Leica Q3 43 vs Leica SL3+Sigma 45 2.8

[Smogg]

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It is interesting to compare the quality of photos taken with Leica SL3 + Sigma 45 2.8 and with Leica Q3 43. In theory, Sigma 45 should be significantly sharper at the edges of the frame due to less software correction. Leica SL3 + Sigma 45 is not very different in size from Q3. I usually shoot at aperture 5.6-11 outdoors. SL3 has significantly better EVF, IBIS and many other advantages. Should I buy Leica Q3 43 in this case? What do you think?

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[Leicalook]

Size and weight 

vs.

much more options and possibilities.

 

Calculate the prizes and you will not see a big difference.

 

Best wishes

Stefan (the happy guy with a SL3)

[LocalHero1953]

2 hours ago, Smogg said:

In theory, Sigma 45 should be significantly sharper at the edges of the frame due to less software correction.

Please can you explain the theory?

[Smogg]

6 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Please can you explain the theory?

The Leica Q3 43 lens has strong barrel distortion, especially pronounced at the edges of the frame. Therefore, software correction is necessary, which inevitably leads to a deterioration in sharpness.

[LocalHero1953]

If they don't have to deal with distortion optically, it allows them more flexibility to improve sharpness and correct colour (etc) in the lens - even if they lose some sharpness later in digital correction. Correcting for everything optically does not necessarily produce a better image. I don't have either the Q3 43 or Sigma lens, but I wouldn't automatically expect the Sigma to be sharper. I'm sure someone else can tell us which is actually better.

As for your original question, it comes down to your tolerance for the SL3's greater weight and bulk, and whether you want more than one lens.

[Smogg]

I agree that optical correction is not necessarily better, so I'm interested to hear from those who have already bought the Q3 43 and can compare it to the Sigma 45.

[SrMi]

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54 minutes ago, Smogg said:

The Leica Q3 43 lens has strong barrel distortion, especially pronounced at the edges of the frame. Therefore, software correction is necessary, which inevitably leads to a deterioration in sharpness.

Yes, it does, but that does not mean the final sharpness will be worse than the 45. I checked the corners of the DPR studio scenes, and the sharpness degradation seems minor to my eyes.

[Smogg]

2 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Yes, it does, but that does not mean the final sharpness will be worse than the 45. I checked the corners of the DPR studio scenes, and the sharpness degradation seems minor to my eyes.

I'm still going to buy the Q3 43, but I was hoping someone would talk me out of it.😂

Edited September 28, 2024 by Smogg

[nemendes]

2 hours ago, Smogg said:

I'm still going to buy the Q3 43, but I was hoping someone would talk me out of it.😂

Dont buy it sl3 is more capable camera if you use it for work. I think Apo 43mm on q3 would be sharper than sigma but not that significant amount. And you can buy all other panasonic and sigma lenses, and of course all beautiful apo sl lenses for your sl3. If you can buy only one of them, sl3 is my choice. Suits for Moscow' weather better for handling 

[JTLeica]

6 hours ago, Smogg said:

It is interesting to compare the quality of photos taken with Leica SL3 + Sigma 45 2.8 and with Leica Q3 43. In theory, Sigma 45 should be significantly sharper at the edges of the frame due to less software correction. Leica SL3 + Sigma 45 is not very different in size from Q3. I usually shoot at aperture 5.6-11 outdoors. SL3 has significantly better EVF, IBIS and many other advantages. Should I buy Leica Q3 43 in this case? What do you think?

That’s flawed logic. The 45mm is nowhere near the performance of the APO 43, software correction doesn’t make as much difference as you think. And will be making only very slight differences in the corner, but, it’s already sharp at F2 into the corners and the 45 needs stopping down for perfect sharpness.

Also, you don’t buy an SL3 just to stick a compact sigma lens onto it, you get it for a whole system.

Would be closer with the sigma 35/65/90 or if you put the 35/50 APO Cron onto the sl3 it’ll come a little better than the Q43

[rouge_homme]

Having owned the SL3 + Sigma 45mm and now the Q3 43, I would say the size and weight different is quite significant in real world use. Despite the Sigma 45mm being a very compact lens, the overall package feels much larger in the hand and when carried on a neck/shoulder strap.

