I got the call on Thursday afternoon. “The Leica Q3 Monochrom is on Fernando’s desk.” My obvious question was, “How long?” In the world of new product releases, we seldom get much time with a camera or lens before we send it to the next reviewer, and I really wanted to experience this new Leica. Why, you might ask.
If you follow me on YouTube, social, etc., you know I like to think of myself as “brand agnostic.” I don’t wear logos on my back like some NASCAR driver. I use many types and brands of cameras, lighting, and the like. As a pro shooter for most of my life, these are tools. Obviously, I lean into the brands that serve me well. I work with what works for me.
More than a Tool
I could use the mechanic-and-wrench example we all use, and it would feel accurate, save one thing. Photography is more than commercial, more than science, more than math. It is art., and the artist (us) needs to fall in love with the process. Some cameras help me do that.
I have loved rangefinder cameras for 20+ years now, and when most of us think Leica, we think the Leica M line, including me. Over the summer, I had the chance to borrow the Leica M11 Monochrom, and I fell in love not just with the idea but with the process of a Monochrom camera.
There are several technical benefits to shooting a Monochrom sensor vs making a greyscale image from a color sensor. The lack of a (Bayer) filter increases sharpness and light sensitivity. Further, we get reduced noise, which means we can really use all that great dynamic range in the darks and shadows. However, there is so much more to the story.
Before we go there, though, let me point you to the page with all the wonderful specifications of the Leica Q3 Monochrom. I won’t be digging into the specs here, but below are the key differences between the Leica Q3 and the Leica Q3 Monochrom.
Q3 vs Q3 Monochrom at a Glance
| Leica Q3 | Leica Q 3 Monochrom | |
| Sensor | 62.39MP/60.3MP Color | 62.39MP/60.3MP Monochrom |
| Auto Focus | Phase Detect / Contrast Detect | Contrast Detect |
| ISO | 50-100,000 | 100-200,000 |
| Content Credentials | No | Yes: C2PA content authenticity |
The standout here, aside from Monochrom, is the content credentials. Leica was a pioneer in this area, and continues to add this feature to its newest cameras. In a world where AI and photo manipulation are abundant, the credentials in this camera will help ensure your clients and fans that what you create is indeed authentic.
The World is Not Black and White
Ok, let’s get to the meat of this conversation. This camera is not for everyone. It is for those of us who want to dig deep into shooting Monochrom. Perhaps you want to live in a world where light and shadow tell the stories. Where dark blacks, rich greys, and punchy whites draw your viewer into the frame. Where the Neon (ok LED, but I’m being dramatic) lights of the city are not stealing the show when what you really want to show is the woman shaking the rain from her umbrella as she enters the tenement.
Perhaps the lush greens, or even vibrant fall colors that can easily draw a viewer in, can be replaced with rich tones, texture, broken branches, scarred trunks, and rough grass that looks like you could reach in and touch it.
On Monochrom and the Leica Q3
Black and white photography as an art form has been standing firm, even with the rise of digital sensors; some have chosen to stick with analog photography for their monochrome work. The process of shooting and knowing the images will be monochrome and will only be monochrome just feels different. Limiting, some might say, but in some way liberating.
I was impressed by the ease of use of the Q3, the simple elegance I have always loved in Leica cameras. The versatility of the tilt screen. The macro mode, the super-fast lens. This beauty felt heavy enough in my hand, and light enough slung over my shoulder as I walked around for a day, capturing the contrast and light. Capturing the world around me in a different way.
A Monochrom Future?
I had been debating adding the M11 Monochrom to my kit in 2026. Now I may go with the Q3 Monochrom instead. The Images are amazing, and when I want to simplify and focus specifically on monochrome, perhaps having a purpose-built “kit” (camera/lens) like the Q3 is the way to go.
As I’m writing this post, I’m packing the Q3 Monochrom up, sending it off to another lucky creator who will get to experience what I did. A surge of energy and creativity, by stripping away the color and leaving only the light and shadow. I’m hoping to get this beauty back at some point to shoot some 8K video. I feel a Noir rising in the shadows of my mind.
