Q3 43vs Z7 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.
Landscape & Studio / High-Resolution — Z7 II (2020): The Z7 II is a landscape and studio camera first, everything else second. 45.7MP with weather sealing and dual card slots is a compelling package. If you need resolution, it delivers. If you don't, the Z6 II is the smarter buy.
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
Z7 II (2020)
- Landscape photographers who print large or need to crop significantly
- Studio and commercial photographers requiring maximum resolution
- Architecture photographers where detail is non-negotiable
- Fine-art photographers who shoot primarily from a tripod
Quick take: The q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the z7 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q3 43 (2024) | Z7 II (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,995 | £2,699 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 45.7MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection | Phase-detect, 493 points, Eye AF, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS (combined with OIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 15fps electronic | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~420 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 705g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| 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, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q3 43 | Z7 II |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — |
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