JMPerona Posted April 19 Share #1 Posted April 19 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Ok, I really need help here. I love Leica Q cameras. I had a Leica Q2 before and now I upgraded to a Leica Q3 as my main camera for travel, street and family photos. It’s an incredible camera with clear improvements over the Q2. the thing is that is an expensive camera and for the price of it I could get a Fujifilm X100VI and another camera for video with a few lenses for my video usage and still get money left. I feel that that Fujifilm could give me 90% of what Leica Q3 gives me for a fraction of the money. That is also the normal reaction when Inpost about the Leica Q3 in social media. All of these things (my little rational voice and the social media) is making me doubt about my choice, and becoming a parent soon, with all the responsibilities, it’s making me feel bad. Im not looking for reassurance here but for hearing your opinion in this matter. This won’t be an objective thread and I don’t want it to be one, I just want you to hear your opinion and not “do whatever is best for you”. Thanks in advance. Edited April 19 by JMPerona Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 19 Posted April 19 Hi JMPerona, Take a look here Doubting My Leica Choice. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Barralad Posted April 19 Share #2 Posted April 19 I was discussing this very issue last night with a mate in the pub. I was telling him I’d bought the Q3 last year and how much I enjoyed using it etc. He said that I could probably get comparable results with an iPhone 16. In return, I pointed out that he would be able to get around just as well in a much cheaper car; he didn’t need the Aston Martin that he’d spent a while telling me all about. He admitted that he loved driving it; the destination wasn’t important, as the No. 1 source of enjoyment was the driving experience and the knowledge that he was driving a fantastic car. The point being that in both cases - the camera and the car - the owner gets something ‘more’ than just the mere functionality and outcome of using the product. Which is probably just another way of saying there’s a tension, sometimes, between the head and the heart. Your reasoning is perfectly valid, but appears to come solely from the head. If you went with the alternatives your head would be happy, but only you’ll know how your heart will be impacted. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPerona Posted April 19 Author Share #3 Posted April 19 8 minutes ago, Barralad said: I was discussing this very issue last night with a mate in the pub. I was telling him I’d bought the Q3 last year and how much I enjoyed using it etc. He said that I could probably get comparable results with an iPhone 16. In return, I pointed out that he would be able to get around just as well in a much cheaper car; he didn’t need the Aston Martin that he’d spent a while telling me all about. He admitted that he loved driving it; the destination wasn’t important, as the No. 1 source of enjoyment was the driving experience and the knowledge that he was driving a fantastic car. The point being that in both cases - the camera and the car - the owner gets something ‘more’ than just the mere functionality and outcome of using the product. Which is probably just another way of saying there’s a tension, sometimes, between the head and the heart. Your reasoning is perfectly valid, but appears to come solely from the head. If you went with the alternatives your head would be happy, but only you’ll know how your heart will be impacted. Thank you very much for this response. The heart says the Q3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skahde Posted April 19 Share #4 Posted April 19 (edited) The X100 is a nice line of cameras and does it for me with respect to a carry-everywhere digital solution which is not just a phone. And the V-model absolutely does it for me while the F-model with the older lens didn't (too uneven sharpness over the field). What the system doesnt do for me is provide longer focals, object separation aso. while the 65 deg angle of view of the Q can be achieved via the excellent tcw. So coming back to the Q the Leica would add up in quality where I feel I'm already sufficiently covered by a previous model of a - in this regard - less capable camera with a smaller sensor and lower resolution. And this is the point I suppose: What's your need and expectation? Everything else will fall into place. Edited April 19 by skahde Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted April 19 Share #5 Posted April 19 Leica is now a luxury brand and you always pay more for tiny improvements of function or cosmetics, as in the case of a Rolex telling the same time as a digital Timex so you're paying extra for mechanical excellence. With my film cameras no matter how great a Leica lens is nobody can tell if I've made the photo with a Leica or Nikon lens, the difference in 'quality' is cancelled out by other things. So I think I buy a Leica because I'm fairly serious about my photography and want to give myself the very best chances, the extra 10% of excellence is worth more than the 50% increase in price over another camera. Leica's are not perfect in every situation so I don't limit myself to Leica and I'm just as likely to pick up a Nikon or use other formats if they can also provide the theoretical 10%. Of course the 10% rarely if ever comes into play, but at least I know I'm the one that's failed and not my camera. