New to Leica - Q3-43 user

[Cri9971]

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Hey guys,
this is a great forum, I've learned a lot over the past few weeks!
My name is Chris, 52 years old and living in Stuttgart, Germany. I'm not new to photography, started in the late 80s with an analogue Minolta SLR. I had my first compact digital camera in the early 2000s, a Sony DSC P-1 with an incredible 3 MP, had several Canon IXUS models. Then I started with digital DSLR in 2010 with several Canon EOS models. Over the last 2-3 years, I didn't use my camera that much: travelling with the DSLR plus various objectives wasn't that attractive or funny any more. I really wanted a Canon R6 and then R6 Mark II but was afraid of not using it.
Then in last November I saw an ad about "the new Q3-43". It was love at first sight. Honestly, I didn't even know that Leica was still in the camera business. My father-in-law still has an old Leica M6 but that's all.
The Q3 was exactly what I was looking for: a compact camera with a great sensor. Of course, the price was at first a psychological obstacle... I really struggled with that. But no chance to resist 🙂. I went to the local Leica store a week ago. Great feeling. Had the chance to small talk and to "touch" various Leica cameras. Then I had yesterday  the chance to try the Q3 with 28 mm as well as the Q3-43. As expected, I'm rather the 43mm guy.
So I came back home with my Leica bag, happy as a 5 years-old boy at Christmas...
I'm now discovering my new toy, acknowledging that it will take some time until I get so good pictures with you guys... I'm now eager to "relearn" how to make pictures. That's my goal for 2025!

So glad to be part of this forum and the Leica family!

Best regards,
Chris

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!

[PhotoCruiser]

Welcome Chris and enjoy your gem!
With the 43mm the learning curve is a bit less than with the 28mm i have, however the biggest problem is often to get away from the comfortable zoom thinking and going back to when cameras had - as the Q series -  fixed focal length lenses. 
Remember always, you still have a very old zoom system, but it's called legs and zooming is called walking towards or from the object and 
if space to move is limited then you may choose a interesting part from the whole scene.
Also, remember too you have a excellent sensor and lens so shoot more than you need and crop later on the computer, and ypu can crop much more than you expect.
Chris 

[Ramki]

On 2/9/2025 at 11:04 PM, Cri9971 said:

Hey guys,
this is a great forum, I've learned a lot over the past few weeks!
My name is Chris, 52 years old and living in Stuttgart, Germany. I'm not new to photography, started in the late 80s with an analogue Minolta SLR. I had my first compact digital camera in the early 2000s, a Sony DSC P-1 with an incredible 3 MP, had several Canon IXUS models. Then I started with digital DSLR in 2010 with several Canon EOS models. Over the last 2-3 years, I didn't use my camera that much: travelling with the DSLR plus various objectives wasn't that attractive or funny any more. I really wanted a Canon R6 and then R6 Mark II but was afraid of not using it.
Then in last November I saw an ad about "the new Q3-43". It was love at first sight. Honestly, I didn't even know that Leica was still in the camera business. My father-in-law still has an old Leica M6 but that's all.
The Q3 was exactly what I was looking for: a compact camera with a great sensor. Of course, the price was at first a psychological obstacle... I really struggled with that. But no chance to resist 🙂. I went to the local Leica store a week ago. Great feeling. Had the chance to small talk and to "touch" various Leica cameras. Then I had yesterday  the chance to try the Q3 with 28 mm as well as the Q3-43. As expected, I'm rather the 43mm guy.
So I came back home with my Leica bag, happy as a 5 years-old boy at Christmas...
I'm now discovering my new toy, acknowledging that it will take some time until I get so good pictures with you guys... I'm now eager to "relearn" how to make pictures. That's my goal for 2025!

So glad to be part of this forum and the Leica family!

Best regards,
Chris

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!

My Story is quite similar. Best wishes to you.

[osaf]

Welcome Chris and have fun with the new toy!