Andrea Pacella, Leica's VP of global marketing and communications:
"At the beginning, some people would joke, 'You pay for the lens and get the camera for free'. But if you think about how much a standalone M-mount Summilux 28mm f/1.4 lens costs, the lens alone costs as much as the entire Q camera.
On average, the Q series cameras sell twice as much, or even more, than the entire M system. It is a lot.
However, we have never exceeded the production run that we can naturally manage. We have never thought about doubling factory shifts to produce more cameras, and we don't want to.
Q cameras are expensive, and we prefer to maintain its premium price point instead of overproducing and being forced to lower the price.
Today, if I had to give you rough, approximate numbers, the sales proportion between the two main models is roughly two-thirds for the 28mm and one-third for the 43mm – or perhaps somewhere between a three-quarters to one-quarter split."
Interesting. I initially found the surprising until I realized that the Q3, an expensive as it is ($7000+!!!), costs far less than the current M and includes a lens. And given the increasing emphasis among many consumers on convenience and one-size-fits-all capability in a daily use or travel camera, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the Q is outselling the more niche (and much more expensive) M line.
"At the beginning, some people would joke, 'You pay for the lens and get the camera for free'. But if you think about how much a standalone M-mount Summilux 28mm f/1.4 lens costs, the lens alone costs as much as the entire Q camera.
On average, the Q series cameras sell twice as much, or even more, than the entire M system. It is a lot.
However, we have never exceeded the production run that we can naturally manage. We have never thought about doubling factory shifts to produce more cameras, and we don't want to.
Q cameras are expensive, and we prefer to maintain its premium price point instead of overproducing and being forced to lower the price.
Today, if I had to give you rough, approximate numbers, the sales proportion between the two main models is roughly two-thirds for the 28mm and one-third for the 43mm – or perhaps somewhere between a three-quarters to one-quarter split."
Interesting. I initially found the surprising until I realized that the Q3, an expensive as it is ($7000+!!!), costs far less than the current M and includes a lens. And given the increasing emphasis among many consumers on convenience and one-size-fits-all capability in a daily use or travel camera, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the Q is outselling the more niche (and much more expensive) M line.
Aug 10, 2026 at 01:32 PM
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