Showcasing Leica Q3 insane image abilities

[odpr]

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I have seen many people in this forum asking if the Leica Q3 is a good travel companion and can replace the usual DSLR with several lenses.
Using the Leica in my last two trips to Europe as my only camera, I can say there is no need for any other camera.
The sensor of the camera, combined with the jaw-dropping lens, creates images I have never seen in any camera I used so far.
The 60MP, combined with the sharpest lens, creates images so sharp edge to edge that when you post-process the image in the computer, you can almost make any image you want with any area in the image.
This makes the crop feature built-in, very(!) handy, and usable. You can get a real 35/50/75 mm
Image with it.
I attached two examples that shos how insane the sensor and the lens are.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Qwertynm]

some loaded statements in there...

Zitat

sharpest lens, real 35/50/75, make any image you want with any area in the image

yes, it's a great travel companion.

no to the above

 

[M11 for me]

vor einer Stunde schrieb Al Brown:

BUT I absolutely agree, there is no need for any other camera.

Except for an M11. 

[JNK100]

51 minutes ago, M11 for me said:

Except for an M11. 

I agree. Both the Q3 and M11/28mm are very very good at a "50mm crop".

I used to travel with FF cameras with multiple zooms, but do not miss them.

 

 

[jaapv]

If you don’t move the perspective won’t change it is not a function of focal length but of distance.  Xx-mm perspective is bollocks. 

[Paul W]

i completely agree with you odpr. Just back myself with Q3 and love the IQ, and the ease of carry.

[gotium]

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Q lens is indeed very sharp in the center but I do not find it at all sharp at the edges or in the corners. Agree that it is a great travel camera. 

[ajmarton1]

I am the outlier.  I took the Q3 to Paris for 10 days and although I got all my shots and the crop works well, I regretted not bringing my Sony a1 with the 24-70mm f2.8.  I’m bringing it as my backup camera when I return to Nice, Monaco and Provence later this year.   The problem with the crop is that it’s hard to precisely see the cropped image through the viewfinder.  Zoom lens is much more effective.  So for those longer shoots across the room or in low light it was more challenging for me.  But the Q3 is light and easy to have all day.  Just my 2 cents.  

Edited May 25, 2024 by ajmarton1

[Kozonoh]

16 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Tons of sharper lenses out there, NOT "REAL" 35/50/75 because cropping an image never equals replacing focal length and cropping is for the lazy tourists.
BUT I absolutely agree, there is no need for any other camera.

Cropping is for people who want to crop. Otherwise you could say the same for using a zoom or even a Tele lens.

[odpr]

1 hour ago, ajmarton1 said:

I am the outlier.  I took the Q3 to Paris for 10 days and although I got all my shots and the crop works well, I regretted not bringing my Sony a1 with the 24-70mm f2.8.  I’m bringing it as my backup camera when I return to Nice, Monaco and Provence later this year.   The problem with the crop is that it’s hard to precisely see the cropped image through the viewfinder.  Zoom lens is much more effective.  So for those longer shoots across the room or in low light it was more challenging for me.  But the Q3 is light and easy to have all day.  Just my 2 cents.  

Agree that sometimes you need to "imagine" how it is going to look. I think it takes a bit of practice. Sometimes it has it advantages where you see the big pic and crop accordingly.

I guess in the future they will add the feature that allows you to see the image before shooting when you press on the crop.

 

[Kozonoh]

Yes absolutely except for the question of laziness which was my point. You are no more lazy when you crop than when you zoom in

[bobtodrick]

On 5/25/2024 at 12:08 AM, Kozonoh said:

Cropping is for people who want to crop. Otherwise you could say the same for using a zoom or even a Tele lens.

Completely agree…if the image benefits from cropping…do it.

Nearly every one of Ansel Adams finished images was cropped.  
After lugging 50 lbs of photo gear up a mountain, and then waiting hours for the  ‘right’ light…calling him lazy for cropping is ludicrous.

[SrMi]

On 5/24/2024 at 3:31 PM, Al Brown said:

Tons of sharper lenses out there, NOT "REAL" 35/50/75 because cropping an image never equals replacing focal length and cropping is for the lazy tourists.

Cropping is also for professionals and has been used in legendary photographs (e.g., Strawinsky by Arnold Newman).

[jaapv]

Where did you read this stuff about the "intention" of cropping, zooming and "very amateur"?  What is choosing a focal length other than "refining resolution"?  The only visible difference in the end result is a slight change in DOF and resolution - the latter completely irrelevant with 60 MP. 

[Qwertynm]

vor 15 Minuten schrieb Al Brown:

(…)do as much work in camera as possible(…)

I generally agree with that if we are talking DSLR/MILC. But this is the Leica Q subforum. The whole point of the Leica Q3 is to have a fixed FL and the ability to crop in camera up to 90mm to simulate different FoV. calling that lazy is a bit off base. If the Q3 doesn’t suit you, just move along and don’t engage. 

How many people here actually print their work? You mention 6MP which still is almost 300 dpi on a A4 print. That’s roughly the amount of pixels you get cropping the Q3 to 90mm. That’s more than enough resolution for social media and small prints.

[LocalHero1953]

4 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Saying 28mm is a tri-focal lens (28-35-50) because you have 60 megapixels is just very amateur.

Spoken like a true pro. The sort I avoid.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

Now that we hopefully got this out of our system we can move on with creative and enlightened debate.

Oh, sorry to hear that you're quitting the forum!

[jaapv]

6 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Sure, it's the distance between subject and camera that matters. I choose focal lengths based on what I want to convey with the sense of depth between objects in a photo. I come from a school that says cropping makes a difference in DOF as you correctly state. And from a school that says do as much work in camera as possible so you do not have to crop much later, except if it aids your composition. Arny Freytag of Playboy fame taught me that. My post #13 was meant in this latter sense applicable to any resolution camera. Cropping in post to get to, say, 50mm from 28 mm because you have 60 megapixels is in my book amateurish laziness despite it being a favorite buzz word of Leica Q marketing department. Try that wit a 6 megapixel camera. BUT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BEING AMATEURISH AND LAZY. Auto white balance, auto everything, shooting jpegs, all that falls under the same category in my book. Hopefully I have shed some light on what I wanted to say.
Just my opinion and view. Absolutely no need to agree.

OK so get  a hacksaw and put a 60 mm lens on your Q…. To me the camera is only a tool to provide the data that I need to create the image that I visualized before pressing the shutter button into the darkroom/ computer to create the final result. I fail to see the moral superiority in one sequence of technical steps over another. So you crop in the camera or in post. No difference in result. I suspect that you are playing devil’s advocate here. 

[NightPix]

Gentlemen, I’ve been following this discussion and IMHO it’s gotten a bit off track.  The Q2 and Q3 are great cameras for those times (eg travel) when bringing a bag full of lenses isn’t practical. The point is to get the shot, even if cropping is what it takes to make a good composition. There are other times when a more intentional kit is called for (eg a long tele for wildlife) but even then cropping might be needed for composition. In my experience, having the perfect body + lens combo for the perfect FoV and DoF to get the right composition while traveling is mostly a matter of luck. I’ve missed many a shot while I was changing lenses. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[costa43]

I’m a fan of ‘seeing’ in the focal length that I’m using, I enjoy shooting this way so I rarely look at a scene and shoot it with the intention of a deep crop in post. Saying that, I can really see the benefit if that is your preference. My use of cropping is more for aspect ratio or tidying up a frame so I tend to prefer lower mp cameras as the benefits they bring to the table are benefits that suit my way of taking pictures more. Each to their own as always.