p.11 #1 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
I have a feeling, if anything, the small dynamic range bump and energy efficiency improvements could be explained by an update to the image processing engine… not the image sensor. But I’m far from an electrical engineer, so I could be off base.
I think where we all agree is that the D-lux and Q lines are great products that have their own unique use cases 🙂
1bwana1 wrote:
No, at best it appears that it may be an evolution of the D-Lux 7 sensor that uses a slightly different construction. This updated construction increased Dynamic Range a bit, and provided for more energy efficiency. For sure we are now getting better battery life, and now unlimited 4k 30p video record time instead of being limited to 29 minutes.
No they didn't include phase detect Af in this camera. It is not positioned as an AF-C action type camera. I shoot primarily in AF-S Single Frame. My hit rate like this is extremely high. None of the leica cameras has what one would call great AF, in high frame rates when compared to the state of the art mirrorless cameras. That includes the Q(x) line of cameras as well. The AF is adequate for its intended use case. I don't think that is a priority for Leica. It is certainly not for me with the D-Lux 8....Show more →
p.11 #2 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
instantfoto_ wrote:
I went to the Leica store to check out the Q3 43, and brought along my M11 with the Minolta 40mm for a quick comparison. These shots are wide open, SOOC ...
The detail on the Q43 is insane -- definitely makes me even more tempted to add a 35mm APO. That said, I am really impressed by the 40mm I already have, especially given its age.
Unscientific comparison, but for for thought none the less.
Appreciate the comparison to the 50 year old 40 Cron (I have the Leica version). I figured it would be a while before I got to see such a comp.
p.11 #3 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
tzhang4284 wrote:
A Ford Model T is a precursor to a Ford Mustang but that doesn't mean they share anything between them. I meant modern mirrorless cameras - e.g. Leica SL. Just as how the RX1was basically a dress rehearsal for the sony a7, the Q was the precursor to the SL series, Leica said as much.
I don't really care about how much Panasonic is in a camera but comparing the D-Lux 8 to the Q3 28mm or 43mm is not relevant at all. As for the components in the D-Lux 8 - the sensor as well, which is probably more important than the lens here, - there's a significantly improved 26mp sensor in the G9 II with phase detect AF. To me all the other changes are just window dressing - at its core, it's a camera from 2018.
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They've also plenty of changes over the years to non-APO Summilux and Summicron lenses to improve image quality, nothing is static as much as you want it to believe that's the case. I only used the APO lenses as an example since it's a similar line and clearly tangible. Everything you say btw is generally true and I agree on design trade offs but I think you underestimate the amount of improvement that can occur in 10 years in optics even today. Processes, design decisions, materials have not stayed static. Every other major manufacturer has made big improvements in their optical designs at a much lower price point as I'm sure has Leica - it just has done it in a more selective way since it has a different business model.
As for the D-Lux optic, I actually agree on the diminishing returns argument - mainly because the potential buyers at the volume they're selling them don't seem to care. That doesn't mean they couldn't make its better if they wanted to - zoom lens designs have improved significantly in 10 years and there's nothing particularly special or magical about the lens when it was the LX100 besides the fact that now it's a Leica....Show more →
I hear ya ... I reckon we're closer to bein' on the same page than it might seem. It's not that they "couldn't" ... it's just I didn't expect they had a strong compelling need to, and folks seem pretty happy with it as is. Watching what others have done with it, I appreciate its drawing style, and I suppose that's the "look" Leica was after. So, if they got what they wanted ... yeah, no reason to change (imo). Not sure if I'll pick up one for myself, but it's at least on my radar.
Imo, it could make a good "bike" camera ... you know, those times when you don't wanna go out without a rig, but it's not your main focus (i.e. out with friends / family, etc.)
p.11 #4 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
AFA AF goes, it depends on what you are shooting and how, etc. I just do not understand others expectations for AF.
I make this remark since for me every Leica AF camera I own SL2S, SL3, Q3 and Q343 focuses where I want when using AF. On the SL3 I use back button focus, position it where I want and the box turns green, no hesitation. Since the Q models don't have the same button, it is different, but when I half press the shutter the focus box turns green.
So all my cameras turn green ASA I hit the shutter or back button. So I am totally uncertain of how you use your cameras and what you expect from AF, but when I hit whatever button activates focus the box turns green like in less than a tenth of a second (my estimate). I do not shoot birds nor auto racing (very often) (but probably could with my SL3 by using a high shutter speeds). So I had Sony cameras some ago and I remember their green boxes turning green also as soon as I hit the button or shutter.
So what is with all this "Leica has not great AF"? How can AF get faster than what I observe in my Leica cameras? I hit any button activating AF and it's green.
p.11 #5 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
stgrove wrote:
AFA AF goes, it depends on what you are shooting and how, etc. I just do not understand others expectations for AF.