Agree the EVF is better for on the SL3 but it’s only marginal since they both have the same resolution now.

As for image quality, I have always enjoyed the Sigma 45mm but it’s noticeably soft wide open and from my initial impressions, the Q3 43 is definitely sharper and has more pop. As far as I know, the Sigma is not fully weather sealed either.

Of course, with the SL3, you have the flexibility of other lenses but if your intention is to use only the Sigma 45mm, I think the Q3 43 is the better package.

[Smogg]

7 hours ago, nemendes said:

Dont buy it sl3 is more capable camera if you use it for work. I think Apo 43mm on q3 would be sharper than sigma but not that significant amount. And you can buy all other panasonic and sigma lenses, and of course all beautiful apo sl lenses for your sl3. If you can buy only one of them, sl3 is my choice. Suits for Moscow' weather better for handling 

I use SL3 only with zoom lenses: Panasonic 20-60, Sigma 24-70 II and only for shooting my very active children. I do not plan to buy any APO primes, as they are huge and heavy, for exceptional quality I prefer to use X2D. I made the post in the hope that someone will help me cope with GAS😂

[Smogg]

3 hours ago, rouge_homme said:

Having owned the SL3 + Sigma 45mm and now the Q3 43, I would say the size and weight different is quite significant in real world use. Despite the Sigma 45mm being a very compact lens, the overall package feels much larger in the hand and when carried on a neck/shoulder strap.

Agree the EVF is better for on the SL3 but it’s only marginal since they both have the same resolution now.

As for image quality, I have always enjoyed the Sigma 45mm but it’s noticeably soft wide open and from my initial impressions, the Q3 43 is definitely sharper and has more pop. As far as I know, the Sigma is not fully weather sealed either.

Of course, with the SL3, you have the flexibility of other lenses but if your intention is to use only the Sigma 45mm, I think the Q3 43 is the better package.

Thanks, I forgot that the Sigma 45 is not weatherproof.

[JohnathanLovm]

The Sigma 45 is not as sharp as you think. 

[JoshuaR]

@Smogg, I also find myself asking this exact (and somewhat weird) question, so I'll actually take on the task of addressing your GAS.

In addition to my M system I recently got an SL2-S and use it with an M 50 Cron and 75 Lux and the 24-70 for taking pictures of my family around the house. I also take it out in bad weather, and put long lenses (135mm, 180mm) on it for sports and performances. 

It's an awesome camera in many ways, but it's quite bulky and heavy.

The Q3 43 could substitute if I'm willing to make some tradeoffs. I'd lose the character of my longer M lenses and resolution at focal lengths of 75+. I'd lose the excellent viewfinder for longer focal lengths (I'd have to use the annoying Q system with the framelines for crops). But I'd gain a spectacular 43mm APO lens that looks great at 75mm and maybe even 90mm/105mm, and a camera that I'd enjoy taking everywhere, like an M.

To stave off the GAS, I'm reminding myself of the following:

* The ability to shoot really long does actually matter to me. It's probably the main reason I got the SL2-S in the first place. A cropped 43mm f/2 on a 60 MP sensor is not going to give me the kinds of images I'm getting with a 135mm f/4 on a 24 MP sensor.

* While it's true that the SL2-S is not (for me) a take-everywhere camera, I already have such a camera in my M10-R. And, from past experience, I know that I will almost always prefer to take an M with me rather than a Q. So buying a Q3 43 would actually just duplicate some of the value of my M cameras.

* For me, a lot of the value of a Q camera is its all-in-oneness, and that means that the 28mm Q3 would make more sense than a 43mm version. (I shoot wide quite often.) So, from that perspective, it makes little sense to buy a Q3 43. And yet a Q3 wouldn't succeed in addressing my long-lens needs.

What I find most appealing about the Q3 43 is the way it might work as a kind of portable portrait machine—an always ready camera that's seemingly purpose built for taking great photos of people. So I'm going to spend more time setting up my SL2-S with 75 Lux, which produces images that I find more to my taste than the ultra-sharp pictures turned out by a Q3.

