The Biggest Pros and Cons of the Leica Q3

It's been almost a year since I sold all of my photography equipment. The Canon, the Ricoh GR3, all my lenses and lighting gear—everything, in order to buy my dream camera: the Leica Q3. In this post, I want to share my experience with this camera over the past year, both the good and the bad. Spoiler alert: I’m still in love with this camera and happy I made the switch to Leica.

First of all, I simply enjoy going out to shoot more, and I find myself taking more photos than ever before. I used to run a private business specializing in architectural and interior design photography, but I decided to focus more on photography for my art rather than directing my work towards clients. Even if it means making less money from the photos I choose how to shoot and edit, I prefer that over compromising on the art I want to create.

The convenience of having this compact camera with a fixed lens has encouraged me to take the Q3 everywhere I go. Whether it's a walk with the dogs or an early morning walk when I have an hour free to shoot, I don’t need a bag, lights, or a tripod—just the camera (which I find myself handling less carefully over time), a strap around my neck like any other tourist, and I’m ready to go. There's something about this camera that makes you want to shoot. It's like having a beautiful guitar sitting in the living room; you feel compelled to pick it up and play. With my previous gear, I had to carry a bag, select a few lenses just in case I wanted to shoot different things (since I already had them, why not bring them?), and even if I chose just one lens, the feeling was different. Of course, I enjoyed the crazy capabilities of the Canon R5 that the Leica doesn’t quite match, like its amazing autofocus. But there's something unique about the design of the Leica—its build materials and ergonomic shape—that sets it apart from any other camera I’ve used. And then there's the Leica color science and the optics of that special lens: f/1.7 with a 28mm focal length with a macro mode (which does take some getting used to if you're not familiar with this focal length). All of this combines to create an extraordinary user experience.

Despite the quality and enjoyment that comes with using the Leica Q3, the price is hard to ignore. There's the price I paid for it and the fear that something might happen to it and I’d be left without any photography equipment. There's also the cost of compromising on versatility. The 60 megapixels allow me to crop a photo as if I were using an 80mm lens, which provides some flexibility, but there's no doubt there are focal lengths missing in this camera that I used to have before. For example, I've completely stopped my bird photography, which I do miss. I also miss the extreme compactness of the Ricoh GR3. But aside from these two cases, I don’t feel the need for any other equipment besides the Leica Q3. Of course, this is assuming I have to choose between the two due to the high cost of each system. If I won the lottery, I'd buy the Canon R5 with a 600mm lens and the Ricoh again, and that would probably be it for the foreseeable future.

In conclusion, if you're a photographer who can afford the Leica Q3, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. You simply can't be disappointed by such a creation. But it’s important to remember that the equipment we use is just a tool to achieve the goal of creating good, high-quality images, and that can certainly be done without a Leica. Owning the camera doesn't necessarily lead to great results—it's the "box" behind the camera that frames the shot and knows how to operate the camera to achieve the desired outcome. If you're in a situation where you need to choose between the Leica and another camera system, I think it's crucial to understand that the compromise on lens versatility is the biggest trade-off. And if you want to shoot sports, birds, wildlife, or anything that requires a focal length greater than 80mm or exceptionally fast autofocus, then you're probably in the group that shouldn't buy the Leica Q3. But other than these needs, the Leica is amazing for a wide variety of photography types, with excellent optics and a very special user experience.