Take a range of modern and powerful features, pair them with a beautiful lens, and put them all in a small and portable body, and you get the Leica Q3. With a high-resolution sensor, 28mm f/1.7 lens, and a great set of capabilities, the Q3 looks like a great camera on paper. How does it hold up in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect.
Coming to you from Alex Barrera, this great video review takes a look at the new Leica Q3. Even though it is a very compact camera, the Q3 still offers a full frame sensor in tandem with a nice collection of features, including:
- 60-megapixel sensor (same as that in the M11) with BSI design for faster readout speeds and improved noise performance
- Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH lens designed specifically for Q cameras
- Maestro IV processor
- Various crop modes for longer focal length needs
- Triple Resolution Technology allowing for three different resolutions of output with better noise control
- 8 GB of buffer memory
- ISO range of 50-100,000
- Continuous burst rate of 15 fps
- Minimum focus distance of 6.7 inches
- Hybrid autofocus sensor with subject recognition system
- 8K video at up to 30 fps
- 4K video at up to 60 fps
- Full HD at up to 120 fps
- ProRes 422 HQ recording
- Micro-HDMI and USB-C ports
- 5.76-million-dot OLED EVF with 0.79x magnification
- Tilting touchscreen
- Weather-sealed construction
- Single SD slot
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Altogether, the Q3 looks like an excellent camera. Check out the video above for Barrera's full thoughts on the camera.
... if you can buy one. I'm hoping I'll get to the top of the list by the end of next year.
I don't quite fully get this one.
Unlike for example the Fuji X100V, the lens of this camera protrudes quite significantly. At no point can you claim this is even trench coat pocketable. It is also pretty heavy - 743 grams, not far from regular interchangable lens cameras with a lens. Most likely this will be carried around in a camera bag, which begs some obvious questions.
I used to have a Sony RX1R II and I sold it for this reason. It was just not small enough to be a small camera. The biggest problem was depth, not width or height.
Also, when the original Sony RX1 and Leica Q came out, there just wasn't a whole lot in the way of alternatives in the full frame market. Full Frame cameras were large and clunky, and mirrorless options lacked lenses. This isn't the case in 2023. We now have small & large mirrorless cameras at all price points from multiple manufacturers, and we have catalogs full of mirrorless lenses, all which create tiny packages.
Now, of course, some people buy cameras because they are a fashion statement or because they are gear heads. But in that case, go the full mile and just get a Leica M11.