You don’t need the Leica Q3 43… Or maybe you do?
Leica has officially announced the Q3 43mm. The newest digital camera with auto focus. When I heard Leica would be releasing a new Q3 I assumed it would be a Reporter edition or maybe even a Monochrome. I had no idea that they would release a new camera with an entirely new lens. They say that 43mm is the focal length that our eyes see. That when you take a photo at this focal length everything appears as it does to our eyes. That is intriguing to me. I love the 50mm focal length for portraits and find the versatility of it quite perfect for me. So hearing that there is a Q3 in 43mm is every exciting to me. To be honest it is taking a lot to not just call up Leica Seattle and order one.
The back and forth battle
My mind tells me that I need the new Q3 43. That somehow my current Q2 in 28mm is now not good enough. But before today, the Q2 was perfect for me. It was a dream camera of mine. I took this camera to South Africa (see that post here), and the camera was simply amazing. I got some of the best photos of my life on that trip and all I had was the Q2 in 28mm. So why do I feel the 43 is better? Well my friends, that is because of marketing. Leica has done a great job of convincing me that the 43 is going to give me images that I otherwise could not get with my current Q. And to be honest they are partially right. A 28mm lens will look different than a 43mm. Even cropping the 28 to 43 or 50 is not going to produce the same results as the 43mm. I have watched almost every video today on the new 43 and heard nothing but amazing praise for the f/2 APO lens and how much bokeh it renders. But again, yesterday my Q2 was perfect. Sure the Q3 has an appeal to me. The ability to transfer photos to my phone fast is a plus, the Leica simulations would be cool to have but neither of these are deal breakers for me. They are nice to haves.
Why the Q3 43 is not better than the Q2 in 28
There is one main reason the 28mm Q2 beats the Q3 43. The reason is…… Sometimes you just need the extra room. Having a 28mm allows me to capture images in places I otherwise might not be able to. Smaller rooms for one. Sometimes you just don’t have the space to backup any farther and this is where the 28mm shines. I would rather have a 28mm and be able to capture more shots then a 43 where I am more restricted. 28 to 43 doesn’t seem like a lot of distance but give it a try sometime if you have a zoom. Do it in a small room and look out much space you actually lose. Now, if you are outside or in a large area then yes, the 43mm is going to excel in many ways.
What do you like to shoot?
In my opinion the 28mm is still probably the best “travel” lens and def beats the 43mm in this respective. The ability to capture more of the scene, while still getting amazing portraits is a big appeal to me. If all you shoot is portraits then I would say the 43 is probably more up your alley. It really comes down to what you shoot the most and how you will use the camera. If money is no issue, well then your only option is to get both. If money is tight, then you have a very big decision to make. One that costs you a whopping $6k+.
In a nutshell
I still love my Leica Q2. The camera still takes beautiful images and has so much life left in it. It holds sentimental value to me that cannot be beat. Some of my favorite images were taken with the Q2. I won my first Leica Master Shot using the Q2. I def have the desire to get a 43 but also, my Q2 28mm is perfect too. I will be holding out for as long as possible and continue to see what I can create with my current Q.
Note: All images in this blog are taken with the Leica Q2.
