First impressions on the Leica Q3 43.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
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This week I'm sharing some initial thoughts on the Leica Q3 43 from Vietnam.
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My conclusion from this video is that....... I want to go to Vietnam....
Same!
Hi Nigel. FYI the Hampshire (UK) photographer, Mike Browne (who also has a long-established high-sub YT channel) has led workshops out there and published several vids on his channel about that location. All the best.
I am Aussie so SE Asia is kind of on our doorstep and Vietnam is my favourite country in the region. And not only as a photographer
Do go Nigel. It is a beautiful country and very cheap. I was least impressed by Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) but that was all 11 years ago. I'd love to go back.
Amazing place, great food
One of the things I appreciate a lot about your videos (apart from the extremely high quality of your photos of course) is how candid and down to earth you are. "curiosity got the better of me so I bought one, which sounds incredibly blasé, but the thing about TH-cam is it's often profitable to buy cameras". The second part of that sentence is what makes you a more likeable person than the vast majority of photographers on this platform. So thanks for that
James, you need to stop apologising for having a job that many of us would absolutely die for. Leica, Sony, Fujifilm... Who cares. As long as the images are as stunning as those that come from your lens, it really doesn't matter mate.
Keep on doing what you do
👍
Thank you for the candid comments about the camera (and lovely photos). It is nice to see through the hype.
Glad you had a good time. Thx for sharing. Great light on those photos
The edits and colors on those photos of the rice paper making are incredible.
And no one ever saw that new Hasselblad ever again. :D
He’s sold it, well done Hasselblad
I wonder if you get some cash with your new Leica from MPB when you send them you Hasselblad? 😂
Used it in the video before this one…🙂
Stunning images. Especially love the rice paper village shots.
Dude those photos are INCREDIBLE
My copy of Human Nature arrived yesterday, James. It's fantastic! Well done!
Great video! Always a pleasure to watch! I simply wonder why most TH-camrs have a problem with single card slot cameras. What’s unprofessional about the Q3 isn’t the physical design of the camera, but a flaw in a user workflow, such as not backing up daily. Anyone using a camera professionally would back up at least once a day. The size of the camera vs its capabilities makes it very hard to complain about a lack of extra card slot or internal storage. Let’s also remember that most commonly used cinema cameras today only record to one card at a time. We should invest in Sony Tough cards or Angelbird and sleep easy at night. Cheers, and thanks again!
Broooooo... I'm loving your Vietnam imagery/photos. I can't wait until my next trip back (exactly a year from now).
Your style suits Vietnam so well. It looks good on you.
You mentioned that you might make a video about youtube as a business and please do, it's a very interesting topic, and it would be a nice insight to how complicated it actually is to make these videos. I'd love to see that video! Also, great shots in this one and the video looks fantastic as well. Cheers!
Love all the tones and lighting on all your images shown here! The yellows in particular really pop and add some nice warmth to the scenes.
I won't ever have either Q3 model, for work or play, but I did just order a 40mm Voigtlander lens for my Df. Call me old fashioned, or just plain old for that matter. But my wife and I have been enjoying the heck out of your book. It's a marvel and a joy. Thanks much.
Ahaha, not just in South-East Asia. But it is Hanoy. We spent our honeymoon here, and it was the first trip with a proper camera for me. So this is the place I started my photography journey 8 year ago!
Agree about the autofocus. (Anyway it's just for kids and wedding photographers.) The manual focusing aids in this camera are superb.
Thanks for addressing the cost issue and how it’s a different dynamic for your case.
Yep. Worth it. It is a riot for a personal camera.
Lovely shots, those!
Thank you for this first impressions video... you have helped talk me off the AUS$12000 (approx) cliff.... at least for now.
The images look straight out of a magazine. Like National Geographic level. Gotta love that Leica glass.
Hi James, I just found your channel, absolutely love it, and therefore started binge watching your videos. Thank you! It is probably because my algorithm changed watching a lot of Leica content lately as I’m currently thinking about minimising my setup moving from Fuji to Leica . I love the images you produced with the Q2, really like those Leica colours and deep blacks. I’m looking forward to your next videos!
Loved this video! Great photos, entertaining commentary, and clear, relatable analogies. Just an all-around excellent video. Well done, James!
