Leica Q3's 43mm Field of View Compared to the Lumix 20mm.

[Yoki]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As a photographer with over a decade of experience using Leica (APS-C and full-frame) and Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras, I’ve come to appreciate certain focal lengths that just feel right. Lately, I’ve been drawn to the Leica Q3 43mm—every time I see photos taken with it, I feel like it might be the perfect fit for me.

It’s not too surprising, really. Many of my favorite shots were taken with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 lens, which has a similar field of view to the Q3’s 43mm. I’ve owned the original Leica Q (Typ 116) for years, and while it’s great for street photography, its wide field of view sometimes feels a bit too loose for my style. I prefer tighter compositions and don’t love heavy cropping, so something closer to 20-25mm (in MFT terms) feels much more natural to me.

I know the effective field of view on MFT is roughly double that of a full-frame lens, but there’s more to it than just numbers. I’d love to hear from anyone who’s used both systems—especially if you’ve worked with the Lumix 20mm (or Olympus 20mm) and the Leica Q3 43mm. How do they compare in real-world use? Any insights or advice would mean a lot.

Thanks so much in advance!

[Advertisement]

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

[markie linhart]

For some time I had a Lumix GX8 coupled to a 20mm f/1.7 lens that was a good set up for me also. However the Panasonic menu system and plethora of external function buttons and the hidden menus that could be inadvertently be turned on is what finished this for me. I don’t know whether it’s a hangover from my Pentax film days, but I really love my Q and its 28mm lens and the fact that it has a 35mm crop if needs be, shooting in black and white as I do…✌️

[Yoki]

On 12/1/2024 at 2:22 AM, markie linhart said:

For some time I had a Lumix GX8 coupled to a 20mm f/1.7 lens that was a good set up for me also. However the Panasonic menu system and plethora of external function buttons and the hidden menus that could be inadvertently be turned on is what finished this for me. I don’t know whether it’s a hangover from my Pentax film days, but I really love my Q and its 28mm lens and the fact that it has a 35mm crop if needs be, shooting in black and white as I do…✌️

Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you’ve truly found your groove with the Q. I completely get what you mean about the Panasonic menus—they can definitely feel a bit convoluted compared to the streamlined elegance of a Leica. The Q's 28mm lens, with its crop options to 35mm and 50mm, is undoubtedly a versatile tool for street and everyday photography. However, I agree that the cropped images, while useful, don't quite capture the same essence as a dedicated 35mm or 50mm lens. There's a subtle difference that's hard to pinpoint.

That’s why the Q3 with its 43mm lens immediately caught my attention. Its field of view feels so natural to me, probably because I’ve spent so much time with the 20mm and 25mm lenses on Micro Four Thirds. I’d love to hear more about how they compare in real-world use as well—especially if there’s a noticeable difference in field of view between the 20mm and 25mm on MFT versus the 43mm on the Q3.

Since the Q3 43 isn't available for hands-on testing locally, I'm curious to hear firsthand experiences from those who've used both the Q3 43 and 20mm/25mm MFT lenses. Any insights into the differences in field of view and overall shooting experience would be greatly appreciated.