Leica Q3 – first test images
Last week the Leica Q3 was introduced as the successor to the Q2. The camera has a large fan base worldwide because it is a kind of mini power plant: despite its small dimensions, the Q series delivers incredibly good images. On the one hand, this is thanks to the excellent lens – a Summilux 1.7/28 mm – but also to the high manufacturing precision and the built-in electronics. The Q2 already set the bar high with 47.5 Mpx and 4K. With the Q3, Leica has gone one step further: 61 Mpx resolution, 8K video, plus - and Leica fans have been waiting for this for a long time - a swiveling screen...
Apart from the swiveling screen, the Leica Q3 is practically no different from the Q2. A lot has happened inside the camera (Leica press photos).
First impression
What sets Leica cameras apart is their excellent image quality, outstanding workmanship and ease of use. The Q3 is constructed in exactly this DNA. Anyone who has already taken photos with a Q practically doesn't have to get used to it. Only the buttons on the back of the camera are arranged slightly differently because more space was needed for the large folding screen. Because I only had the camera for a few hours, I went into our garden and collected impressions. Thanks to the wide-opening lens and the macro settings, you have a lot of creative freedom despite the fixed focal length. And thanks to the generous resolution, you can also do some cropping.
I am thrilled with the first results. Here are a few photos from this first spontaneous test, edited to my liking:
I hope I'll have the opportunity to test the Q3 in more detail at a later date and also try out the video functions. I created a few first small clips where I was particularly impressed by the precise autofocus, which is also suitable for filming. But as I said – I need more time for a serious test.
