Unboxing the Leica Q3 43, taken from the Leica Q3 43 itself

First announced in 2015, the Leica Q series has gone through 3 generations with one thing in common: It is a Full-frame camera with a 28mm focal length lens. Recently, this high-end camera brand has added another version of the Q3 called Leica Q3 43 using a new lens with a quite unique focal length.

We had the opportunity to experience this product early at Leica Boutique Vietnam, with the images in this article taken with another Leica Q3 43 – helping readers quickly evaluate image quality!

The outer box of the device is a layer of orange cardboard, with the ‘seal’ part on the open lid also containing the name and some parameters of the product.

Opening this outer box, we will have another black and white box, introducing more about the device’s ability to transfer photos to iPhone and iPad via the FOTOS application.

The accessories set in the box includes a leather strap, a battery, a lens cap, a lens mounting ring (when not using the square hood mounted on the lens) and a USB-C 2-head connection cable.

Coming to the main character is the Leica Q3 43. The first difference we can easily see compared to the Leica Q3 version is that the skin is made of dark gray instead of black. This gray color creates contrast with the black camera body and the red Leica logo in the right corner.

Upon closer inspection, this leather layer, in addition to the color change, still has the same surface as the Leica Q3 with criss-crossed diamond shapes.

Users can even customize the color of this skin with the special edition Leica Q3 43 “À La Carte”, with the two versions we have here are orange red and turquoise. Of course, the special color version will have a higher price than the regular Leica Q3 43, but currently Leica Boutique has not announced the exact number and will be updated in the near future.

The biggest difference and most impact on the photography experience of this new Leica Q3 version is the lens APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 ASPH which means it has a slightly narrower viewing angle than the previous 28mm focal length lens.

According to the German camera brand, this is the focal length most similar to the viewing angle of the human eye, creating natural and distortion-free photos. Traditional focal lengths are also considered “standard” as 35mm and 50mm, the Leica Q3 43 offers a focal length in the middle and is also very rare in the current camera market.

Despite having a ‘longer’ focal length, the Leica Q3 43’s lens is not much larger than the Leica Q3’s 28m lens. In reality, the lens itself is a bit longer, but because the hood is shorter, it ends up being equal!

This makes the hand-holding experience of the Q3 43 very familiar to those who have used the Leica Q3. Looking at the photo below, we can see that the rings on the lenses of the two cameras are also placed in the same position, not offset.

Looking from the front, we can see a slight change in the design of the hood. This part ‘protrudes’ less, but there will be a little more blocking material deeper inside the lens. Because the focal length of the Leica Q3 43 is also ‘narrower’, there is no fear of blocking the camera’s shooting vision. Besides, it also adds a bit of aesthetics because there are embossed concentric circles.

The Leica Q3 43 lens belongs to the brand’s high-end “APO” lens segment, providing the closest focusing ability of about 26cm from the sensor for a 1:5 magnification factor. In the first experiences, this lens produces sharp images, bright colors and of course has the ability to ‘remove the background’ more than the 28mm lens.

Returning to the design of the device, the Leica Q3 and now the Leica Q3 43 aim for simplicity, with few buttons. The device has a 3-inch flip touch screen, and a 5.75MP OLED electronic viewfinder.

Regarding internal configuration, Leica Q3 43 will also be taken from Q3. We have a camera with a 60MP BSI CMOS Full-frame sensor, with “Triple Resolution” technology to take photos without changing focus with resolutions of 60, 36 and 18MP (saves storage space, suitable for different posting locations).

The device also has Wifi and Bluetooth, and can transfer photos to iPhone and iPad with the FOTOS application; Features a new color profile called Leica Chrome in the Leica Looks collection, 8K video recording capabilities and support for using RØDE video via USB-C port.

Leica Boutique has announced the selling price of the Leica Q3 43 in Vietnam: 193,800,000 VND .

Thank you Leica Boutique Vietnam for product support for this article