Leica Q3 vs Leica Q2

In this comparison, we will evaluate the Leica Q3 and the Leica Q2, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

Leica Q3 was introduced in May 2023 and Leica Q2 was introduced in March 2019. Let us first list highlights of the models.

Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Leica Q3 over Leica Q2.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Leica Q2 over Leica Q3.

We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

Screen

Leica Q3 and Leica Q2 have 3.0" screens with 1,843k dot and 1,040k dot resolutions respectively. Leica Q3 has a Tilting screen which makes it very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Leica Q2 has a Fixed screen Both models feature touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

Viewfinder

Leica Q3 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 5,760k dot resolution and Leica Q2 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 3,686k dot resolution. They both have 100% coverage.

Leica Q3 features a 60.3 megapixel Full Frame BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 36 x 24 mm and a total area of 864 mm². Its native ISO range is 50 - 100,000. Leica Q2 features a 47.3 megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor with dimensions of 36 x 24 mm and a total area of 576 mm². Its native ISO range is 100 - 100,000.

Leica Q3 has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

Leica Q3 is equipped with Maestro IV processor and can take pictures up to 9520 x 6336 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 36.5 MP: 7404 x 4928, 18.6 MP: 5288 x 3518 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Leica Q2 is equipped with Maestro II processor and can take pictures up to 8368 x 5584 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 28mm: 6000 x 4000, 4272 x 2848 | 35mm: 6704 x 4472, 4800 x 3200, 3424 x 2288 | 50mm: 4688 x 3128, 3360 x 2240, 2400 x 1600 | 75mm: 3136 x 2096, 2240 x 1496, 1600 x 1072 with 3:2 aspect ratios.

No Low-Pass Filter

There is no optical low-pass filter (OLPF), also known as an anti-aliasing filter, in front of the sensor on either of the cameras. This results in a slightly sharper image but may also introduce moiré patterns and aliasing artifacts when photographing subjects with fine, repetitive patterns or details.

Image Stabilization

The cameras have a built-in [y] image stabilization.

Built-in Wi-Fi

Cameras have built-in Wi-Fi which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
  Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.

Bluetooth

Leica Q3 and Leica Q2 have built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
  Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.

NFC on Leica Q3

Leica Q3 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.

USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer and battery charging. connector for video signal output.

Battery

Leica Q3 comes with BP-SCL6 battery pack with battery life of 350 shots and Leica Q2 comes with BP-SCL4 battery pack with battery life of 370 shots.

External Storage Slots

Cameras have a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

Shutter

Shutter speed can go up to 1/16000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/2000 sec with mechanical shutter on Leica Q3, and up to 1/40000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/2000 sec with mechanical shutter on Leica Q2. Leica Q3 can shoot continuously up to 15.0 fps. Leica Q2 can shoot continuously up to 20.0 fps.

Flash

Cameras have no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected to both of them via Shoe Mount. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/500 sec on both cameras.

Leica Q3 body has dimensions of 130 x 80 x 93 mm (5.12 x 3.15 x 3.66") and Leica Q2 body has dimensions of 130 x 80 x 92 mm (5.12 x 3.15 x 3.62"). Leica Q3 weighs 743 g (1.64 lb / 26.21 oz) and Leica Q2 weighs 734 g (1.62 lb / 25.89 oz).

Leica Q3

Leica Q2

130 mm

80 mm

130 mm

80 mm

80 mm

80 mm

93 mm

92 mm