Leica Q3 Waitlist/Stock/Shipment

[adrianh]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

18 hours ago, Cogito said:

Mea Culpa for my hand in the recent A7CR tangent. To bring thread back I offer this Leica shooter's review of the A7CR (Hugh owns  M, SL2, and Q3.)  Even though review (and comparison to Leica) seems glowing of the Sony at first, I implore you to continue watching, I might be leaning more toward picking up a Q3 (or Q2M) after watching this. 

The EVF on the A7Cs ruins the whole experience ,even without taking into consideration the haptics of the camera. I own the A7RV with a lot of top glass and it feels great, either with primes or with bigger zooms. And oh boy that EVF. There is nothing like it. But, if you go small, I don't think there is  any other camera as well built as the Q3, besides of course the M-line up. 

Edited August 30, 2023 by adrianh

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[thrang]

While I wait for the Q3 (for a Christmas gift for my daughter) I am considering adding a Sony, but not one of the new ones - rather, the A7siii (12 mp) for ultra low noise, low light shooting, and really astrophotography... I read there is not much better than that model for high ISO, super low noise light-gulping... I have an M11 and SL2-S, and the SL2-S is good in low light, though not sure how much better an siii would be with even larger photo site. But also I don't have any lenses for astro for it (but DO have some 1.2 and 1.4 wide angle GM lenses from my prior A1 that I could use with the siii). There is the Sigma 14mm 1.4 but that mother is 2 pounds I think...

As I finished typing this, I'm still waiting for the Q3 😉 

Edited August 30, 2023 by thrang

[JTLeica]

18 minutes ago, thrang said:

While I wait for the Q3 (for a Christmas gift for my daughter) I am considering adding a Sony, but not one of the new ones - rather, the A7siii (12 mp) for ultra low noise, low light shooting, and really astrophotography... I read there is not much better than that model for high ISO, super low noise light-gulping... I have an M11 and SL2-S, and the SL2-S is good in low light, though not sure how much better an siii would be with even larger photo site. But also I don't have any lenses for astro for it (but DO have some 1.2 and 1.4 wide angle GM lenses from my prior A1 that I could use with the siii). There is the Sigma 14mm 1.4 but that mother is 2 pounds I think...

As I finished typing this, I'm still waiting for the Q3 😉 

Before you buy the A7SIII, check comparisons between that and a normal A7 IV, I don't think for photography you have much advantage with the S model. I can't remember where I saw this but the comparison in photos is surprisingly close, you can firstly downsample the 33mp A74 image to 12mp and get a better noise performance than natively with the S model.

The S is really a video camera firstly, allowing the full sensor readout for low light video work where downsampling isn't really possible like it is with photography (you'd need 12k and then downsample to 4k for similar results) if that makes sense.

So, done rush in on that. The new A7Cii is definitely worth a look too as its 33mp with likely the same noice performance as the A74.

[thrang]

26 minutes ago, JTLeica said:

Before you buy the A7SIII, check comparisons between that and a normal A7 IV, I don't think for photography you have much advantage with the S model. I can't remember where I saw this but the comparison in photos is surprisingly close, you can firstly downsample the 33mp A74 image to 12mp and get a better noise performance than natively with the S model.

The S is really a video camera firstly, allowing the full sensor readout for low light video work where downsampling isn't really possible like it is with photography (you'd need 12k and then downsample to 4k for similar results) if that makes sense.

So, done rush in on that. The new A7Cii is definitely worth a look too as its 33mp with likely the same noice performance as the A74.

Thanks - yes I've done a fair amount of reading but am not jumping yet and will do more - from what I've read, the core physics is the lower noise light gathering of the much larger pixels ( 5.12μm on the A74 versus 8.40μm for the A7S III), that downsampling cannot change. Though generally agreed -  I've read the A74 is no slouch.

In my case, 12 mp will also be more than sufficient, as I wouldn't go much past a 12 x18 print or photo book size. Thus the larger pixel size will also let me take longer exposures (I'm not doing stacking or tracking at this stage). On the 14mm 1.8 GM lens, the A7IV calculates to a max 14.5 second exposure before smearing, while same lens on the A7sIII would be 21 seconds (NPF rule)! The SL2-S with the Sigma 14mm boat anchor , even at 1.4 ,would be about 15 seconds given the smaller pixel size of the 24 mp sensor...(numbers from the PhotoPills app)

 

[SAronian]

Q3 arrived today from B&H with firmware 1.2. Since 1.2 was released August 4th, seems there's not much buffer from manufacturer to delivery.

