Q3 43vs A7
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.
Camera History & Full-Frame Introduction — A7 (2013): The camera that changed photography — the world's first compact full-frame mirrorless, the A7 launched a product family that redefined what was possible.
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
A7 (2013)
- Photographers interested in the camera that launched the full-frame mirrorless era
- Budget-conscious buyers who want to experience full-frame image quality at minimal cost
- Sony FE system users who want the original A7 for sentimental or historical value
- Those adapting vintage lenses who want full-frame with phase-detect AF at low cost
Quick take: The q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7 is the most affordable; only the q3 43 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q3 43 (2024) | A7 (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,995 | £299 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.3MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection | 117 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS (combined with OIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 15fps electronic | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 743g body only | 474g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.79× 5.76M-dot OLED | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q3 43 | A7 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history