The Leica Q2 is one of my favorite cameras for great reasons. It embodies all the best things about the rangefinder aesthetic while being super small, having autofocus, and more. There are lots of reports of the new Leica Q3 coming; and folks should be very excited about that. But something I’m really dreaming of is the Leica Q3D: a variant of the Q2 that doesn’t have the LCD screen. After shooting with the Fujifilm X Pro 3 for years, I’ve found that I really don’t have a need for it. And this feature could save a ton of battery life.
Based on the D Series
If you’re not aware, then consider this. The D series of cameras often gets rid of the LCD screen on the camera. In fact, the Leica M10-D was nearly perfect. It lacked the LCD screen, added in the forward advance lever for aesthetics, and had great battery life. The only thing that it didn’t do was add in a truly mechanical shutter for recocking.
We also thought that the Leica MD was a great option too! Overall, this is my favorite series of cameras that Leica creates.
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Why No LCD Screen?
Why no LCD screen? Well, there are several reasons for this. But here’s the biggest one: do you shoot film but don’t want to price of shooting film? Then this is a great camera for you.
The Leica M10D and Leica MD interact with the Leica Fotos app to change specific functions like shooting in JPEG, RAW, or JPEG and RAW. Because it’s a manual focus camera, you don’t need to change anything else. Yes, you never, ever, need to delve into the menu settings. Isn’t that the dream of so many photographers?
Want to know what the image looks like? You can buy the EVF or use the Leica Fotos app. But ideally, you’ll just use Sunny 16 or the light meter to get what you want. It’s truly not all that complicated to use this camera.
Beyond all that, you can save a ton of battery life just by getting rid of the useless LCD screen.
I’m Just Dreaming
Sure, Leica does this with the Leica M series of cameras. But I’d really like this to come to the Leica Q series. With the Q3 right around the corner according to multiple reports, I really want a variant that doesn’t have the LCD screen at all. It’s got an EVF built in already, so why do I need it?
The Leica Q3D would make an already very good camera even better at documentary-style work. When you hold it, you’ll know that your camera’s battery will basically last as long as the 5D Mk II’s did. On top of that, you’ll only think about using this camera for photos and nothing more. The photographer can then truly only focus on shooting the images, not chimping, or anything else. You’ll also then need to pull out another camera to shoot video, which puts you in a totally other mindset.
Photographers that say otherwise just truly don’t understand it. And you probably won’t until you experience it.