Ótimo ver um bom fotógrafo testando as câmeras. 👍🏼
JESUS...
it's the First time that i look at your "reportage" style... Man... It's amazing, i love the shot, the story, the post etc .. i really enjoyed and i Hope to see more "human" close shot like this in your Channel because you are vert talented! Keep going i Will follow you 💪
My Q3 43 is everything I expected it to be. It’s not a working tool and wasn’t bought as such. It’s more an everyday carry and travel camera which I will be using rather than lugging my Z8’s around. Zone focusing and hyperfocal focusing pretty much negate the need for AF which will be relegated to backup status and both are a doddle with the lens. The lens quality is outstanding in every way and the focal length is perfect. Your images especially those in the rice paper workshop are great and demonstrate just how good the 43mm lens is for documentary photography. I hope I get the opportunity to shoot something similar when I travel to Japan next year. Have fun and grow into it, it took a while for me to love the Q2 Monochrom which is another incredible camera but very niche. One last note, the ergonomics work for me as someone with larger hands - other compacts I could never use simply because of the form factor.
I definitely agree with your comments… it’s an amazing companion camera to a system like a Z8 if you have the resources. On the other hand if you only have the budget for one camera, I would favor a system camera with interchangeable lenses. I have an R5 and hope to pick up a Q2 M or M10 M in the future!
@@elliotresnick5433
Totally. A Canon EF 40mm f2.8 is also a very sharp 43mm lens and about as big as a normal lens even with the adapter included. I toss it on an R6 and shoot. Good for everything including my wildlife photography and also for lowlight, dynamic range, image stabilizer, and ergonomic. Just works.
@@mikafoxx2717 were you mentioned that EF lenses because it’s focal length is similar to the Q3 43?
@elliotresnick5433 the EF 40mm is a 43mm, that's all I'm saying. Excellent lens for the dollars.
Now that you mention it about the two slot thing and it been 6000 dollars a valid point 😂
GREAT selection of photographs, really enjoyed it. And totally agree with your assessment of the Leica.
I’ve had all versions of Q and my favorite grip is the RRS L plate. You will not need a thumb grip which as you say gets in the way. Lens as you say is amazing, less about 43mm and much more about its color and rendering and smoothness. Leica say, maybe best lens they have made to date. I believe that. This cam will clearly keep the Q as their greatest selling cameras ever. I shoot about 40% manual focus. I like your fun vs work camera. This is an absolute fun camera that serious photographers can use. Life is meant to be fun.
Incredible photos
I love your photos of my city! I've watched your videos for a while, and seeing you here in Hanoi, took some incredible photos, is really amazing!
FINALLY. Someone specifically points out that manual focus is the real magic trick of this lens. Any other setup requires a lens swap to jump between zoning at F8 and AF at F1.7. Plus, it has macro! That's the true brilliance of the setup, imo. It's clearly a travel/street camera with a fixed lens, yet that fixed lens provides the versatility of 2 to 3 lenses on other systems.
manual focus...seriously
@@SourPlanet The image quality is outstanding, much more than just sharp. There are many lenses that are sharp edge-to-edge wide open.
Much less that are as well corrected as this true APO. And even less that still manage to retain some character and 3D pop.
Very similar to the great 50mm Voigtländer APO Lanthar.
@RegrinderAlert Did you mean to respond to me? I wasn't calling into question the lens, which is a Summilux; and therefore top class.
@@SourPlanet Just supporting your sentiment. But the 43 is a APO-Summicron and f/2
@@RegrinderAlert Ah yes, correct. I keep forgetting it's F2.
Finally got my x100vi last week, so Leica urge is quenched for now, but I was happy to know more about it. More fascinating to me now is seeing other photographers I have followed for years just discovering a city I have been photographing for almost a decade. Really looking forward to more of your Hanoi, James 😊
Very good and helpful comments. I have the Q3 28mm. I totally agree with you.
Well, I actually have one, and I really don't mind a blister or two! But, the key point here is that the target buyer is essentially the older M rangefinder user who is now struggling with M manual focusing, the sheer weight of the M cameras, and the lack of image stabilisation - myself included! Never ever thought Leica would do a Q with a 43mm lens, as it clearly competes with their classic M / 35mm combination, so it seems to me that Leica are finally and quietly reinventing in order to hang onto their generally older users. You don't really mention how amazingly light they are, or how little post processing is required - the lens is absolutely outstanding and colour rendition is very much improved (no M11 magenta cast!), consequently my images normally require very little or no sharpening at all. Not only that you can crop away to your heart's content, so the 43mm lens can be used like a 90mm lens - incredible versatility. The (kinda!) macro mode is also superb and so easy to select. I use Leica's own grip which hugely improves the day-to-day ergonomics. What an absolute joy it is to happily go out every day with just one camera, and just one lens! The A7RV is gathering dust! Cheers, Steve.