[SrMi]

9 hours ago, thrang said:

Thanks - yes I've done a fair amount of reading but am not jumping yet and will do more - from what I've read, the core physics is the lower noise light gathering of the much larger pixels ( 5.12μm on the A74 versus 8.40μm for the A7S III), that downsampling cannot change. Though generally agreed -  I've read the A74 is no slouch.

In my case, 12 mp will also be more than sufficient, as I wouldn't go much past a 12 x18 print or photo book size. Thus the larger pixel size will also let me take longer exposures (I'm not doing stacking or tracking at this stage). On the 14mm 1.8 GM lens, the A7IV calculates to a max 14.5 second exposure before smearing, while same lens on the A7sIII would be 21 seconds (NPF rule)! The SL2-S with the Sigma 14mm boat anchor , even at 1.4 ,would be about 15 seconds given the smaller pixel size of the 24 mp sensor...(numbers from the PhotoPills app)

 

Pixel size matters only when you are looking at 100%, otherwise only the sensor size and technology matters.

It is an urban myth that larger pixels produce images with less noise.

[Miltz]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

2 hours ago, SrMi said:

Pixel size matters only when you are looking at 100%, otherwise only the sensor size and technology matters.

It is an urban myth that larger pixels produce images with less noise.

I will agree with this and say if you think 12MP sensor has better image quality than a 60MP sensor, you’re fooling yourself. Even in low light lower megapixels camera lose. 12MP would give me almost zero room to crop. I can tell you for a fact that my Q3 at 60MP has better low light performance than my Nikon Z6 24MP which was the low light king for years. Sensor Tech matters and finally Leica is using the best tech at the moment, unlike the Q and Q2 which were always a step behind. Furthermore if I use Medium DNG I can squeeze out even more image quality from the sensor in images that are pushed a lot, not something I typical do but it’s good to know I have it available. And you mentioned printing, megapixels definitely matter. I wish I got the Z7 over the Z6 mainly because some of my larger prints lost detail and crispness. 

[JTLeica]

12 hours ago, thrang said:

Thanks - yes I've done a fair amount of reading but am not jumping yet and will do more - from what I've read, the core physics is the lower noise light gathering of the much larger pixels ( 5.12μm on the A74 versus 8.40μm for the A7S III), that downsampling cannot change. Though generally agreed -  I've read the A74 is no slouch.

In my case, 12 mp will also be more than sufficient, as I wouldn't go much past a 12 x18 print or photo book size. Thus the larger pixel size will also let me take longer exposures (I'm not doing stacking or tracking at this stage). On the 14mm 1.8 GM lens, the A7IV calculates to a max 14.5 second exposure before smearing, while same lens on the A7sIII would be 21 seconds (NPF rule)! The SL2-S with the Sigma 14mm boat anchor , even at 1.4 ,would be about 15 seconds given the smaller pixel size of the 24 mp sensor...(numbers from the PhotoPills app)

 

As a few others have pointed out now too, I don't think the S is the low light king for photograph due to the ability to downsample the 33mp A74 to 12mp (If that is what you wanted to do)... Plus the A74 is a generation newer with an amazing low light sensor.

Granted, I agree, the pixel size cant change but you are effectively combining 2 or 3 pixels into one, when downsampling a photo. Its almost all videographers that buy the S models for low light 4k video, where the large pixel size helps.

Anyway, with either, and that GM lens you'll get some amazing images no doubt. You say the camera has an astro setting that reads the focal length and adjusts the shutter to above star trails? That is damn clever.

[thrang]

Thanks all - first, I respect that higher pixel density gives more flexibility for crops or large prints, but as noted, I need neither for this application. There would be no nearly visible difference printing a 12 or 60 mp uncropped image at 12x18 (or a little larger at a few feet viewing distance) of the Milky Way.  But for more all around shooting, yes, agreed, 12 would be too limited in terms of cropping.

Secondly, AFAIK, is the process of downsampling does not remedy the initial conditions presented by smaller photo sites / higher base noise, nor does it address the single exposure time limits based on resolution which can significantly impact single exposure night sky shooting. The higher resolution the camera, the higher ISO one must use as well to compensate for exposure time limits.