[LanceR]

I unboxed my Q3 43 yesterday.  So far, I am very pleased with the results, although I still need more time with the camera.  I do not have experience with the Sigma 45 f/2.8, but I do have an SL3 with a number of primes.

@Smogg my question to you is what is your use case for the Q3 43 that the SL3 is not satisfying?

For me, it is very straightforward.  The primary use case for the Q3 43 is travel, where I prefer a small and lightweight, one camera and one lens setup.  The Q3 43 checks all of the boxes for a travel camera for me.  Even with a "smaller" prime, the SL3 somehow crosses a threshold in size and weight for travel for me.  I found myself leaving the SL3 behind at times simply because of size and weight, where I would have carried my previous travel kit, which was an M11+35 f/2 APO.

Travel photography makes up around 50% of my photography.  I intend to keep the SL3 for my other types of photography.

Setting aside the sharpness question for a moment, is your Q3 43 use case compelling enough to justify an additional camera?

[Smogg]

1 hour ago, LanceR said:

I unboxed my Q3 43 yesterday.  So far, I am very pleased with the results, although I still need more time with the camera.  I do not have experience with the Sigma 45 f/2.8, but I do have an SL3 with a number of primes.

@Smogg my question to you is what is your use case for the Q3 43 that the SL3 is not satisfying?

For me, it is very straightforward.  The primary use case for the Q3 43 is travel, where I prefer a small and lightweight, one camera and one lens setup.  The Q3 43 checks all of the boxes for a travel camera for me.  Even with a "smaller" prime, the SL3 somehow crosses a threshold in size and weight for travel for me.  I found myself leaving the SL3 behind at times simply because of size and weight, where I would have carried my previous travel kit, which was an M11+35 f/2 APO.

Travel photography makes up around 50% of my photography.  I intend to keep the SL3 for my other types of photography.

Setting aside the sharpness question for a moment, is your Q3 43 use case compelling enough to justify an additional camera?

I shoot 99 percent of my photos in the 35-50 focal range (I gravitate more towards the 50). My main camera is the X2D+55 (in 35mm terms it's 45mm wide), sometimes I use the 38. Previously, my main camera was the M11, but since the X2D I use the M11 less and less and will most likely sell both my M11s and all my optics for the M (28 summicron, 35 APO, 50 APO). I use the SL3 only with a zoom when I need to take pictures of my kids on holidays. I consider the Q3 43 as a backup for the X2D+55 for bad weather.

[nemendes]

1 hour ago, Smogg said:

I shoot 99 percent of my photos in the 35-50 focal range (I gravitate more towards the 50). My main camera is the X2D+55 (in 35mm terms it's 45mm wide), sometimes I use the 38. Previously, my main camera was the M11, but since the X2D I use the M11 less and less and will most likely sell both my M11s and all my optics for the M (28 summicron, 35 APO, 50 APO). I use the SL3 only with a zoom when I need to take pictures of my kids on holidays. I consider the Q3 43 as a backup for the X2D+55 for bad weather.

Hasselblad system, m11s, sl3, apo lenses and now q3, so money talks 😂 

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[Smogg]

41 minutes ago, nemendes said:

Hasselblad system, m11s, sl3, apo lenses and now q3, so money talks 😂 

With age, GAS quite successfully replaces passion for women😂

[MrFriendly]

I got the Sigma 45mm 2.8 DG DN couple weeks ago for my SL2-S, and IQ is mostly crap.  Wide open it is very soft, but it gets noticeably better at f/4.  It looks to me that it also reaches peak performance at f/4.  Two shots below, wide open and at f/4:

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I was going to get the Q3/43, but instead I got my first Sony (a7RV with GM 50mm 1.4, and the 40mm 2.5 G).  The Sony 40mm performs far better than the Sigma 45mm, both wide open and stopped down (wide open, the Sony 40mm performs better than the Sigma 45mm at f/4).  They're both very similar lens at similar prices, so I'm not sure why the Sigma performs so poorly.  Maybe I got a bad copy?  Anybody have the Sigma to post?