Q/Q2/Q3 as sole travel camera kit? What has been your experience?

[colonel]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

22 minutes ago, idusidusi said:

I knew it we were there many years ago. In the early seventies we lived in Mellieha a short hop away.

lovely part of the world

was just there last week (well in Malta, went to Gozo for a day)

[idusidusi]

59 minutes ago, colonel said:

lovely part of the world

was just there last week (well in Malta, went to Gozo for a day)

I have fond memories of Malta, Mellieha, Sliema and Valletta. Friendly people and a good climate.

[Advertisement]

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

[HPFM]

Using a Q3 (Q2 until august 2023) and a SL2 / SL100-400 combo for traveling. Landscape / mountains are my favorites....wildlife about 10 percent. If I scan my photos taken at the mountains of Austria (July) and Norwegian coast (Hurtigruten, May/June) a lot of them are taken with the Q2 / Q3, but about 30-40 percent with the SL2 / 100-400 (wale watching for example...). So I would have missed a lot of photos using only the Q2. Next trip end of September to Spitzbergen / Island / Faroer / Shetland islands  - the Q3 and the SL2 / SL 100-400 will be in my photo-backpack. I would prefer to travel only with my Q3, but.........

[Phil75]

U.S. east coast city trip this summer. Perfect with the Q2. Only missed a small zoom or tele lens on boat / ferry trips. But why carrying a 2nd camera around for maybe 5% of usage? 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Phil75

[la1402]

On 8/16/2023 at 3:44 PM, adrianh said:

Do you still take the Q2 with you or just go ahead only with the A7Rv and the 20-70?

I sold my Q2. So it is either the M11 or the A7RV. 

[Camaro5]

On 8/14/2023 at 9:07 AM, viramati said:

If out and about or just on short travels with the Q I will always have my tiny Sony RX100vii in my trouser or jacket pocket with it's 24-200 equivalent lens to capture anything where I need more reach

I've also taken to travelling with only a Q2 and that same Sony RX100 VII.  We are going to Rome, southern Italy, and Sicily next year and I've thought about upgrading to a Q3 but not sure yet about doing that.  I'm not convinced that the images would be that much better considering the cost of trading up, but you never know.   IQ is all the matters to me.  The rest is just fluff, and my Q2 does its job extremely well.  

[AussieQ]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The Q3 is my first Leica camera. In 2016 was on a 3 week getaway to London and Paris from Australia. For work I use Sony and Canon cameras with multiple glass. I ended up travelling with a different body, a little point and shoot, the lumix ZS100. The point I am making is that that little camera delivered 100% and one major factor was the portability, low profile nature of it. It was not bulky nor obtrusive in any environment. I now have the Q3 as my travel camera, sure it doesnt have the zoom capability but when I went through my photos from the 2016 trip, I shot mostly wide or 35mm focal length. This is why I believe the Q3, Q2 or Q would be super travel cameras and now with the 4K/8K recording and 60mp on the Q3, I can't see why it would not be the one and only travel camera. Yes there will be 2% of photos where having a zoom would be great, but the feeling of travelling with one small camera and nothing else is something to experience. Its makes a journey more enjoyable as you focus on the trip and not the gear.

[AdHox]

Six weeks in France and Italy with just the Q3. I tossed up between the Q3 vs CL plus a couple of lenses vs Sony with 2/3 primes.

I opted for the smallest and simplest option.

The Q3 handled everything I through at it, and never was I caught out wishing I had time to swap lenses. There were times when I might have used a wider or longer lens if I had packed them, but the lack of extra lenses did not trouble me. I took a small flash in case I needed it, but only wanted it once.

I would happily travel again with just the Q3. However, I am incredibly overdue to visit Japan again, and I really like something wider than 28mm when visiting there, so I'll probably leave the Q3 at home on that trip and instead take a kit that includes a wider lens.

[Dr. G]

12 hours ago, AdHox said:

Six weeks in France and Italy with just the Q3. I tossed up between the Q3 vs CL plus a couple of lenses vs Sony with 2/3 primes.

I opted for the smallest and simplest option.

The Q3 handled everything I through at it, and never was I caught out wishing I had time to swap lenses. There were times when I might have used a wider or longer lens if I had packed them, but the lack of extra lenses did not trouble me. I took a small flash in case I needed it, but only wanted it once.

I would happily travel again with just the Q3. However, I am incredibly overdue to visit Japan again, and I really like something wider than 28mm when visiting there, so I'll probably leave the Q3 at home on that trip and instead take a kit that includes a wider lens.

I was thinking the perfect travel kit for any place that has a lot of interior interesting architecture would be the Q3 and either the SL2 or SL2S with a 12mm or 15mm Voigtlander M mount lens.  It's too bad that none of the wide angle screw on conversion lenses are high enough quality to use with the Q series of cameras.

