Almost a year ago, in November 2024, I spent £6,000 (about $8,100) of my own money on a Leica Q3 43. Over the last 11 months, it's been with me on numerous travels around the UK and across Europe, and I've shot over 40,000 photos with it, including everything from street photography, travel, landscapes and even major editorial features. I've got some thoughts on these kinds of premium compacts and hopefully some solid shopping advice, whether you're considering this camera or another compact like the ever-popular Fuji X100VI.
Let's dive in.
I bought the Leica Q3 43 with my own money at full retail value, which at the time was just shy of £6,000 -- well, just over, including the second battery I also ordered. That's a huge amount of money, especially at a time when the purse strings are tightening and making big purchases -- especially non-essential ones like this -- are difficult to justify.
So, why did I want it?
Well, a number of reasons, and I'm hoping that any photographers out there will understand these, Leica fans or not. In recent years, I've found myself being a bit over-encumbered with gear that I've acquired in my 13 years taking photos professionally. Too many bags, tripods, lenses, lens adapters -- whatever -- and I increasingly wanted to take a more stripped-back approach to much of my photography.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
For years, I've used the Sony RX1R as a compact, "take anywhere" camera when I don't want to take a bag full of kit. It's a stunning little full-frame premium compact that takes beautiful photos with its fixed 35mm lens. But it's 12 years old now, and it's showing its age, with slow, unreliable autofocus, relatively low resolution, and crucially, there's no viewfinder, so you have to shoot using the main screen and you look like a tourist. I spent years hoping that Sony would replace it, and while it eventually did, I'd already bought and fallen in love with my new Leica. Sorry Sony, you snooze, you lose.
The Q3 43 comes into its own as an everyday carry camera for street and documentary photography Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The Q3 43 is, in some ways, my RX1R's spiritual successor. It has a gorgeous full-frame sensor with an extremely high-quality fixed lens. It takes stunning images, and I can carry it with me pretty much all the time, keeping it slung around my neck, ready to shoot whenever I see an opportunity.
It has a fixed 43mm lens, which may not suit everyone, but it's ideal for most of my work. I usually flit between 35mm and 50mm focal lengths, so 43mm is an ideal sweet spot between the two that I've never found limiting in the many photos I've captured with it. I tried the 28mm version of the camera and didn't get on with its wide-angle view.
... continue reading