I`m an older M user :) Mid `70`s been using them (along with Canon and Sony at times) for 40 years. Still no problem with RF focussing but this 43 is on my list as an alternative. The pictures on this vid are some of the best I`ve seen for colour and I`ve watched every episode.
Got my book last week. Amazing. Seeing my name in the back was too cool! Also, I jumped on the Q3 43 as soon as it was announced. I love the camera. The main thing I've learned... If there's more than two people, go with single point auto focus. Makes the experience much better. Also, I got a leather case with a small grip on Etsy. I recommend that in addition to the thump support. Cheers!
oh wow, super weird that I started watching you couple months ago and suddenly you showed up in my country today!
Thanks James - wonderful images (that light/atmosphere!) and a great first impressions precis. I now want to visit Vietnam and will hold off on that Q3 43 order.......I sold my Q3 for many of the reasons you've mentioned and was tempted back by the lure of a focal length that I prefer. But you've reminded me again of many of the reasons that I didn't get along with the Q3, issues that remain with this camera.
Thank you for making me like my Canon more.
If there's ANY camera I still have GAS heavily about it's the Q3 43. So glad you shared more thoughts and snaps from it, James. This would be my "sell all your others" camera, such as it is. I'm only a hobbyist, so no one would care. But what a treat.
Great coverage and thoughts. Thanks for your point of view.
The price of GAS keeps going up year after year, and I'm not talking about petrol...
@spidersj12 agreed. But I do like how James probably kept me from buying this. Because it sure wasn't a glowing review.
@@ChrisBrogan agree! This is the review I really needed. I keep obsessing on the Q3 but don't need it at all, in any way. I have so much wonderful gear that does the job just as well, sometimes better. I have to admit that the design of the camera itself is really attractive to me. But, as James said, that makes sense too - my sports car is all about design, pure form over function... and I love it. Ugh, I still want the Q3. But this video probably pushed me away from it for good.
@@eastbaystreet1242honestly just get a 40mm and stick it on your main camera. On an R6 with the EF40mm 2.8 is the same size as a regular 50mm lens and it's a true 43mm and sharper than the 35 and 50mm's at the same f2.8 aperture. Some vignette though, I got a Tamron f1.8 with the image stabilizer to get much less vignette and the.. image stabilizer for blue hour landscape stuff.
@@mikafoxx2717 Yes, I do count on my array of F lenses for my older Nikons, and my 40mm Z lens for the Z9 to do what you are saying. But I did end up splitting the difference on the Leica between buying or not buying the Q3... I bought a fair priced Q2 which covers the "small, extremely high quality point and shoot with amazing glass" need, without going full-on new Q3 money.
Kudos for the honesty about youtube makes you buy and talk about cameras
Beautiful pictures. Really capture the feeling of SE Asia. Can almost smell the street food and feel the humidity.
Whilst the words & thoughts aren’t exactly glowing, the pictures certainly are.
That brief moment of silence while reliving the 205 quid for the thumbrest...that was relatable and dramatic af.
Beautiful photos ! Congrats 👍
This is the sad state of a previously well-loved and respected brand.
I feel like you are right from the beginning to the end
...still want one lol
Got give credit to those lenses, the stats dont say much, but the glasses are very exotic.
Such a great place to photograph.
Also in your talking head shots, I am allways drawn to the small island with temple of something framed by the tree branches
What a beautiful picture at 8:26 , love the composition too.
Tell me what you really think of the Leica 🤣 James , the shots especially the indoor and low light shots are FABULOUS ! Love the atmosphere…awesome my friend!!!!
Leica makes niche cameras and that's their strength. I previously owned an M8. It had so many limitations, but it's also the favorite camera I've ever owned. I think the same can be said for the Q. These cameras require more from the photographer, which causes frustration at times, but also a real pleasure to use. Thanks for sharing!
Not sure if it's the camera or the country/ scenario but easily some of your best work 👌
love the fact you can see each others influences in Roman and James' stuff
Some cracking photos! I bought this camera for three reasons. 1. The lens 2. The lens 3. The lens. I absolutely love it and, together with my Q2, I don’t need any more kit. At all. Won’t suit everyone but I’m sorted.
