I am currently shooting with the R6 and mostly using the 28-70/2.8 lens. Sometimes I want something a bit smaller and more incognito to be able to take out with the family and friends.
Curious to hear people's thoughts on the Q3? Would still like relatively quick auto focus and eye tracking for the kids and wife when they are moving around and not just posing, but was thinking something like the Q3 or X2D would be interesting options to try. Should I consider something like the X100V as well? Thoughts?
Check your files and see if you shoot at 28mm a lot. I'm currently on the road, a year long trip with a Q, but also have a full other system. What I've learned along the way is although I enjoy the Q there's no way I'd travel with just it, there are to many other photo ops beyond 28mm. I'm based in a European city which offers plenty of 28mm ops but it also offers plenty at 18mm 50mm-100mm and beyond. Just my humble opinion, others will chime in I'm sure.
Using a Q can be life-changing in regard to "easy". Ease of carry and also my favorite is that people are easy or not threatened around it. It is not like pointing a big lens at them and most people just relax and don't take you seriously = gorgeous shots with emotion. Auto-focus is not what you are used to, but I use the touch screen a lot to pin point the focus if I am unsure. Eye focus is working well, but I do test it at 1.7 a lot because it provides a look that can't be matched.
The 28mm is fine as long as you don't get too close or get into weird angles because the camera body is so small. As long as you maintain level discipline and angle perspective discipline the portraits are amazing.
The q3 sensor is just incredible. I won't even consider taking my big gear on family trips. The Q3 images are a vibe unto itself that really has to be experienced.
I'd say yes. The Q series cameras are my preferred choice for traveling. While I also enjoy bringing my Leica M, the Q is much easier and more convenient to carry. The image quality is consistently impressive, and with some cropping, I can capture wide to normal shots. Despite my initial reluctance, I've come to appreciate this camera...its fixed 28mm lens encourages creative shots. For travel, it's fantastic for capturing environmental portraits. My current choice is the Q2 but you will be well served with the newer Q3.
I got the Leica Q in 2015, since then have had the Q2, both of which I've used extensively for travel because it's not my style to take a big camera with a bag of lenses. The 28mm length is perfect, can't say enough about it.
All that said, I had the Q3 which bricked after a few months light use. Leica replaced it, I sold it, and went into the M series. So if/when I travel again, I'll be taking my M11-P plus 2 lenses (both of them are tiny) - the 21/3.4 super elmar and the 35/1.4 steel rim reissue (which would be the only lens I'd use in the evening).
Having owned a number of Fuji X100 series cameras as well as the Q2 and now Q3, I will say I like 35mm more than 28mm. However, everything else about the Leica rocks—build quality, image quality, etc. I have traveled for a few months throughout Asia and Middle East with a single fixed lens camera and it was great. I didn’t have to worry about drawing attention when shooting on the street, or in a crowded location. Unless you really need to carry a variety of lenses for what you’re shooting, I would recommend keeping it simple and go with a small fixed lens camera like the Q or X100 series.
Looking for the little indicators in these inquiries, we see: 'for the kids and wife when they are moving around and not just posing'.
The first question to ask yourself is this - 'is this my main expected need, and will I be happy with a large proportion of my images to be of family?'
Second is - 'will I be happy with all my images to show the same characteristics (colour, DOF, fade character, field of view, general appearance)?'
Last (big) question - 'how disappointed will you be later to not have any images taken with the correct focal length, or taken with a favourite specialised lens (15-25mm and 50mm onwards)?'
You can only crop even a moderate wide angle so far and it will still be a small piece of that lens's view of the world. You give up pretty much all people shots because 28mm and 35mm usually put you much closer than you want to be to a stranger, and in-post crops then retain a lot of background. Creative bokeh images will be few and limited to close focusing. You will have a lot of relatively deep DOF images of street, the built environment, interiors.
What you go with determines what you come home with. I don't mean to be party pooper, but best you know these things ahead of time. It's hard to envision how it will work out too, in a strange place with strange people.
The Q3 has almost exactly the same resolution and DoF as the X100VI cropped to 35mm. So apart from the hybrid VF you get an X100 VI thrown in free with every purchase of a Q3. And the lens is better.
Beyond that you do lose resolution fast but the files are still lovely because the lens draws nicely.
You can just go again with the X2D. 1st crop to 60MP and again to around 40. Also you get 16 bit colour depth. But the AF isn’t as quick as the Q3 and the face detect is more crude. There’s no tracking of any kind. Or video. Don’t bother if you want to adapt lenses. It doesn’t do this well at all. The EVF is glorious (bested only by the huge Fuji GFX100II), IBIS is astonishing and the handling and menus are the best there is. My favourite camera of all time. With the V lenses the manual focus experience is better than the Leica.
Mostly though I’d recommend the Q3 for most people. It’s nothing over the shoulder. I shoot mine like I’d shoot if I were using my phone (similar focal length with the main camera). I fought the Q for ages until I just let go and started seeing like it sees. My girl K taught me that. The Q2M and Q3 are her absolute favourites. When she shoots them she’s not limited. She’s free.
flash wrote:
The Q3 has almost exactly the same resolution and DoF as the X100VI cropped to 35mm. So apart from the hybrid VF you get an X100 VI thrown in free with every purchase of a Q3. And the lens is better.
Beyond that you do lose resolution fast but the files are still lovely because the lens draws nicely.
