Leica’s new camera is made with Kevlar, but no it’s not bulletproof

If you ever wanted a camera made of Kevlar, now’s your chance to get one for $5,995. Sort of. Leica has released its latest skin for its camera lineup, this time featuring a Kevlar wrap that goes around the lens of its Q2 Reporter camera.

Instead of the traditional leather wraparound, the German camera manufacturer opted for the superstrong synthetic plastic fiber. Before you get the wrong idea, the camera wasn’t designed to save your life from getting shot, nor was it meant to stop bullets. In other words, it’s not actually bulletproof.

Designed for in-the-field work – Instead, Leica opted for the Kevlar wrap to survive the harsher environment that some reporters and press photographers might find themselves in. The Kevlar design is meant to protect the camera from any bumps and bruises in the field as well as any damage from chemicals or heat.

Leica’s Kevlar wrap is supposed to age well with the plastic fibers becoming more raised over time and offering a better grip. The Kevlar portion was also created to eventually fade from its original black sheen due to UV exposure into a more greenish hue that matches the rest of the camera and its matte-green paint job, which is also scratch and abrasion-resistant.

Same specs — Priced at $5,995, the new Q2 Reporter is $300 more expensive than the original full-frame Q2 camera and really only features visual differences. The Kevlar camera will have the same specs as the rest of the Q2 lineup, which offers a 47.3-megapixel sensor and a fixed lens with a digital zoom that adjusts to 28, 35, 50, and 75mm focal lengths. The Q2 can also shoot 10 frames per second with an autofocus system that can lock into your subject in 0.15 seconds.

The Q2 is able to record 4K video at 30 or 24 frames per second or a full HD format that goes up to 120 frames. The fixed lens on the Q2 also opens up to f/1.7 so you can take full advantage of that beautiful bokeh or get as much light as you need to in hard-to-shoot conditions.

No red dot — Most notably, the Q2 Reporter omits the iconic red dot logo usually placed in the front of Leica cameras so you can’t immediately flex your high-end camera. In all fairness, Leica designed the Q2 Reporter to be more discreet, so the logo exclusion may actually fulfill its purpose.

Leica is also planning to release a Monochrom version of the Q2 Reporter, which will only shoot in black & white and is due to hit the shelves in March 2022. Last year, Leica also released its SL2-S mirrorless camera that offers way better video capabilities.