Last Updated on 05/03/2023 by Chris Gampat
Photographers everywhere are hyped for whenever the Leica Q3 hits the market. In fact, when I was being briefed on the Leica M11 Monochrom, I thought it was finally the Q3. But alas, that hasn’t been the case. In what will be the company’s 3rd edition of this series of cameras, I’ve read a lot of reported specifications and speculations. Of everything I’ve seen, I’m still seeing one big concern.
That concern has to do with the lens. If you’ve been around the camera world long enough, you’ll know that the Fujifilm X100 lineup started on a 12MP sensor. After that, the lens quickly started to be unable to fully resolve the sensor’s resolution potential. Typically, we’d see this as the other way around and be completely fine with it. When it was released in 2015, the Leica Q housed a 24MP full-frame sensor. The Q2, which arrived in 2019, upgraded to a 47.3MP sensor. And the Q3, which is slated to house a 60MP sensor, could have too much potential for the older lens.
The lens at the heart of the Leica Q system is a 28mm f1.7 lens with autofocus capabilities and even macro focusing. It’s genuinely one of the single best lenses that I’ve seen Leica make. While it might not be able to fully resolve the imaging sensor to maximum potential, I think it could still then lend a character to the lens that we’d be pretty proud of. It’s almost a 10-year-old lens at this point, which could result in us getting things like lens flaring, softness for portraits, etc.
Considering all the stuff Leica Rumors is saying, I’m also debating whether or not photographers would care all that much. I mean, here’s how I think that they’d be okay with the older lens:
- Built-in memory storage
- A joystick, finally
- Better autofocus
- The ability to shoot at a smaller resolution besides just cropping in in-camera
- IP durability rating kept to the same standard or better
- USB-C charging
- An insanely good battery life
Let me put it this way, I really want the Leica Q3 if it comes to market. And if these things are all in the camera, I’d buy it. Considering everything else I’m getting with it, I don’t think I’d sit there and mourn having a softer lens all that badly. But I’d also hope the autofocus and focus peaking can keep up.
So far, only Sony cameras have used the higher megapixel sensors. And comparatively, the autofocus just isn’t all that great. At higher resolutions, the critical focus becomes very important. And there would be nothing worse than shooting a scene where the focus peaking tells you that you’re in focus, but you actually aren’t.
To that end, I hope Leica hits this one out of the park, as most of their newly released products have been stellar. As it is, they can’t keep the Q2 in stock because it’s so popular with street photographers and wedding photographers. It’s essential, as the world needs more good fixed lens compact cameras that professional photographers can use. Besides the Sony RX1R and Fujifilm X100 series, there aren’t many I’d want to take seriously. While I know lots love the Ricoh GR series, I’d need a camera that can do autofocus and can do it well.