Leica releases its Q3 in 43 mm, closer to the human eye

After three iterations equipped with a “locked” 28mm lens, Leica's fixed focal length Q3 camera is now available for the first time in a variant with an alternative focal length: the Q3 43. A new camera based on the original Q3 format electronically, but which, as its name suggests, is equipped with a 43mm f/2. A fixed focal length apochromatic (APO) composed of 11 lenses grouped into 8 elements, including four aspherical lenses.

Tighter than the 28 mm of Q/Q2/Q3this 43 mm focal length should please photographers who were looking for a focal length more suited to reporting – Leica remains famous for its 35 mm and 50 mm, so here we have a good in-between. A 43 mm that Leica claims (quite rightly) is close to the human perception of perspectives.

Besides the ability to take more striking portraits, the other bonus of this new focal length is its macro (or rather proxiphoto) capability. In macro mode, the minimum focusing distance is 26.5 cm, enough to take beautiful detailed images.

On the electronic side, it is therefore still the same 60 Mpx sensor driven by the Maestro IV processor and its 8 GB of buffer memory. A definition that allows Leica to offer, as for the other Q, virtual focal lengths by cropping: 60 mm (x1.4), 75 mm (x1.7), 90 mm (x2.0), 120 mm (x2.8) and 150 mm (x3.0). With the loss of definition that follows. And still on the menu: the 5.76 Mpx OLED viewfinder, 8K video, IP52 certification, Apple certifications, etc.

From an appearance point of view, the optical block of the Q3 43 is not only a little longer than its 28 mm sibling, but above all the device is adorned with gray imitation leather and no longer black. Enough to recognize at a glance which of your two bodies is the 43 mm, and which is the 28 mm. Well, that's if you can afford it: if the Q3 28 mm already costs €6,250, the Q43 is €500 more at €6,750.