[GREG PLAT]

On 8/11/2023 at 4:45 PM, Steven_nl said:

I have a Canon R5 and a Fuji XT5. Both with a load of lenses. I got tired of carrying all that stuff and changing lenses when on private trips. Although in a lot of situations both kits would be better. Better zoom, better background blur, I prefer taking the Q3. Yoy can get away with almost eveyting. Versitile (cropping is fine with a lens this good and so many megapixels) Great low light, great black and white excelent app for quick sharing. No hassle with lens swapping and just great fun to use. I love it. 

A few minor thing that could ne better, but great. 

I do recommend getting the (old) handgrip. Not hat expensive and makes a lot of difference holding the camera.

Steven are you satisfied 100% of Q3 Jpegs? I prefer to shot JPEG than RAW. Have Fuji XT5 and Fuji Jpegs are very good

[alftan]

Took an a7iii with 24-105 on the last trip to Asia in Jan, and discovered that 76% of my photos were shot between 24 and 75mm, with 46% 24-40mm. This helped me understand my preferred focal length.

About to embark on a month long trek to Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia with a just the Q2 (and 15pro). Looking forward to learning how it works out. I expect that it will be just fine. 

[bobtodrick]

6 hours ago, alftan said:

Took an a7iii with 24-105 on the last trip to Asia in Jan, and discovered that 76% of my photos were shot between 24 and 75mm, with 46% 24-40mm. This helped me understand my preferred focal length.

About to embark on a month long trek to Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia with a just the Q2 (and 15pro). Looking forward to learning how it works out. I expect that it will be just fine. 

This is the reason I am comfortable travelling with just my Q.

A few years back I went through binders full of negs and realized at least 80% of my images (from a full R3 kit with 21-200 lenses) were taken with a 28 or 35mm.

when I go with my Q those lenses are always at the ready and I’m not toting a bunch of stuff I seldom use.

[huwm]

You can absolutely get away with it.

Travelled round Japan for 3 weeks with a Q2 and SL2S + 24-105 f4 alternating days, could have just taken either.

With a Q3 the case for just the one camera with iPhone Pro back up is very strong.

However I'll probably do the same next trip but take my 16-35 and 70-300, as well as liking the comfort of a 2nd body I can see a case for extra width and reach just occasionally and I can spare the wt and space in my luggage.

I also really love the SL2S and would miss it.

Edited March 2 by huwm
typo as usual

[Opaea]

I own a canon R5 with 24-70 and 70/200 lens and a Q3 which has replaced ma Fujifilm XE4. 
My two last two travels (Island and Scotland) I took the two camera. The fact is I shoot 95% with the Q3. Of course there are limits especially with large landscape and sunset for instance and I have missed interesting point of view. But the weight of my canon became more and more difficult. 
Finally I keep my R5 for portrait, macro,  photo with flash and some times for landscape when I don’t have to walk too much. One example last trip which really need a zoom 135 mm and very natural colours, And another where the q3 focal and colours are amazing 

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!

[GREG PLAT]

2 hours ago, huwm said:

You can absolutely get away with it.

Travelled round Japan for 3 weeks with a Q2 and SL2S + 24-105 f4 alternating days, could have just taken either.

With a Q3 the case for just the one camera with iPhone Pro back up is very strong.

However I'll probably do the same next trip but take my 16-35 and 70-300, as well as liking the comfort of a 2nd body I can see a case for extra width and reach just occasionally and I can spare the wt and space in my luggage.

I also really love the SL2S and would miss it.

How many photos you took with Q3 and how many with SL2S?

 

[huwm]

57 minutes ago, GREG PLAT said:

How many photos you took with Q3 and how many with SL2S?

 

About equal I expect and 1322 have survived 1st initial cull, hoping to get number reduced by a lot more when I get round to it, 3months later 🙄

[Camaro5]

My travel kit has been a Q2 & Q2M but I also have a Sony RX100 VII compact that I can use if I need to zoom or just want to carry something small.  I don't typically carry all three, but they do fit in my backpack and are fairly light.  

[EJS73]

Two weeks ago, I was photographing Niagara Falls (a great time to do so since it takes no time at all to cross borders across the bridge, even though some paths were closed due to the remaining snow) with a Sony A7RV, and a 35mm Sigma f2. There was a man with a Leica Qx as well, and although I think 28mm is too short for that part of the world and it was obvious I had a much more comfortable time shooting with the Sony (it was clearly more responsive, with a better EVF experience), I would have traded cameras if I could, there and then. Such a sleek little machine.

I've just decided to order a Q3, trading in some of my Sony gear to soften the landing. I'll probably not use it standalone but as backup, but let's see.

[AussieQ]

Just adding to the post again.

I have been travelling for work and personal internally in Australia lately and have only taken the Q3 with me. A mix of big cities, rural locations, museums, city streets, art galleries and botanical gardens, the Q3 covered them all. There was one situation in the botanical gardens where a 400mm would have been great for a bird shot but everything else was fine. Having the larger sensor allowed me to crop some of the shots to 50mm and 75mm style lengths and the photos look great. Either of the Q series models would satisfy requirements for a getaway. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[dnease]

Soloed with my Q3 in Florence recently. Amazing ability to get both wide and cropped in shots!

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!