Yet another…. Help me decide q3 vs q2

[ravinj]

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5 hours ago, helged said:

fredmiranda.com, I presume...

Ah yes, correct! I have lost count of the number of transactions I have done there.

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

[DenverSteve]

If you're going to buy a used camera, especially older ones, MPB and other large dealers provide a warranty (6 months for most items at MPB) which gives greater peace of mind on well-used gear.  

[Aram Langhans]

i owned both.  I had the q2 for a few years and now I have the q3.  You can hardly go wrong with either, but there are differences that might play into your style of shooting better in one than the other.  For 90% of the time, image quality will be a tossup between the two cameras.  The 48 vs 60 MP sensor size is almost a wash unless you really push it in cropping.  The lens is great on either sensor. Amazing.

So, what 10% made me change?  I do a lot of low light shooting and I was a bit disappointed in the Q2 when compared to my Nikon D750 and then the Z7ii .  That was the main impetus for me switching.  The sensor in the Q3 is noticeable better in low light in spite of what some graph might show.  You can bring out the shadows much better. It is still not up to the Z7ii however which surprises me a bit both using Sony sensors, but the lens and other ergonomics make up for that for most shooting, so the Q3 would be your choice if this is important to you. Another factor for my switch was the autofocusing for action.  The Q2 face detection was a joke.  The Q3 is improved, but also not up to my Nikon.  Not that I use it for people and action that much.  But if you do, then the Q3 will be your choice.  I did not think I would use the flip screen, but it really has come in handy more times than I thought.  So, that is a consideration.  I was surprised at the quirks it exhibits in handling that the Q2 does not.  The Q2 is a mature camera that just plain works and is well behaved.  The Q3 is a bit fussy and even firmware updates have not made it as smooth as the Q2.  The Q2 is just perfect in what it does.  The Q3 does more, but you have to get use to some things. So, you have to decide what is important for your kind of photography, but once you decide, there is no more fun camera out there than the Q series, and you will get outstanding shots with either. 

[LocalHero1953]

3 hours ago, Aram Langhans said:

I was surprised at the quirks it exhibits in handling that the Q2 does not.  The Q2 is a mature camera that just plain works and is well behaved.  The Q3 is a bit fussy and even firmware updates have not made it as smooth as the Q2. 

Can you be a bit more specific? I moved from Q2 to Q3 43 and haven't noticed bad behaviour or fussiness. 

[Aram Langhans]

18 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Can you be a bit more specific? I moved from Q2 to Q3 43 and haven't noticed bad behaviour or fussiness. 

A few off the top of my head.  Turning the camera on and having to wait up to 5 seconds before you can take a picture, but only if it has been shut off for a while. Once you get past that it is fine for turning off and on until you leave it off for a few hours again.   If using single shot, the viewfinder delay to recover for the next shot, but it works fine if you set it to 2fps.  Viewfinder darkening when pressing shutter half way under certain circumstances.  AFS. AFC. AFI problems under certain circumstances.  Probably more that have appeared in various threads in this forum, but those are the ones that I have had to get use to. 

Edited September 13 by Aram Langhans

[LocalHero1953]

5 hours ago, Aram Langhans said:

A few off the top of my head.

The only one of these I have encountered is the slow start up time. Perhaps the others depend on just how the camera is set up and used.

Edited September 13 by LocalHero1953

[nicci78]

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Other pluses for Q2 :

Q2 has usable electronic shutter. 
You’ll get way less jelly effect with the Q2’s sensor faster readout. 
 

Faster start up time. You can turn it ON/OFF at will without fearing it will go into random long startup time like the Q3  

Q2 is prettier : no ugly backpack style tilting screen. 

Q2 is also available in Monochrom 

 

Personally I skipped the Q3 and still use my Q2. No FOMO. 

Edited September 13 by nicci78

[LocalHero1953]

I don't usually shoot with a fast enough shutter to use the electronic shutter, and the leaf shutter is quiet enough for almost all situations, so rolling shutter effects are not a real world issue for me. I like and use the tilt screen. It just goes to show that benefits and disbenefits are personal.

The Q3 has one major benefit missing from the Q2 - a 43mm lens!

[Chris Nebard]

On 8/29/2025 at 2:28 PM, stuny said:

Don't worry about the cropping advantage of the Q3.  The two images below are with the ancient, original Q at a restaurant near Tulum Mexico nearly 2 years ago.  One is the full frame, and the second is the crop.

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Spot on. I’m working out how I can make myself afford the Q3 without selling my original Q. Until then I won’t be swapping it (used since 2017) for a Q2. The ability to crop on the Q is more than enough for me. I don’t really believe in the Leica Look but, I have to say, the images from it can be gorgeous. My eyes don’t see in UHD, I like my pictures to look organic and lifelike. Leica did a fantastic job with the original.