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted April 19 Share #6 Posted April 19 (edited) You've already bought the Q3? Then just keep it, learn how to use it in as much depth as you can, including all the video options, and forget about selling it and buying another camera you might not like after another few months. Your decision has already been made. Stop thinking about 'which gear?'; think about 'how can I take better photos and video with the camera I have?'. Leave this forum - at least the gear parts of it - and come back only when you have photos to post - with the camera you have. Edited April 19 by LocalHero1953 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mute-on Posted April 19 Share #7 Posted April 19 Advertisement (gone after registration) FWIW, becoming a parent soon is an excellent reason to buy a Q3. The ability to shoot the highest possible image quality photos of your child and your family, one handed, with modern autofocus is already every justification you could ever need. You’ve made an intelligent investment in your family’s future. Be pleased with yourself and own your decisions like a thoughtful, mature, responsible adult. If you have any doubts about your ability to make informed decisions, now is the time to relinquish them. Parenthood has no place for that kind of thinking. Oh, and congratulations! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf_ZG Posted April 19 Share #8 Posted April 19 Selling it will cost you. So, unless you don’t need the money, don’t sell. I have had several iterations of the x100, and to me, it was always just too small, whereas the Q is perfect in size for me. Weatherproofing is another important factor to me. Yet, if I had to step down, I still would choose the original Q over the X100. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPerona Posted April 19 Author Share #9 Posted April 19 I won’t be losing money as I still am in the return period, so I can get all my money back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted April 19 Share #10 Posted April 19 6 minutes ago, JMPerona said: won’t be losing money as I still am in the return period, so I can get all my money back. You have put yourself in a 'no win' situation so take the cheaper option and get your money back and spend it wisely. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzajl Posted April 19 Share #11 Posted April 19 I think if you feel your family is going to be compromised by not having the money you’d be left with after buying another camera, send it back today! The X100 v or vi will tell the story of your family growing as well as the Q. I’ve shot my kids with soooooo many cameras and the photos all mean just as much to me. In fact, I couldn’t tell you what was shot on what from just looking at them anyway. If however, that money is not a definite difference maker, let yourself enjoy the experience of making these photographs as much as you can. The Q is an indulgence of course but that’s the point, enjoy every last drop of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted April 19 Share #12 Posted April 19 30 minutes ago, JMPerona said: I won’t be losing money as I still am in the return period, so I can get all my money back. It's in your hand. Just keep it and move on. You're thinking about gear too much. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 19 Share #13 Posted April 19 For your use I would not buy a camera for video, but an iPhone. For the rest - the best camera for you is the one that feels best and inspires you to take photographs The rest? it is just technobabble, graphs and biased reviews... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted April 19 Share #14 Posted April 19 5 hours ago, JMPerona said: Ok, I really need help here. I love Leica Q cameras. I had a Leica Q2 before and now I upgraded to a Leica Q3 as my main camera for travel, street and family photos. It’s an incredible camera with clear improvements over the Q2. the thing is that is an expensive camera and for the price of it I could get a Fujifilm X100VI and another camera for video with a few lenses for my video usage and still get money left. I feel that that Fujifilm could give me 90% of what Leica Q3 gives me for a fraction of the money. That is also the normal reaction when Inpost about the Leica Q3 in social media. All of these things (my little rational voice and the social media) is making me doubt about my choice, and becoming a parent soon, with all the responsibilities, it’s making me feel bad. Im not looking for reassurance here but for hearing your opinion in this matter. This won’t be an objective thread and I don’t want it to be one, I just want you to hear your opinion and not “do whatever is best for you”. Thanks in advance. I recently acquired a Leica Q3 43. It is a nice camera and the results are excellent, but, as regards a user experience, it does not come near any mechanical Leica, LTM or M, being a bit bland by comparison. It does, however, have a similar form factor and size, apart from the large lens, which I have now got used to. For me it is a useful