Q3 43vs A7S III
Leica
Q3 43 (2024)
Starting from £6995 new
Best for Documentary, portrait & reportage photography
View Q3 43
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
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.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
Quick take: The q3 43 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7s iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Q3 43 (2024) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,995 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 60.0MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 8K/30p, 4K/60p 10-bit — L-Log | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect AF with face and eye detection | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS (combined with OIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 15fps electronic | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 743g body only | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.1mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF 0.79× 5.76M-dot OLED | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.84M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Fixed Summicron-M 43mm f/2 ASPH (43mm — closest to human field of view) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single UHS-II SD slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Q3 43 | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — |
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