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Leica Q3

 
Leica Q3 front
 
  • 60MP - Full frame Sensor
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 50 - 100000
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 8192 x 4320 video
  • 28mm (F1.7) lens
  • 743g - 130 x 80 x 93mm
  • Released May 2023
  • Old Model is Leica Q2
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
60
Imaging
85
Features
77
Overall
81

Leica Q3 summary

Leica Q3 is Leica's Large Sensor Compact digital camera first released on May of 2023. It has a 60 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS Full frame size sensor with a full resolution of 9520 x 6336.

Leica brought out this model to replace the older Leica Q2 (Read Full Comparison)

The Q3 comes in at #1 out of 65 in Large Sensor Compact cameras & over all #27 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. Please try our Advanced camera finder to see camera results based on your personalized criteria.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Leica Q3 history

The Leica Q3 is part of a family of digital cameras. You can read the full list underneath.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Leica-Q3 front thumbnailLeica Q328mm
F1.7
60MPFull frame2023
Leica-Q2-Monochrom front thumbnailLeica Q2 Monochrom
Q3 vs Q2 Monochrom
28mm
F1.7
47MPFull frame2020
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Leica-Q2 front thumbnailLeica Q2
Q3 vs Q2
28mm
F1.7
47MPFull frame2019
Leica-Q-P front thumbnailLeica Q-P
Q3 vs Q-P
28mm
F1.7-16
24MPFull frame2018
Leica-Q front thumbnailLeica Q
Q3 vs Q
28mm
F1.7
24MPFull frame2015

Leica Q3 Pros and Cons

Here is a selection of benefits and drawbacks of the Leica Q3 based on criterias which are oftentimes regarded as important in a digital camera.

comes with phase detect AF
comes with touch to focus
delivers RAW files
does have HDMI support
doesnt have anti aliasing filter
flash sync speed is above average (1/500 seconds)
good ISO range (100,000)
good maximum aperture (f1.7)
good minimum ISO (50)
good resolution screen (1,843 thousand dot)
great battery life (350 CIPA)
has bluetooth
has face detect focusing
has tracking focus
image stabilization
manual focus
screen is a decent size (3.00 inch)
screen tilts up and down
sensor resolution is high (60 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Full frame)
silent shutter (1/40,000 seconds)
touchscreen
video res high (8192 x 4320 resolution)
weather proof
does not have headphone jack
does not have microphone jack
does not have selfie friendly screen
fixed focal length (28mm)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
more heavy than competition (743g)
Photography Glossary

Leica Q3 Sensor features

The sensor size on the Leica Q3 is 36mm x 24mm (Full frame). The 864 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 9520 x 6336 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera has Image Stabilization. In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter might lead to cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 60 megapixels and has a standard ISO range of 50 to 100000. RAW photos are saved so the user has more room to maneuver in post.

Leica made the decision to omit the anti aliasing filter in the Leica Q3. This may result in more clear images but may cause moire in some conditions.

The picture underneath shows the Q3's sensor size compared to other popular sizes. The Q3 sensor has a crop factor of 1 and is shown in green.

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To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Leica Q3 dimensions

Leica Q3 weighs 1.64 lb (743 grams / 26.21 ounces) & has outside size of 130mm x 80mm x 93mm (5.1" x 3.1" x 3.7"). The weight of average Large Sensor Compact camera is 396 grams and the Leica Q3 is more heavy than various rivals.

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Underneath is a shot of the Leica Q3 beside a soft drink to help you get a sense of its size.

Leica Q3 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will show you the button arrangement on the Q3.

Leica Q3 topview buttons dials

Leica Q3 Lens features

The Q3 houses a fixed lens with a fixed focal length of 28mm meaning that you don't have the ability to zoom.

At it's widest 28mm, it has an aperture of f1.7 and that's great for low light events and getting good bokeh. It will also enable you to set a much lower ISO to produce better shots.

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Leica Q3 Connectivity

The Q3 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that have NFC and / or Bluetooth support are able to be used wirelessly with smartphones. You will be able to copy images and usually change settings without the hassle of connecting directly with the camera.

Several apps also stream a Liveview and release the shutter if you are not near the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external monitor. A good number of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack through the USB port.

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Leica Q3 Video features

The highest possible video resolution on the Leica Q3 is 8192 x 4320 and you can save in MPEG-4, H.264 and H.265 file format. 4320p gives you a outstanding resolution for video recording. You are able to downsample to 1080p to get improved results. Be mindful of the large file sizes and ensure you own high quality SD cards with good write speeds. The body does not offer a microphone and / or headphone port so you have zero control over the audio. It is perhaps a better idea to consider an alternative model should you want good audio for your videos.

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Leica Q3 Weather Sealing

Leica Q3 has weather proofing making it a excellent candidate for use for rough environments. This can be particularly handy when you are not sure about the elements you might face for outdoor photography.

Leica Q3 Screen and Viewfinder

The Leica Q3 has a 3.00 inch tilting screen with a resolution of 1,843 thousand dots.

Moreover the screen is touch friendly so you are able to set focus points and change settings using your finger.

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The View Finder specs for Leica Q3 are the following:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • ViewFinder Resolution 5,760 thousand dots
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.79x

For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera displays washed out and tricky to see, viewfinders are particularly useful.

