GoKawiilIn November 2024, I spent a whopping £6,000 (about $8,100) of my hard-earned cash on a Leica Q3 43 compact camera. Since then, it's been my sidekick all over the UK and Europe, from the wild heart of Scotland to the brutal cold of the Arctic.
I've shot over 40,000 photos with it, from street photography and travel to weddings and landscapes, and even major editorial features. I've found it to be a superb photographic companion. It was an easy decision to award it a prestigious CNET Editors' Choice award.
After spending so much time with the camera -- and even turning it pink -- I've got some thoughts on these kinds of premium compacts and can offer some helpful shopping advice, whether you're considering this camera in particular or another compact like the ever-popular Fuji X100VI.
Leica Q3 43 $7,380 at B&H Photo Like Stunning image quality
Stunning image quality Compact size
Compact size Superb build quality Don't like High price
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. In the US, the camera retails for $7,380. 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 a bit overburdened with gear I've acquired over my 13 years of professional photography. Too many bags, tripods, lenses, lens adapters -- whatever -- and I increasingly wanted to take a more stripped-back approach to much of my photography.
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