Q3 43vs Z5 II
Leica
Q3 43 (2024)
Starting from £6995 new
Best for Documentary, portrait & reportage photography
View Q3 43
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible price.
Who should buy what
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
Z5 II (2024)
- DSLR photographers making the switch to full-frame mirrorless
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame Z quality at the most accessible price
- Z5 owners wanting significantly improved autofocus and uncropped 4K
- Landscape and portrait photographers stepping up from APS-C
Quick take: The q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the z5 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q3 43 (2024) | Z5 II (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,995 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log | 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS (combined with OIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 15fps electronic | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 700g body only |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.79× 5.76M-dot OLED | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q3 43 | Z5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Q3 43
Camera family history