I make this remark since for me every Leica AF camera I own SL2S, SL3, Q3 and Q343 focuses where I want when using AF. On the SL3 I use back button focus, position it where I want and the box turns green, no hesitation. Since the Q models don't have the same button, it is different, but when I half press the shutter the focus box turns green.
So all my cameras turn green ASA I hit the shutter or back button. So I am totally uncertain of how you use your cameras and what you expect from AF, but when I hit whatever button activates focus the box turns green like in less than a tenth of a second (my estimate). I do not shoot birds nor auto racing (very often) (but probably could with my SL3 by using a high shutter speeds). So I had Sony cameras some ago and I remember their green boxes turning green also as soon as I hit the button or shutter.
So what is with all this "Leica has not great AF"? How can AF get faster than what I observe in my Leica cameras? I hit any button activating AF and it's green. ...Show more →
I find Leica AF fine when shooting Drive mode Single, and AF-S. Fast accurate and reliable. It is in AF-C in Drive Mode Bursts with tracking and object recognition that Leica is well behind the competition. I don't shoot a lot that requires that these days, but when I do I switch to my Sony A1 and have World class AF.
My serious shooting with Leica is done with my M11 so no AF at all. In some circumstances that is faster than even the most advanced AF.
p.11 #6 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
Nothing wrong with that, but I always suspected the Q 28/1.7 Summilux was a Panasonic design, given their 25/1.7 patent. (It was posted before here but I can't find it now)
p.11 #7 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
Fred Miranda wrote:
Nothing wrong with that, but I always suspected the Q 28/1.7 Summilux was a Panasonic design, given their 25/1.7 patent. (It was posted before here but I can't find it now)
Designed by: Takehiro NISHIOKA and Yoshiaki KURIOKA
I agree 100%. But some Leica people seem to think that products with significant Panasonic involvement are somehow not as good. I think they should realize that the SL,Q, and D-Lux lines of Leica cameras all have significant Panasonic components. If you want pure Leica you have the M cameras. But even then I believe many of the M lenses have glass elements made by Panasonic. Some SL lenses likely have significant Sigma contribution
p.11 #8 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
1bwana1 wrote:
I agree 100%. But some Leica people seem to think that products with significant Panasonic involvement are somehow not as good. I think they should realize that the SL,Q, and D-Lux lines of Leica cameras all have significant Panasonic components. If you want pure Leica you have the M cameras. But even then I believe many of the M lenses have glass elements made by Panasonic. Some SL lenses likely have significant Sigma contribution
It is all good.
I believe that all SL 'APO' designs are primarily by Leica and designed by Peter Karbe. The more affordable SL lenses are Sigma optical designs. The Q and D-Lux lenses appear to be Panasonic designs. Ultimately, what matters is the image quality and whether the lens rendering and characteristics appeals to most shooters.
p.11 #9 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
highdesertmesa wrote:
The most common thing about YT video gear reviews is the "talking head", though. I don't see his videos as unique in any way other than what his personality imparts to them. Even then, I wish he would speak more casually. I feel like I'm watching Walter Cronkite deliver the evening news when he is talking.
p.11 #10 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
stgrove wrote:
AFA AF goes, it depends on what you are shooting and how, etc. I just do not understand others expectations for AF.
I make this remark since for me every Leica AF camera I own SL2S, SL3, Q3 and Q343 focuses where I want when using AF. On the SL3 I use back button focus, position it where I want and the box turns green, no hesitation. Since the Q models don't have the same button, it is different, but when I half press the shutter the focus box turns green.
So all my cameras turn green ASA I hit the shutter or back button. So I am totally uncertain of how you use your cameras and what you expect from AF, but when I hit whatever button activates focus the box turns green like in less than a tenth of a second (my estimate). I do not shoot birds nor auto racing (very often) (but probably could with my SL3 by using a high shutter speeds). So I had Sony cameras some ago and I remember their green boxes turning green also as soon as I hit the button or shutter.
So what is with all this "Leica has not great AF"? How can AF get faster than what I observe in my Leica cameras? I hit any button activating AF and it's green. ...Show more →
To me, AF is fine and has been fine in most cameras of any brand for most circumstances for a long time.
But where some brands/cameras fall short is with CAF and Leica is among those. Wildlife is an obvious one, but that’s not Leica territory anyway. Another one is model photography. I can trust my R5 to stick to the model’s eye if she’s moving, so I can just ‘focus’ on the composition. I can’t trust a Leica, a Fuji GFX or my Olympus to the same extent.
p.11 #11 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
My one Leica digital camera that will not track a face are my M11's. I have tried and tried, but no luck.
