Verdict

The Leica Q3 43 becomes by far the best quality fixed lens compact I’ve tested, as indeed it should be for the money. The 60 Megapixel sensor and 43mm lens deliver some of the best images I’ve seen from any full-frame system, packed with detail and sharp across the frame, even wide-open at f2. Meanwhile the build quality is excellent and the user interface refreshingly simple.

I was also struck by the flexibility of the 43mm focal length. As a long-term X100 shooter, I’d long believed 35 to be the most practical if you only had one lens, but having spent some time with a 43, it’s now become my preferred choice. Long enough for more flattering portraits, yet still wide enough that it never felt cramped. I’m surprised how much I enjoyed it over 35 or 50mm.

But don’t get me wrong, I didn’t find anything mystical or magical about the images. They may look great, but judging from my tests I reckon you could achieve similarly good-looking photos given a 60 Megapixel Sony A7C R or A7R V coupled with one of their best G Master lenses, such as the 35 or 50 for roughly two thirds the money. Plus you’ll get a brighter lens, more sophisticated autofocus, a bigger grip and the chance to swap lenses.

But the Q3 43 packs this quality into a more compact body with clean controls and menus that avoid the complexity of many modern cameras. It’s all about the experience and the fact is I enjoyed shooting with the Q3 43 more than I did with either of those Sony’s. Is it worth paying the extra? Only you can decide.

It’s entirely personal of course, but the size and simplicity of a fixed lens compact is why I prefer carrying an X100 V over, say, an X-T50, even though it’s less flexible. And the Q3 43 shares this appeal but with better quality.

Ultimately there’s no other camera with this particular combination of features: a 60 Megapixel full-frame sensor with a top quality 43mm prime and a great viewfinder, all packed into a compact but well-built weatherproof body. 

It’s genuinely unique, but like all high-end or luxury goods, only you can say whether it’s worth the asking price. Personally if I had the money and felt secure carrying something that valuable in the places I shoot, I’d go for it. As it stands, the X100 is more appropriate for my own budget and locations, but I can’t lie, my head was seriously turned by the Q3 43.