I had an A1 which was an excellent camera, but traded in for an M11 for a different and more more deliberate shooting experience. The A1 was limited to about 12-14 second exposures for astro with my 14mm, else star trails would appear due to the Earth's rotation.. The A1 base noise was "ok", and the higher ISO required to compensate the exposure limit introduced additional noise. With an 7Siii, and the same lens, I can only envision much lower noise images - lower base sensor noise (with large photo sites), and lower ISO noise given the ability to shoot almost 21 seconds of a single exposure before star streaks! This mental exercise is also partly based on the note here that the A7Siii ISO sensitive is double that of the A7IV - (if true, here: https://www.alphashooters.com/compare/sony-a7siii-vs-a7iv/#:~:text=The Sony a7IV boasts the,than double the ISO sensitivity..

Again, I'm still exploring, so all feedback here is valuable and I don't claim to "know" as much as conveying what I've allegedly learned to this point in research!

And sorry, no, the camera does not provide any calculations - these are from the independent PhotoPills app - anyone interested in this should download it (free) and plug in values...

Edited August 31, 2023 by thrang
more detail

[APLondon]

for those of you in London. I suggest you go to Selfridges. 

I put my name on the waiting list at Leica Mayfair and was told I was about 100 on the list. I then tried Leica in Harrods, was told I was number 20.

Selfridges, however, I just missed one when I popped in, but I was now number 2. Picked mine up yesterday after a wait of just over 2 weeks.

The catch - if you consider it one, is that you have to pay upfront in full.

So if you get down there quickly, you shouldn't have to wait too long, believe they are getting one about every 10 days.

[rayansb]

I called B&H and they said I should expect my Q3 in Q4 2023 or Q1 2024 (ordered June 30th). Something tells me that's not gonna happen given the current pace. 

[WaitListed]

Curious (just for conversational purposes), what do you think the Q3 demand looks like.

A - High demand that just kept growing from launch day, or

B - Spike in demand from Leica loyalists on launch, but then tapered down to grow more steadily over time.

I'm thinking the demand may be more like "B", where there was a glut of orders on launch day, but then a lull after the first round of enthusiasts all got their orders in.  This might explain why B&H took 3 months to start getting through it's launch day orders (that, and lack of supply from Leica).  If this holds true, and B is more representative of the demand curve, B&H may be able to get through some of the June orders a little faster.  Demand is still huge, and orders will take time, but I don't think it's linear - thus, I don't think we will be able to judge delivery timing based on launch day orders delivery times.  At least that's my hypothesis.  

What do you all think?  A or B?

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[FusionX.Photo]

1 hour ago, WaitListed said:

Curious (just for conversational purposes), what do you think the Q3 demand looks like.

A - High demand that just kept growing from launch day, or

B - Spike in demand from Leica loyalists on launch, but then tapered down to grow more steadily over time.

I'm thinking the demand may be more like "B", where there was a glut of orders on launch day, but then a lull after the first round of enthusiasts all got their orders in.  This might explain why B&H took 3 months to start getting through it's launch day orders (that, and lack of supply from Leica).  If this holds true, and B is more representative of the demand curve, B&H may be able to get through some of the June orders a little faster.  Demand is still huge, and orders will take time, but I don't think it's linear - thus, I don't think we will be able to judge delivery timing based on launch day orders delivery times.  At least that's my hypothesis.  

What do you all think?  A or B?

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

The bigger question is will you change your name from WaitListed to GotOne when yours arrives ? 🤣

[WaitListed]

31 minutes ago, FusionX.Photo said:

The bigger question is will you change your name from WaitListed to GotOne when yours arrives ? 🤣

Ha! We'll see.  "Leica Owner" has a nice ring to it, but honestly I'm a little disappointed with this experience.  I ordered the camera months ago in the hopes of having it for my international travels starting next week, but alas, I will just have to drag my heavy Canon R5 around with me everywhere.  I'm hoping to still enjoy the Q3 one day, but this experience has very much soured my feels on Leica as a company.  The only good news is that I will most likely be back from my travels before the camera is shipped, so I don't have to worry about being around for delivery.  Unfortunately, this was a luxury purchase that no longer meets its intended purpose, so we'll see how I feel if/when I actually "GetOne".

[RMF]

I went to my local US Leica boutique yesterday with a friend as his Q3 had just arrived (he ordered it in-store pretty recently.. I’d say 2 months ago). The really surprising aspect was that its manufacture date was only 8 days ago (according to the date on the grey box) 😀.  Must have been drop shipped, went straight through US customs, and then straight to the boutique!  Perhaps manufacturing is catching up/

 

 

.