What’s you mirrorless setup and how do you compare your new APO to the best primes from the setup? Is there really any "special" look either? Thanks for insights
@ I sold my Sony A7Cr and 50mm GM to fund towards my Q343. I also have an X-T5 with the 33mm that’s not getting any use now!. Both the Leica 28mm and 43mm lenses are the best I’ve used. Ever. The detail and colours are fabulous but more than that, I love having the ‘limitation’ of 2 focal lengths (whilst knowing I can crop as much as I need to for a different field of view). As I say, it won’t suit everyone but I’ve found my ‘place’. As for the ‘special’ look, I’m not so sure. I’m colourblind so there is a caveat - for me, the look is more about the overall image quality being superb.
@@AlecMurrell cheers mate, thanks for the insights and really glad you found your happy spot with this combo. After all, it’s about the joy of photography!
Unreal images James soooooo good
Great insight - I have the Q3 and a Sony A7IV. Feel exactly the same way.
Thank you for this. I took my M11-P off the used market after watching this.
I love the analogy of the sports car or the dress shoes. That really summarizes this camera.
That shot behind you over the hazy water with the branch , couldn't stop looking at it. Great shots you got though of Vietnam and those small communities and there way of life
James you are my fav TH-cam photographer, but the title of this video again, it’s nuts, guess it’s feeding the algorithm
But I genuinely think it’s true. Most cameras don’t generate opinions of any sort, but lots of photographers have opinions (good and bad) about these things.
@@JamesPopsysPhotoOn the subject of algorithms, why do I now think that TH-cam is going to feed me a Rory Sutherland video explaining the marketing genius of selling a £6k camera that requires that you also buy a £200 thumb grip to correct the ergonomics?
With that many megapixels I’ll take 28mm every single day.
I've just returned a few days ago from Hanoi! What a brilliant place! Great to see your photos from there.
Have you seen the H3 grip from Hugh Brownstone and Helium Design Lab? It might allow better access to that dial while adding some ergonomics.
Thank you for your honest review. Also some of the best photography I have seen you take. Location and subject matter is everything. Off to Cambodia in a couple of months. Leaving the Z8 at home and taking my OM-1 and my Ricoh GR3x.
I will be doing wildlife and macro as well as street and landscape so the micro 4/3 makes sense. I love the Panasonic 50mm F1 .4 and the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8. my Z glass is too heavy to carry about with snorkeling gear etc.
Very interesting to see you shoot with people as a major element in your photo - your style is still there as well. Very few landscape or scape shooters can make convincing 'street' shots.
Been watching you for quite some time now, please don’t take this the wrong way but I think i’ve just seen some of my favourite images of yours in this video. Maybe it’s just my taste but I believe it’s noticeable how much you enjoy this focal length. 👏
Great day! New James Popsys video!
It's only hated by people who have never seen it let alone used it - like most Leica cameras - pro here 35 yrs in the game - we use many cameras - this one is one of our favorites - it just does everything - we use alongside our SL3 and our 907x - it just works
@@nelsonclub7722 You are correct in my opinion . I think envy is a powerful negative . I started photography in the early 60 ‘s . Now I have Q 3 for a couple of months and it is a joy …and the sharpest images I have ever had anything to with :)
Just worth the money
myeah, it's usually Sony users. They don't know what's good. Most of them are beginners and believe that flagship performance defines the whole system and buying cheap used lower-end Sony gear compensates for their insecurities.
myeah, it's usually Sony users. They don't know what's good. Most of them are beginners and believe that flagship performance defines the whole system and buying cheap used lower-end Sony gear compensates for their insecurities.
Deep down in your soul you know that 6k is to much for that camera 100% there is something for 500-1500 that can do almost the same job
@@LegijatMN 'almost' That is not the point - I have been Pro long enough to know what the competition can do - if you want a Mercedes and you can afford a Mercedes you buy a Mercedes - if you just want to get to your destination any vehicle can do the same . I buy Leica and Hasselblad becuase they are the best. we had Fuji GFX - no good, image colours in post are a bind, Leica for our black and white - perfect, soft but sharp Hass colours are off the charts - like for like - you do get what you pay for - and you will never regret paying for quality!!!!
Reliably straightforward and honest assessment. Carry on. 👍🥂
These pictures all look so beautiful!!!!!!! They make me imagine the taste of the food in that wedding...
It's so funny seeing the exact same locations as in Roman Fox's last video, but with photos that are distinctly James Popsys. Great video.
Very honest first thoughts. No joystick or decent grip would drive me mad. That said the pics do look magical James, but is that just the light mmm. Vietnam looks fab btw.
The village photos are moving. The images were able to transfer strong emotions.