tool with an excellent lens in front. Whether it is worth the outlay, it all depends on how long you are going to use it. As you may have guessed, I am the type of person who is more interested in acquiring variations in early Leicas than acquiring the latest digital camera update. I intend to use my Q3 43 for many years to come. Thankfully for Leica AG, there are only a relatively small number of people who think and act the way that I do. There is, however, an ever increasing stock of traded in digital models which are still working. William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 19 Share #15 Posted April 19 To me the Fuji is hipster and therefore assigned more quality in people's minds. I had a Q (first edition) and an X100T and their image quality didn't compare. The Fuji lens just isn't a patch on the Leica 28mm. With a Q3 you also have all the cropping options. In your boat I would have probably bought a Q2, which is 90% of a Q3, but the Fuji trails far behind IMO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPerona Posted April 19 Author Share #16 Posted April 19 4 hours ago, Dazzajl said: If however, that money is not a definite difference maker, let yourself enjoy the experience of making these photographs as much as you can. The Q is an indulgence of course but that’s the point, enjoy every last drop of it. The money won’t be a problem. And I have been traveling so many times with the Q2 I had before that for me was the best travel camera hands down. But I wasn’t very happy with the autofocus for fast movements. The Q3 has everything I need: Minimal, good video capabilities, better autofocus than the Q2 for my child, 28mm with a high mp for cropping to 35mm or 50mm and build as a rock. 4 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said: It's in your hand. Just keep it and move on. You're thinking about gear too much. I think you are right. 1 hour ago, jaapv said: the best camera for you is the one that feels best and inspires you to take photographs In my case, the Q3 without a doubt. 1 hour ago, willeica said: For me it is a useful tool with an excellent lens in front. Whether it is worth the outlay, it all depends on how long you are going to use it. I hope Iwill use it for many years to come… 31 minutes ago, Chris W said: With a Q3 you also have all the cropping options. In your boat I would have probably bought a Q2, which is 90% of a Q3, but the Fuji trails far behind IMO. I had the Q2, but the Q3 has exactly what I needed. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted April 19 Share #17 Posted April 19 47 minutes ago, Chris W said: To me the Fuji is hipster and therefore assigned more quality in people's minds. At 75 years of age I am afraid that I don't use terms like 'hipster'. In fact I don't even know what this means in this context. I've gone well beyond what any camera or any other possession says about me. This type of thinking usually disappears with age . William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMPerona Posted April 19 Author Share #18 Posted April 19 1 minute ago, willeica said: At 75 years of age I am afraid that I don't use terms like 'hipster'. In fact I don't even know what this means in this context. I've gone well beyond what any camera or any other possession says about me. This type of thinking usually disappears with age . William As a Fuji or Leica user? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Miller Posted April 19 Share #19 Posted April 19 7 hours ago, JMPerona said: the thing is that is an expensive camera and for the price of it I could get a Fujifilm X100VI and another camera for video with a few lenses for my video usage and still get money left. I feel that that Fujifilm could give me 90% of what Leica Q3 gives me for a fraction of the money. I find that I enjoy the process of photography as much as the results I achieve. I enjoy using my Leica cameras more than my Nikons. While the Nikons produce very nice images, they are as much fun to use as a socket wrench. With the Leica I enjoy the build quality, and the user interface. They give the impression of being designed by people who actually use them. In an age where most digital cameras have become computers with lenses, the Leica bodies still feel like cameras. If all I cared about was my images, I believe any brand would do, and at a lower price point. I'm willing to pay the Leica premium for the experience. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzajl Posted April 19 Share #20 Posted April 19 55 minutes ago, willeica said: At 75 years of age I am afraid that I don't use terms like 'hipster'. In fact I don't even know what this means in this context. I've gone well beyond what any camera or any other possession says about me. This type of thinking usually disappears with age . William Alas lots of thinking seems to disappear with age ☺️ All the more reason to enjoy while we can perhaps? Nice to see this thread seems to have come to a happy conclusion on the Q3. As for Hipsters, I think Fuji very much was the brand of choice when they were defined by the X100, the X-Pro and the X-E lines. Now those have mostly been let go and Fuji make SLR looking cameras to compete with the other Japanese makes. Which is a little sad 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.