Decision tools · Compare
Q vs Q3 43
Quick take: The Q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60MP; the Q is the most affordable; only the Q3 43 is weather sealed.
Where the Q wins
- Cheaper new: £1,268 vs £5,890
- Weight: 640g (with battery and card)
Where the Q3 43 wins
- Resolution: 60.0MP
- Burst Rate: 15fps electronic
- Battery Life: ~350 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 6.4 vs 3.2
16 specs side by side·12 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Leica
Q3 43 2024
Best for Documentary, portrait & reportage photography
£5890
new today at Clifton Cameras
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
Q — Street, Travel & Fine Art Photography: The camera that redefined luxury compact photography — a full-frame sensor, the finest 28mm compact lens available, and a shooting feel that is uniquely Leica.
Q3 43 — Documentary, Portrait & Reportage Photography: The Q3 with the most human lens — 43mm, 60MP, and Leica rendering at its most natural and versatile.
Who should buy what
Q (2015)
is the right camera for you if…
- Street and documentary photographers who want a full-frame fixed-lens camera with iconic character
- Travel photographers who want the finest compact image quality available
- Leica enthusiasts who want an autofocus alternative to the M system
- Photographers who value build quality and shooting experience as much as spec sheets
Q3 43 (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Portrait and documentary photographers who find 28mm too wide and 50mm too tight
- Q3 owners who prefer a natural 43mm perspective over the iconic 28mm Summilux
- Reportage photographers who want the discreet Q3 form factor with a more intimate focal length
- Leica system users who want a fixed-lens body that excels across multiple genres
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | QLeica · 2015 | Q3 43Leica · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,268 usedBest | £5,890 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 60.0MPBest |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | Optical stabilisation in the lens (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 15fps electronicBest |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~350 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 640g (with battery and card)Best | 743g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification | EVF 0.79× 5.76M-dot OLED |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.84M dots |
| Mount | Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single UHS-II SD slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Q
Q3 43
Portrait
3.2/10
6.4/10
Street
6.2/10
6.7/10
Travel
4.5/10
5.8/10
Wedding & Events
3.7/10
6.3/10
Documentary
2.9/10
6.3/10
Landscape
4.7/10
6.7/10
Casual
3.2/10
4.5/10
Food
3.8/10
6.7/10
Macro
2.3/10
4.6/10
Architecture
4.7/10
6.7/10
Astrophotography
5.5/10
5.4/10
Filmmaking
—
5.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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