This May Be the Perfect Fixed-Lens Camera … I Wish I Could Afford It

Leica’s terrific (and expensive) fixed-lens mirrorless camera soars to new heights.

Published December 6, 2023

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Less than a decade old, Leica’s Q line is quite new compared to the company’s 19th-century origins, but it’s left a mark in that comparatively short time. The original Q and successor Q2, released in 2015 and 2019 respectively, established a baseline of excellent optics with best-in-class ergonomics and build quality paired with an almost pathological commitment to simplicity. And while the Q3 is outwardly similar to its predecessors, Leica has moved to include some small but crucial conveniences that, together with an updated sensor, makes it more practical without limiting the luxurious fit and finish you’d rightfully expect.

A stellar fixed lens in concert with a big sensor has made the Leica Q lineage arguably the king of point-and-shoots. The Q3 improvements make it an eminently usable go-to camera for almost every purpose you could imagine. If you can stomach the significant price tag, there’s not much to leave you wanting.

Leica Q3 Digital Camera

$5,995.00 at B&H Photo

The Q3’s Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens has graced every Leica Q camera so far and for good reason: it’s lightning-fast and spectacularly sharp. And on the Q3, which sports a new 60MP full frame sensor (up from a 47.3MP sensor on the Q2), you can squeeze even more detail out of that terrific glass. I was able to crop in and in (and in) on my photos, getting usable results from far smaller sections of shots than I would have otherwise thought possible. If there’s one gripe to have (and it’s a matter of opinion), the 28mm focal length is quite wide, with visual characteristics very similar to your smartphone camera. Better? Yes. But similar nonetheless.

a man looking down at a camera he's holding

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Among the major quality-of-life upgrades on the Leica Q3 are an important pair of ports: one USB-C and one micro-HDMI. This comes with basic advantages, like being able to connect the camera directly to mobile devices and charge up with a standard cable instead of hauling around the proprietary battery charger. It also enables some extra functionality; the Leica Q3 is compatible with external video recorders, for anyone who wants to get serious about more than still photography.

The Leica Q line has long lacked an articulating display, but with the Q3 it’s here. Tilting nearly 90 degrees upwards and around 45 degrees down, the 384 ppi 3-inch LCD makes it eminently practical to use the Q3 above your head and at your waist, turning it into a truly subtle street photography phenom with its wide 28mm lens. The only nit to pick is while tilting is nice, full articulation is better, and something that plenty of the Leica’s significantly less expensive competitors have included.

All that adds up to a package that, if you can stomach the price, is a fantastic camera but also just a wonderful object. It’s as much a pleasure to hold as it is to shoot. And the photos you get not only look stupendous right now, they still will when you’re using this camera 10 years down the line.