Leica Q3 Shutter features

Leica Q3 continuous shooting rate is 15.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds. The camera also has silent electronic shutter of 1/40000 seconds. Beware that the electronic shutter might result in "rolling shutter" in some lighting conditions.

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Leica Q3 Flash and Hot shoe features

Leica Q3 has external flash support but comes without built-in flash. The max flash sync is 1/500 seconds.

Leica Q3 Autofocus features

Leica Q3 has both Phase Detect AF plus Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more snappier & exact than Contrast Detect focusing. The camera has Face detection which is helpful for portraits.

The AF system has 315 focus points to choose from. Leica Q3 has tap to focus. You can use your fingers to change focus points. It also has Tracking AF for objects that move. Leica Q3 supports manual focus in case it is needed for low light conditions or you require more accurate control on focus.

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Leica Q3 Battery life

The battery life (BP-SCL6) in the Leica Q3 is made to last for 350 clicks as per the CIPA standards which is higher than the usual when compared to its class. The average Large Sensor Compact camera battery life is 301. Leica X-U has the best (450) battery life for this type of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Large Sensor Compact cameras having the strongest battery life:

Leica Q3 for different types of photography

The following chart presents a outline of the Leica Q3 for different types of photography. To see more, have a look at the specific section underneath.

Portrait photography with Leica Q3

The Leica Q3 has a score of 91 which is terrific, meaning that it is a wonderful fit to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits leans heavily to sensor resolution, RAW support and option to work with off-camera lighting.

Photography Glossary
has manual focus
flash sync is higher than normal (1/500s)
high resolution (60 megapixels)
big sensor size (Full frame)
includes face detect autofocus
exports RAW files

Leica Q3 as a Street photography camera

With a above average rating of 75, the Leica Q3 is a good choice to use in street photography. A good street photography camera gives a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization
large sensor size (Full frame)
delivers RAW formats
has touch to focus
weather proofing
very good high ISO (100,000)
heavier than others in class (743 grams)

Leica Q3 Sports photography info

A excellent sports photography rating of 86 indicates the Leica Q3 is a wonderful choice for taking photos of sports. A camera really should have excellent autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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silent shooting (1/40,000 seconds)
has image stabilization
MP count high (60 megapixels)
great sensor size (Full frame)
features tracking autofocus
weather proofing
great battery power (350 shots)
has phase detect AF
fixed focal length (28mm)

Leica Q3 Travel photography factors

Size is very crucial in choosing a travel camera. All round, the Leica Q3 gets a very good 71 for a travelling camera which makes it a respectable pick to buy for your journeys.

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better than average battery life (350 per charge)
environment sealing
has bluetooth
features focus via touch
fantastic megapixels (60MP)
good max aperture (f1.7)
more heavy than competition in class (743g)
does not have selfie friendly screen

Leica Q3 Landscape photography features

In case you're looking to pick a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most critical factor will be image quality. The Leica Q3 with it's superb grade of 82 as a landscape camera is a awesome pick within the current marketplace.

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manual focus
fast max aperture (f1.7)
decent sized screen (3.00 inch)
has image stabilization
fantastic MP (60 megapixels)
large sensor size (Full frame)
does not have anti-alias filter
above average ISO range (100,000)
supports RAW files
weather proofing
great battery pack (350 CIPA)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (28mm)

Leica Q3 Vlogging info

A camera for vlogging preferably should come with a articulating screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Taking all things into account, the Leica Q3 is simply not appropriate for vlogging as it comes to a awful score of 33.

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good max aperture (f1.7)
has touchscreen
image stabilization
supports face detect focus
video resolution high (8192 x 4320 pxls)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of microphone jack
more heavy than competition (743 grams)

Leica Q3 Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the Q3, here is a range of the highest scored cameras which fall under the category of Large Sensor Compact.

The graph here gives you a summary of the Q3 compared to it's highest rated rivals listed previously.

Here are a few more cameras you might have a look at as alternatives. To see a full comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Leica
Model
Leica Q3
Category
Large Sensor Compact
Released
2023-05-25
Body design
Large Sensor Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Sensor size
Full frame
Sensor measurements
36 x 24mm
Sensor area
864.0mm²
Sensor resolution
60 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Peak resolution
9520 x 6336
RAW photos
Highest native ISO
100000
Minimum native ISO
50
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points
315
Lens
Lens mounting type
fixed lens
Lens focal range
28mm (1x)
Maximal aperture
f/1.7
Macro focus distance
17cm
Crop factor
1
Screen
Range of screen
Tilting
Screen sizing
3.00 inch
Resolution of screen
1,843 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
5,760 thousand dot
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.79x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
120 seconds
Fastest shutter speed
1/2000 seconds
Fastest silent shutter speed
1/40000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed
15.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash modes
no built-in flash
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Fastest flash sync
1/500 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
C8K/8K at 30p/25/24p, C4K/4K at 60/50/30/24p, 1080p at 120/100/60/50/30/24p
Highest video resolution
8192x4320
Video file format
MPEG-4, H.264, H.265
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 GBit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
743 gr (1.64 pounds)
Physical dimensions
130 x 80 x 93mm (5.1" x 3.1" x 3.7")
Other
Battery life
350 shots
Battery format
Battery Pack
Battery model
BP-SCL6
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
Single
Launch price
$5,999