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by RMF

[rayansb]

1 hour ago, RMF said:

I went to my local US Leica boutique yesterday with a friend as his Q3 had just arrived (he ordered it in-store pretty recently.. I’d say 2 months ago). The really surprising aspect was that its manufacture date was only 8 days ago (according to the date on the grey box) 😀.  Must have been drop shipped, went straight through US customs, and then straight to the boutique!  Perhaps manufacturing is catching up/

 

 

 

 

I just hope with the demand and the catchup the manufacturing quality doesn't drop. For people who bough it locally it's no concern the warranty is there but for us international shoppers, there is a huge risk involved. I read a couple of reviews on B&H of dust inside the lens and other problems. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by rayansb

[Yoshitaka]

Waiting to buy an Leica Q3 Online from the Leica website.

Does anyone remember after which time frame the Q2 was readily available to purchase?

 

[JTLeica]

5 hours ago, WaitListed said:

Ha! We'll see.  "Leica Owner" has a nice ring to it, but honestly I'm a little disappointed with this experience.  I ordered the camera months ago in the hopes of having it for my international travels starting next week, but alas, I will just have to drag my heavy Canon R5 around with me everywhere.  I'm hoping to still enjoy the Q3 one day, but this experience has very much soured my feels on Leica as a company.  The only good news is that I will most likely be back from my travels before the camera is shipped, so I don't have to worry about being around for delivery.  Unfortunately, this was a luxury purchase that no longer meets its intended purpose, so we'll see how I feel if/when I actually "GetOne".

Where did you order it from? I assume one of the large nationals? I.e. the absolute worst place to purchase a Leica from. You should have gone to a boutique / small dealer with a good reputation. 
 

I called around and had one in two weeks, just over. And if that didn’t work out, there were a few others quoting me a month.

The large retailers here quoted me 12 months, worst case… so it’s nothing to do with Leica and all to do with the modern man shopping in large retailers too much.

I am one that shops in large shops, but not for everything.

Edited August 31, 2023 by JTLeica

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[Daniel C.1975]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb JTLeica:

Where did you order it from? I assume one of the large nationals? I.e. the absolute worst place to purchase a Leica from. You should have gone to a boutique / small dealer with a good reputation. 
 

I called around and had one in two weeks, just over. And if that didn’t work out, there were a few others quoting me a month.

The large retailers here quoted me 12 months, worst case… so it’s nothing to do with Leica and all to do with the modern man shopping in large retailers too much.

I am one that shops in large shops, but not for everything.

I am on a waiting list of a small Leica Boutique in Munich (so, in Leica-Land and 300km from the Leica HQ and I am a regular customer) since day 2 or 3, not 100% sure, after release.

Still I can read here that people a) randomly call a shop and pick up the Q3 or ordered in June and July somewhere in the US, the UK etc. and have also meanwhile received their camera. 

I've called the Leica-Store around two weeks ago to ask for the status and to be sure that I am on the waiting list (bad experience in the past) and I am - so far the good news. However, I am far behind on the waiting list and they still have people on the list where the date of being put on the list is the 9th of May - the Q3 has not even been released at that time. 

The very friendly guy on the phone told me, that they will call me once it's my turn, but he really doesn't know nothing how soon this will be. He expect this being rather by end of the year than anytime soon. Hopefully I will be positively surprised with an earlier call. 

 

I don't think that's cool, but it is what it is. I am just writing this, to show that it doesn't necessarily make a difference to order from small shop or from a big one. I believe it is just pure luck. And honestly, I would prefer the way I've read some UK-shops are doing it: A lottery every time they get some cameras and not a waiting list. For sure people being put on the waiting list before release might see this differently

 

 

[Voxen]

15 hours ago, WaitListed said:

Ha! We'll see.  "Leica Owner" has a nice ring to it, but honestly I'm a little disappointed with this experience.  I ordered the camera months ago in the hopes of having it for my international travels starting next week, but alas, I will just have to drag my heavy Canon R5 around with me everywhere.  I'm hoping to still enjoy the Q3 one day, but this experience has very much soured my feels on Leica as a company.  The only good news is that I will most likely be back from my travels before the camera is shipped, so I don't have to worry about being around for delivery.  Unfortunately, this was a luxury purchase that no longer meets its intended purpose, so we'll see how I feel if/when I actually "GetOne".

It’s not only Leica. Since Covid a lot of companies have now super long availability delays.

Fuji X100V is now almost impossible to find, and yesterday I also read that Ricoh GRIII will be in the same situation soon.