Qvs Q3 43
Leica
Q3 43 (2024)
Starting from £6995 new
Best for Documentary, portrait & reportage photography
View Q3 43
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street, Travel & Fine Art Photography — Q (2015): 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.
Documentary, Portrait & Reportage Photography — Q3 43 (2024): The Q3 with the most human lens — 43mm, 60MP, and Leica rendering at its most natural and versatile.
Who should buy what
Q (2015)
- 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)
- 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
Quick take: The q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the q is the most affordable; only the q3 43 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q (2015) | Q3 43 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,999 | £6,995 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 60.0MP |
| 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 | None | 8-stop IBIS (combined with OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 15fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~350 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 640g (with battery and card) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| 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" fully articulating 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 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q | Q3 43 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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