Leica
Q3 43 2024
Best for Documentary, portrait & reportage photography
£5890
new today at Clifton Cameras
Decision tools · Compare
Q3 43 vs 1 J5
Quick take: The Q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60MP; the 1 J5 is the most affordable; only the Q3 43 is weather sealed.
Where the Q3 43 wins
- Resolution: 60.0MP
- Battery Life: ~350 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 6.4 vs 3.9
- Wedding & Events: 6.3 vs 2.9
Where the 1 J5 wins
- Cheaper new: £93 vs £5,890
- Burst Rate: 20fps
- Weight: 265g (with battery)
- Casual: 5.1 vs 4.5
16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK
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.
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- Q3 43 130 × 91 × 80 mm · 772 g
- 1 J5 98 × 60 × 32 mm · 265 g
The 1 J5 is 32 mm narrower, 31 mm shorter, 48 mm slimmer and 507 g lighter than the Q3 43.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
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
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 | Q3 43Leica · 2024 | 1 J5Nikon · 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,890 | £93 usedBest |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 20.8MP 1-inch (CX) BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MPBest | 20.8MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log | 4K UHD/15p, 1080p/60 |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection | Hybrid AF: 171 areas, 105 with phase detection; face detection, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | Optical stabilisation in the lens (no IBIS) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) |
| Burst Rate | 15fps electronic | 20fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA)Best | ~250 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g (body only) | 265g (with battery)Best |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm | 98.3 × 59.7 × 31.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | YesBest | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.79× 5.76M-dot OLED | None (rear screen only) |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) | Nikon 1 |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Single microSD slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB, micro HDMI, Wi-Fi, NFC |
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
Q3 43
1 J5
Portrait
6.4/10
3.9/10
Street
6.7/10
6.7/10
Travel
5.8/10
6.1/10
Wedding & Events
6.3/10
2.9/10
Filmmaking
5.8/10
3.2/10
Documentary
6.3/10
4.1/10
Landscape
6.7/10
3.9/10
Casual
4.5/10
5.1/10
Food
6.7/10
4.6/10
Macro
4.6/10
3.4/10
Architecture
6.7/10
3.4/10
Astrophotography
5.4/10
2.6/10
Sports & Action
—
4.5/10
Wildlife
—
4.3/10
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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