Q3 1/16,000 shutter speed?

[Dr. G]

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I’m pretty sure 1/16,000 is the fastest shutter speed on the Q3 but I was out the other day and at f/1.7 in full sun the camera would only get to 1/8000 with electronic shutter and the highlights were still overexposed on the histogram.  Am I missing a setting somewhere?  

[Le Chef]

What was your ISO?

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[Dr. G]

1 hour ago, Le Chef said:

What was your ISO?

100

[Le Chef]

56 minutes ago, Dr. G said:

100

Shooting direct into the sun? If so I would be using an ND filter.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Le Chef

[Dr. G]

7 hours ago, Le Chef said:

Shooting direct into the sun? If so I would be using an ND filter.

No, I was on the water and it was really bright.  I don’t usually shoot like this, so I don’t carry a ND with the q.  A couple of years ago I took this with the Q2 at 1/12,000 but on the day I was out with the Q3 it was only giving me 1/8000. 
 

 

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[Franko Americano]

Maximum electronic shutter speed on the Q3 is 1/16000.

[Dr. G]

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33 minutes ago, Franko Americano said:

Maximum electronic shutter speed on the Q3 is 1/16000.

It’s just odd that the camera wouldn’t go over 1/8000. 

[hoolyproductions]

It's a lovely image all the same, particularly as we have a pre-winter storm here 

Presumably you can get to 1/16000 if you go for manual exposure mode?

 

 

[pop]

The automatic exposure of the camera does not account for highlights. That is, it would blow the highlights even in a candle lit scene. In order to preserve details in the highlights, you should set the exposure correction to a sensible value, such as -1EV. YMMV, i.e. what's a sensible value depends on the situation and your tastes.

[JetBlack]

16 hours ago, pop said:

The automatic exposure of the camera does not account for highlights. That is, it would blow the highlights even in a candle lit scene. In order to preserve details in the highlights, you should set the exposure correction to a sensible value, such as -1EV. YMMV, i.e. what's a sensible value depends on the situation and your tastes.

@pop What about Highlight-Weighted Exposure Metering? I generally use Multi-Field, but lately I have been using Highlight-Weighted more often to protect the highlights and I find it really useful in these situations.

And to @Dr. G, I have no idea why 1/16000 is not available with automatic exposure. But try the following.

1) From the third page of the Main Menu, make sure Shutter Type is at least set to Hybrid(default), or Electronic.
2) Set camera to Shutter Priority or Manual Exposure mode and adjust Shutter Speed Dial to 1/2000
3) Press ‘Menu’ button once to display the Status Screen
4) The Shutter Speed on the Status Screen is now accessible and after you select it by Touch or with the Directional Pad, it becomes  RED  and now you will be able to adjust the slider with the Thumbwheel or by dragging it with your finger all the way to 1/16000.

Also, be sure not to hit the Video button on the Status Screen as I have accidentally done many times. Hehe

Hope this helps. Cheers

Edited October 12, 2023 by JetBlack

[Dr. G]

8 hours ago, JetBlack said:

@pop What about Highlight-Weighted Exposure Metering? I generally use Multi-Field, but lately I have been using Highlight-Weighted more often to protect the highlights and I find it really useful in these situations.

And to @Dr. G, I have no idea why 1/16000 is not available with automatic exposure. But try the following.

1) From the third page of the Main Menu, make sure Shutter Type is at least set to Hybrid(default), or Electronic.
2) Set camera to Shutter Priority or Manual Exposure mode and adjust Shutter Speed Dial to 1/2000
3) Press ‘Menu’ button once to display the Status Screen
4) The Shutter Speed on the Status Screen is now accessible and after you select it by Touch or with the Directional Pad, it becomes  RED  and now you will be able to adjust the slider with the Thumbwheel or by dragging it with your finger all the way to 1/16000.

Also, be sure not to hit the Video button on the Status Screen as I have accidentally done many times. Hehe

Hope this helps. Cheers

Thanks.  That worked.  I appreciate the help.

[liggy]

11 hours ago, JetBlack said:

@pop What about Highlight-Weighted Exposure Metering? I generally use Multi-Field, but lately I have been using Highlight-Weighted more often to protect the highlights and I find it really useful in these situations.

And to @Dr. G, I have no idea why 1/16000 is not available with automatic exposure. But try the following.

1) From the third page of the Main Menu, make sure Shutter Type is at least set to Hybrid(default), or Electronic.
2) Set camera to Shutter Priority or Manual Exposure mode and adjust Shutter Speed Dial to 1/2000
3) Press ‘Menu’ button once to display the Status Screen
4) The Shutter Speed on the Status Screen is now accessible and after you select it by Touch or with the Directional Pad, it becomes  RED  and now you will be able to adjust the slider with the Thumbwheel or by dragging it with your finger all the way to 1/16000.

Also, be sure not to hit the Video button on the Status Screen as I have accidentally done many times. Hehe

Hope this helps. Cheers

Very useful post.  I hope I can remember all that should I ever need to access ultrahigh shutter speeds.  

[Overgaard]

On 10/10/2023 at 7:15 PM, Dr. G said:

I’m pretty sure 1/16,000 is the fastest shutter speed on the Q3 but I was out the other day and at f/1.7 in full sun the camera would only get to 1/8000 with electronic shutter and the highlights were still overexposed on the histogram.  Am I missing a setting somewhere?  

You are absolutely right. The Leica Q3 does only go to 1/8000th of a second. You have to "fix" it by setting the dial to 2000 and then on the screen press the shutter speed and turn it to 1/16000 with the thumbs wheel).

The Leica Q2 and Leica Q2 Monochrom (and Leica SL2 and Leica M11) will go to 1/16,000 in Aperture mode when there is a need for it to get the correct exposure (such as lots of light). The Leica Q3 doesn't and that is indeed strange. Could be the BSI sensor (which also accounts for "warping" due to longer sensor readout times).