Seriously my SL3, Fuji 100SII and 50SII all track a face just fine with the habitual green eye dot. I found sometimes exploring various settings can make a difference. As for Q3's once set to either track or eye face the green square is accurate.
p.11 #12 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
stgrove wrote:
My one Leica digital camera that will not track a face are my M11's. I have tried and tried, but no luck.
Seriously my SL3, Fuji 100SII and 50SII all track a face just fine with the habitual green eye dot. I found sometimes exploring various settings can make a difference. As for Q3's once set to either track or eye face the green square is accurate.
Pet AF Tracking.....they move faster than a human so I would say AF is fine for me
p.11 #13 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
One thing I am not a fan of so far is the MFD when not in the silly Macro mode-
2 feet feels slightly limited with this camera. It feels wider than a 50 (it is) and being limited to 2 feet isn't something Im a big fan of in intial use. I am used to it on the M11 with the 35 Lux but this is a different beast.
Also not having the ability to use a filter with the standard lens hood is also somewhat annoying because I will probably have to go into macro mode more than I would have liked.
That is my only issue so far with this camera- Everything else seems polished and dialed. My family is picking up a new Rhodesian Ridgeback today so I will be able to get some fun shots today with that.
p.11 #14 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
Totally agree about the macro issue if wanting a filter for any reason. What a stupid oversight by someone who could not figure out there will be a problem while using macro mode with even a so called thin filter attached before finalizing this hood design.
My gosh, Leica, every time lately you release an item there is a serious or annoying problem. If it's not hardware, then it's software. New employees work ethics do not mimic the employees of old-and I mean 5-10 years ago. It took me nearly a year to get the replacement lens hood for the Steel Rim, but at least they acknowledged their error.
p.11 #15 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
stgrove wrote:
Totally agree about the macro issue if wanting a filter for any reason. What a stupid oversight by someone who could not figure out there will be a problem while using macro mode with even a so called thin filter attached before finalizing this hood design.
My gosh, Leica, every time lately you release an item there is a serious or annoying problem. If it's not hardware, then it's software. New employees work ethics do not mimic the employees of old-and I mean 5-10 years ago. It took me nearly a year to get the replacement lens hood for the Steel Rim, but at least they acknowledged their error....Show more →
Makes you wonder why people (we) still pay top dollar for their stuff.
p.11 #16 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
johnvanr wrote:
Makes you wonder why people (we) still pay top dollar for their stuff.
Because I already know this camera will be on my side for some of the most meaningful moments of my life- I can't say that about any other camera brand.
The Q/M just work for me and feel natural to have on a shoulder strap on my body with no bag.
For example this picture- This girl just passed (best dog I have ever had the pleasure of living with) and I just happened to capture this because the camera was un-obtrusive and easy to have for a walk on the beach. So for me, the price and minor annoyance of small issues is worth it.
50 Lux pre-asph v3 not the 75
LEICA M11-PSummilux-M 1:1.4/75 lens75mmf/1.41/350s100 ISO0.0 EV
p.11 #17 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
rollei35_warton wrote:
They acknowledged this hood/filter issue of Q3/43, they just don't think it's an error.
Read the user manual, it clearly states: don't use the filter with the hood, don't use Q3/28 hood on Q3/43
I agree it's stupid and an oversight. But this time they admitted it in writing and proudly think it's a feature instead of a mistake.
To me that just shows their uncaring attitude toward Leica customers who pay their salaries through purchases. This is one reason I started to explore and then purchased Fuji GFX gear and also a bit of Hasselblad gear.
Sometimes I feel like selling all my SL gear and just using my Fuji for landscape shooting especially in unfriendly terrains.
p.11 #18 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
I don't get the sense that they are stating this as a feature. I think there were certain decisions made were form over function was prioritized on the lens length and aesthetic and this is the outcome.
The alternative camera where function trumps over form probably looks like a Panasonic S5 II
p.11 #19 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
stgrove wrote:
To me that just shows their uncaring attitude toward Leica customers who pay their salaries through purchases. This is one reason I started to explore and then purchased Fuji GFX gear and also a bit of Hasselblad gear.
Sometimes I feel like selling all my SL gear and just using my Fuji for landscape shooting especially in unfriendly terrains.
Although I am confident that Leica will pride a solution for this, it is possible that they considered that everything performed as shipped and it is not their responsibility to ensure that third party parts work on the camera. There are a good number of lenses on the market that won't accept filters due to their design. I own a couple of them.
p.11 #20 · Official Announcement: Leica Q3 43 Digital Camera Released!
1bwana1 wrote:
Although I am confident that Leica will pride a solution for this, it is possible that they considered that everything performed as shipped and it is not their responsibility to ensure that third party parts work on the camera. There are a good number of lenses on the market that won't accept filters due to their design. I own a couple of them.
I think their solution is buy the vented hood they offer.
