As a fashion and beauty photographer and director, I shoot in a very unique and demanding manner. For one, I always shoot wide open. I do no editing, no cropping, and need to have full manual control over my image. I need to put the image on the sensor, then output from the sensor immediately. My clients demand that. This applies both to stills and motion. For this reason, Leica has suited my workflow for my entire career as its sensors’ reflect an image that is what I want right out of camera. Its lenses each reflect a different visual personality that suits my many creative needs. I always say: show me a different camera or lens combination that better reflects my vision and I’ll shoot that. I am constantly testing new technology and optics and it’s always been Leica. And now, we have the new Leica Q3 Compact Camera.
When I say “new,” I don’t mean just a new number. While it looks the same, it is nearly a complete redesign retaining the familiar form factor and absolutely stellar 28mm F1.7 Leica Summilux. To sum up the Leica Q3 in a word, I would have to say “wow” — just wow.
Key Features of the Leica Q3
- 60MP BSI CMOS Sensor with triple resolution technology in 60, 36, or 18 MP
- In camera focal length crop now extended to 90mm (28, 35, 50, 75 also included as in previous generations)
- 8k resolution video
- Tilting touchscreen
- Fixed 28mm F1.7 close focusing lens
- External device and tethered shooting capabilities
- New OLED improved viewfinder
New 60 MP Sensor
The new Leica Q3 full frame BSI sensor provides an amazing 60 megapixels with choices of 36 megapixels and 18 megapixels with brilliantly advanced pixel binning for full creative freedom. Pixel pitch and pixel density (the size of the pixels and how close they are to each other) is of critical importance to me. I love this feature for those jobs where 60 megapixels are required, but you may also want a different look of fewer megapixels. For me, the BSI sensor technology is particularly evident in the dynamic range of the shadows. I want my camera to render deeper colors and detail in clothing or portraiture, as well as accuracy in color when shooting clothing and cosmetics.
Focal Length Crop
Another amazing feature is the extended camera focal length crop to 90 millimeters extending the 28, 35, 50, and 75 range. You can have your camera on your shoulder with the utmost versatility all the time. For me, having the capability to crop to 90mm is particularly important shooting beauty and portraiture work. I’m not required to constantly swap out various lenses to obtain a closer crop. It is important to note that these focal length capabilities are ostensibly a crop into a 28mm perspective. The various lens settings do not offer the perspective of compression that say a 90mm lens would.
Tilt Touchscreen
Now added is also the versatility of the tilt touchscreen to easily capture lower and higher angles for your still and cinema work. For me, this is especially important when using the close focusing capability for portraiture and beauty work. When shooting wide open, it’s important to have complete control over whether the eyelashes, eyes, or lips are in focus, for example. The tilt touchscreen allows me the ease to ensure the precision of exactly what is both in the frame and in focus.
Fixed Lens
Let’s address the fixed lens. It’s unchanged from previous generations of the Q, and there is good reason for it. It should come as no surprise that the paradigm of fashion and beauty work is now all about the 28mm wide angle lens. This is partly due to the democratization of photography with the 28mm lens equivalent on the iPhone.
Leica took this to heart, designed and engineered a F1.7 lens with 6.69 inch minimum focusing distance. These extreme capabilities are truly an incredible feat of design, especially in such a small package. At the Leica factory in Wetzlar I have seen with my own eyes the bins of rejected glass and metal pieces in their pursuit of perfection and the workers who are dedicated to the task of polishing a particular lens element or hand-painting a number on a focusing ring. These handmade particulars — in addition to the testing and manufacturing technology used only by Leica — should provide some context behind my emphasis on this lens’ precision. Most importantly, there is a unique craft and humanity that perfects every piece of the Leica look.
8K Video Capabilities
Clients today are demanding larger deliverable lists with shorter and shorter turn around times. As professionals in the industry, no matter where you are in your creative journey, there is a demand to streamline your workflow. Due to the 8k video capture capabilities in the Leica Q3, you’re given the opportunity to shoot world-class motion capture with specs that allow you to shoot a worldwide product launch suitable for any billboard or theater, or social content and social streaming platforms.
The truth is that 8k will soon be the new standard. Our work must be recorded with the most advanced technology available in order to maximize longevity both for clients and our art. Leica has always been at the forefront of both technology and optics, pushing us as creatives to be at the forefront. As editing applications and research into codecs and looks advance, having more information provides more creativity and versatility.
Perhaps the most important feature of 8k video is not the higher resolution, but the ability to take stills from motion capture. There is never a project now that does not demand that photographers, directors, videographers, and creators provide both still and motion content in the same assignment. You can not only have the selection of every frame for a job, but also a file size that can be edited into a final image large enough in spec for any venue. Gone are the days where a frame or a screenshot can merely be used for a small thumbnail social post.
Leica Q2 vs Q3
| Leica Q2 | Leica Q3 | |
| Sensor | 47.3 MP CMOS
|
60 MP CMOS BSI
|
| Digital Zoom | 28 / 35 / 50 / 75mm
|
28 / 35 / 50 / 75 / 90mm
|
| Display | 3“ touchscreen
|
3“ tiltable touchscreen
|
| ISO | 50 – 50.000
|
50 – 100,000
|
| Video | FHD, 4k, C4k, MP4 + MOV
|
FHD, 4k, C4K, 8K, MP4 + MOV, .h265, ProRes (1080p)
|
| HDMI / USB-C | No / No
|
Yes / Yes
|
Who Should Use the Leica Q3?
The Leica Q3 is truly for the hobbyist, the content creator, and the professional. It exemplifies the epitome of modern design if you’re intrigued by the Leica look of the wide 28mm lens paradigm.
For the Hobbyist
The automation for those who aren’t interested in digging into the menu systems will still render Leica’s exemplary glass and highly improved auto focus capabilities. The menu system is highly intuitive, unlike many other overcomplicated systems.
For the Content Creator
This is highly efficient external device and tethered still and motion capabilities. The ability to shoot Leica glass particularly for social use will separate any creator visually. It creates a unique, elevated, and flattering look with speed and precision.
For the Working Professional in Still & Motion
I’ll be taking the Q3 with me on jobs where I’m looking for both still and motion deliverables, mobility between locations, and gear that is small and unobtrusive. Oftentimes I find that large sets, large pieces of gear, and flash take the viewer out of the environment. I prefer to create an intimate space, to share in the story we create together.
Although previous models like the SL2-S and the M11 encapsulate the new BSI sensor technology, the Q3 exemplifies this technology in a much smaller package. In addition, the Q3 is the very first Leica Camera to provide 8k video capability. This moves us into the next file standard of filming. I believe with the 60mp and 8k specs this will be a no brainer for many professionals to utilize the Leica Q3 as their primary camera.
