shooting.
Around back, there's a 3.68-million dot electronic viewfinder, which is one of the highest resolution ones on any camera, and a 3-inch touchscreen. Like on a smartphone, you can tap on the touchscreen to autofocus on objects.
The Leica Q comes with a 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens. In other words, the lens is fast, which is what you want on a camera. With the lens, you'll be able to take great low-light photos without needing to use a flash (there is none on the Q, but there's a hot shoe slot up top for an external one) and get some really nice bokeh (background blur).
And in keeping up with the wireless times, the Q has built-in Wi-Fi to connect with smartphones and tablets via the Leica Q app.
The camera also does full HD video recording. Leica says videos are "indistinguishable from professional movie footage." I'll believe it when I see it for myself.
But like a Mercedes-Benz, you don't buy a Leica just for the beefy tech within, you pay the exorbitant price for the design -- and the little red Leica dot so everyone knows you're rich enough to afford a Leica.
Leica doesn't scrimp with the Q's materials. It's made from magnesium alloy with aluminum trims and the leather that wraps around the body has a pleasing diamond pattern to it.
It's a big bag of cash to blow on a camera, but if it's any consolation, you do get a free copy of Adobe Lightroom 6.