You can just go again with the X2D. 1st crop to 60MP and again to around 40. Also you get 16 bit colour depth. But the AF isn’t as quick as the Q3 and the face detect is more crude. There’s no tracking of any kind. Or video. Don’t bother if you want to adapt lenses. It doesn’t do this well at all. The EVF is glorious (bested only by the huge Fuji GFX100II), IBIS is astonishing and the handling and menus are the best there is. My favourite camera of all time. With the V lenses the manual focus experience is better than the Leica.
Mostly though I’d recommend the Q3 for most people. It’s nothing over the shoulder. I shoot mine like I’d shoot if I were using my phone (similar focal length with the main camera). I fought the Q for ages until I just let go and started seeing like it sees. My girl K taught me that. The Q2M and Q3 are her absolute favourites. When she shoots them she’s not limited. She’s free.
For travel I typically take 3 primes ( 25, 40 and 85 ) and on a given day I usually only use one. This allows me to pick a focal length for the day and see the world through that focal length…and then the next day come out with a totally different view of the world with a different focal length. I get quite different shots from using a different focal length even if I’m covering the same area as yesterday…keeps things fresh and exciting.
amiletich wrote:
I am currently shooting with the R6 and mostly using the 28-70/2.8 lens. Sometimes I want something a bit smaller and more incognito to be able to take out with the family and friends.
Curious to hear people's thoughts on the Q3? Would still like relatively quick auto focus and eye tracking for the kids and wife when they are moving around and not just posing, but was thinking something like the Q3 or X2D would be interesting options to try. Should I consider something like the X100V as well? Thoughts?
I've never used the Q3...but what I've read about it from various members and other forums, the eye AF tracking leaves something to be desired if your subject is not stationary. Personally, if I was to lay down the cash for the Q3...I'd rent it before to ensure you are getting what you want. From what you describe and what I've read...I'd don't feel you have a match here.
chez wrote:
I've never used the Q3...but what I've read about it from various members and other forums, the eye AF tracking leaves something to be desired if your subject is not stationary. Personally, if I was to lay down the cash for the Q3...I'd rent it before to ensure you are getting what you want. From what you describe and what I've read...I'd don't feel you have a match here.
You should use the camera before recommending anything to anyone IMO-
chez wrote:
I've never used the Q3...but what I've read about it from various members and other forums, the eye AF tracking leaves something to be desired if your subject is not stationary. Personally, if I was to lay down the cash for the Q3...I'd rent it before to ensure you are getting what you want. From what you describe and what I've read...I'd don't feel you have a match here.
I had a Q3 and can confirm I had similar complaints about its AF
I have a family and travel all of the time- The Q3 checks pretty much every box-
The 28mm ish lens is plenty fast and the AF works very well for just about everything. I would argue you don't even need AF on 28mm lens (mf is done very well) but for what you need it for, AF is spot on.
I always hate threads like this with no photos- Here are a few of my favs one a quick LightRoom scan-
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/5.61/500s100 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/5.01/1600s100 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/5.61/250s100 ISO+1.3 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/1.71/200s100 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/3.51/800s100 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/1.71/125s100 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/1.71/60s800 ISO0.0 EV
LEICA Q3SUMMILUX 1:1.7/28 ASPH. lens28mmf/1.71/125s400 ISO0.0 EV
RustyRus wrote:
You should use the camera before recommending anything to anyone IMO-
Well I read reports from people like you that have used the camera and I’ve read enough posts about people complaining about the eye AF when the subject moves. Usually when there are a lot of complaints from people using the Q3…there is typically an issue.
Like I said…rent before jumping in. Seems to me that’s great advice rather than listening to unanimous people on the net.
RustyRus wrote:
I have a family and travel all of the time- The Q3 checks pretty much every box-
The 28mm ish lens is plenty fast and the AF works very well for just about everything. I would argue you don't even need AF on 28mm lens (mf is done very well) but for what you need it for, AF is spot on.
I always hate threads like this with no photos- Here are a few of my favs one a quick LightRoom scan-
Those are nice…but not what the OP is looking for. He wants to take candid portraits of moving subjects using eye AF to keep focus on the subject. So displaying images of buildings does nothing for what the OP is looking for.
chez wrote:
Those are nice…but not what the OP is looking for. He wants to take candid portraits of moving subjects using eye AF to keep focus on the subject. So displaying images of buildings does nothing for what the OP is looking for.
Your right- Surely your sage advice having never used the camera or traveled with it is much more valuable- Moving on-
If it's about trying something new and dipping your toe into Leica, the Q3's not a bad place to start. The AF's improved over the previous models, but it still lags behind what you're getting with the R6. The Sony RX1rII and Fuji x100VI aren't significantly better, so it's in good company. What it isn't is small, particularly not compared to the other two, or discrete. Though I have to wonder how much a priority that is since the other camera mentioned is the X2D.
I find the Q3 great for travel, with eye AF entirely good enough for people - for sports you’d want a Sony or somesuch, but for family stuff I think the Q3 is excellent. The form factor is superb for travel, at the expense of having a lens that’s not so sharp at the edges. I’ve been using it since launch and the past few times I’ve traveled it has been my only camera. The M gear has stayed at home.
I also had an X100VI from launch. I found the AF to be essentially useless, with literally zero percent hit rate on eyes and faces - zero. The lens is also quite poor compared to, well, anything else I’ve used. The Ricoh GRiiix I find much, much sharper and with AF that frequently works.
So for travel that involves photos of people who might move, these days I’d take either a Q3 or a pair of Ricohs.