I use my Q2 with a mix of autofocus and manual focus. For me the most important part of the camera is the optics and what one can do with it. The Q optics are extremely good for my personal taste. I don't have an M camera, but the main advantage there is manual focus with a large range of different lenses. There is the mix between perfection and imperfection. The Q gives a taste of that, but with a fixed lens.
In the end, what counts, is the joy one gets from the images AND from going out and seeing the world.
That's nuts, turned on, and I'm like why are you on the Red River bridge, literally on the route In used to commute on years back. It literally threw me back in my seat. Not what I was expecting. Never did I think you'd find yourself in Hanoi. Funnily enough, it was where I bought my very first DSLR camera and really got into photography.
felt the exact same way because my family lives on the river and every time i visit i take that bridge! also the lake he sat at is where i used to go for morning runs every single day!
When showing the pictures, could you please also mention the settings? Would love to learn about that
Great photos, lovely colours.
Great photos James, especially like the wider volleyball shot which stood out to me. The video footage of the lady in the suit, high heels and helmet looked interesting - did you manage to get a photo of her?
You can get the same thumb grip from eBay for a fraction of the price. I’ve got it on my Q3. Love your content James
Such a good video. Big LIKE, James.🙂
Great video!! Thanks for making such a detailed comparison… how do you set up the images to have baked in Leica so you can transfer it straight to your phone
I mean , It should not be compared to any other camera, Although some are digital, the feeling and experience is like shooting with film. totally agreed that the best experience is to shoot & focus manually. Love my q343.
I had the Q3 for 6 months and found it to be a very luxurious point and shoot so I couldn't justify it for the odd time I used it. As with most Leica's they give you a nice feeling to own one, but are not the most useful for many photography needs.
The perfect camera probably does not exist but the simplicity of using the Q 43 is appealing kinda like photography without using a camera compared to other manufacturers. You may need to be a bit masochistic for only having one focal length but if 43mm is how you see, it's perfect. Its limitations can be its strength.
The summary sounds like you're talking about the Pentax K01. It really does!
Great video James. You have a unique photography style and it works very well with these photos. Very interesting thoughts on the Q3. When you focus manually does it use a focus peaking approach or some kind of simulated range finder approach?
Great preview-review 😁 totally agree with your thoughts, due to the more "playful" character of the 43 I also tend to grab it more often and the lens is great (perfect bigger brother from another mother to the GRIIIx, if pocketabillity isn't paramount).
Regarding the/a grip, I got the IDSworks one, if you haven't checked it out, I quite like it. Not too much bulk added or style dimished with the black aluminium one, in my opinion.
Cheers!
Enjoy your time in Hanoi ! Regardless the camera model the light there is incredible (thanks to the fog). I encourage you to reiterate the trip you did to small comunities in the countryside, these are memories i cherish. Thanks for the nostalgia burst 🙌
Mad they didn't put internal storage in for this model! So close to my dream camera.
Yeah….no. That juice isn’t worth the squeeze. 🍋
I think I’m drifting back to the 28mm Q3. A bit more usable than the 43mm. 🏴I’m a 35-40mm street photographer so the Q3 43 would be the choice for me; you would think but…
It’s grey rather than black, and it’s even more expensive than the Q3 too!
I also used to do street with a GRIIIX (and an XF10) back in the day so got used to that too.
Awesome
watching the rush hour traffic in downtown Hanoi in the rain was quite entertaining when I was there.
Another interesting video James, thanks for sharing. A testament to the culture of Vietnam, in so many other places you might well have had the camera do a vanishing trick courtesy of one of the moped riders! ... As for the camera, to each their own .. but for me if I were so fortunate to have £6K available for a camera ( which candidly I don't but wish I had ), I'd be buying something rather more functional for probably half the money .. but that's just me... and yes I'm a Yorkshireman, where pockets are deep and arms are short ;-)
Cheers James also caught glimpses of you on Ronan last night ❤
They give you blisters until worn in. And then they feel amazing and are wonderful to wear!😂
Wow, on the images. Great, James👍🏼. I use the Nikon D850, and it sometimes struggles with focus on photos. I’m hearing the Nikon Z is bulletproof.
A D850 is a great camera. And I agree that the newer gen Z autofocus is usefully better. I’m not certain I would say that about the earlier Z bodies, except for the more complete coverage of the frame with autofocus sensors. I’d weigh the entire cost of switching before I dumped a D850. You’ve got a very competent camera that when you replace it might also sway you to begin buying a raft of new lenses.
Right brand wrong camera! Yes those villages and the people are just wonderfull. Thank you.
There are some fantastic shots here, James, Leica or no Leica! I wonder how long you’ll hold onto this camera😊