First ime Leica (Q3) User; Advice?

Hi!

I am an experienced Nikon user and just bought my first Leica (Q3).

I am very experienced with Nikon and have a wide variety of Nikon cameras and lenses:

Nikon Gear list

Some of my Select Nikon Images

Was primarily attracted to the much smaller camera and excellent image quality of the Q3.

There are times/places where, as much as I like my Nikon Z8 and Z lenses, they are physically larger than I might like

Also,, I'm comfortable shooting with a fixed focal length lens (e.g. 28mm; some examples below)

I just got the Q3 today, but haven't unboxed it yet (battery is being charged!).

I have read through the 269 page Q3 manual and realize that I will have to deal with a learning curve using the Leica user interface.

Any suggestions to make my entry into using the Q3 would be appreciated.























General advice?

Settings?

Image processing and file handling?

Accessories (e.g cases, flash, brackets, filters)?

Thanks in advance!

RB

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http://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges
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Congrats, you have bought a great camera!

I keep it simple with my settings and save them to a profile which can then be backed up when the firmware is updated.

Settings-

AF-S

'Matrix' ,entering

raw only

EVF- extended to save battery

Evf 60 Hz refresh-rate

Auto-iso max 6400

OIS auto 1/60s

Aperture priority

I use a Leica UV filter for protection and an Oberwerth half-case.

For processing , use DXO PL8 which suits me as it performs very well and is non -subscription as well as having the best NR.

It just like to keep things simple with this camera.

Enjoy!

ps - you will probably need a spare battery.

JNK 100 said:

Congrats, you have bought a great camera!

I keep it simple with my settings and save them to a profile which can then be backed up when the firmware is updated.

Settings-

AF-S

'Matrix' ,entering

raw only

EVF- extended to save battery

Evf 60 Hz refresh-rate

Auto-iso max 6400

OIS auto 1/60s

Aperture priority

I use a Leica UV filter for protection and an Oberwerth half-case.

For processing , use DXO PL8 which suits me as it performs very well and is non -subscription as well as having the best NR.

It just like to keep things simple with this camera.

Enjoy!

ps - you will probably need a spare battery.

Click to expand...

Hi!

Thanks so much!

I just took a my first few shots around the house and getting use to the user interface, macro mode, settings, etc.

Especially appreciate the advice about case, filter, and the battery (not cheap, but I guess not expensive by Leica standards!)

Best Regards,

RB

Congratulations! You're in for a treat! The Q3 is pretty much the simplest and most pleasurable camera I have ever owned.

I got my Q3 last year when I was in London for a vacation. It was impossible to get locally at home and when Leica London had one in stock, i picked it up. Was touring with my Zf & 24-70F4S & Voigtlander 40F1.2Z. Back to the hotel, charged the battery and found my basic settings within 20 minutes.

Auto ISO 3200 - AF-S - Large JPG & Medium RAW - Aperture Priority (Shutter dial on A - Vivid and saved to Profile 1. Customized the top right button for Picture Profiles so I could get to BW quickly. Customize profiles to your taste but at least save 1 of them.

Shot with the Q3 for the rest of the trip. Lonely Nikon stayed in the hotel. Watched a few videos each evening and customized further. So simple.

Accessories: Got a 2nd battery and never had to use it. Look at a Hand Grip or a Thumb Rest and the strap of your choosing. I went a little nuts with the Helium Design Lab grip, Leica wrist strap, Leica Round Hood and the Shortstache Everyday filter which is on the camera 90% of the time otherwise Hoya HD3. Flash: Good iM20. EDC Bag: Bellroy Venture 7L.

Another good video..
BTW.. your pics are lovely. You'll have a great time with the Q3. Enjoy!

Read the instruction book from cover to cover - twice. The time taken will pay back big dividends.

Le Chef said:

Read the instruction book from cover to cover - twice. The time taken will pay back big dividends.

Click to expand...

Hi!

Done (read all 269 pages; some skimmed and some reread a few times!)

So far, I'm finding the user interface more friendly than my Nikon Z8 and D5's

Shot a bunch of stuff in my backyard today.

No disappointments so far, and pleasantly surprised by the macro mode.

I'm off on a casual trip tomorrow and plan on leaving my Nikon Z8 and Z lenses ( I have a lot of them!) to force myself to put in some time devoted to getting some Q3 experience

Though it's not an ultra compact camera, it fits into the oversized pocket in my parka, which is a nice surprise.

I'll keep you posted on my experience soon

Thanks again!

Best Regards,

RB

MickeyVee said:

Congratulations! You're in for a treat! The Q3 is pretty much the simplest and most pleasurable camera I have ever owned.

Click to expand...

I think that I'm beginning to understand why

MickeyVee said:

I got my Q3 last year when I was in London for a vacation. It was impossible to get locally at home and when Leica London had one in stock, i picked it up. Was touring with my Zf & 24-70F4S & Voigtlander 40F1.2Z. Back to the hotel, charged the battery and found my basic settings within 20 minutes.

Auto ISO 3200 - AF-S - Large JPG & Medium RAW - Aperture Priority (Shutter dial on A - Vivid and saved to Profile 1. Customized the top right button for Picture Profiles so I could get to BW quickly. Customize profiles to your taste but at least save 1 of them.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions!

MickeyVee said:

Shot with the Q3 for the rest of the trip. Lonely Nikon stayed in the hotel. Watched a few videos each evening and customized further. So simple.

Accessories: Got a 2nd battery and never had to use it.

Click to expand...

Haven't got one yet..

MickeyVee said:

Look at a Hand Grip or a Thumb Rest and the strap of your choosing.

Click to expand...

Done

MickeyVee said:

I went a little nuts with the Helium Design Lab grip, Leica wrist strap, Leica Round Hood and the Shortstache Everyday filter which is on the camera 90% of the time otherwise Hoya HD3. Flash: Good iM20. EDC Bag: Bellroy Venture 7L.

Click to expand...

Thanks for these suggestions.

So far I just picked up the Leica half case as a quickie fix to protect theQ3, but might be upgrading soon

I picked up the Leica 49mm filter, and immediately put a Leica p hybrid LCD protector on. Seems as if the LCD is not particularly hard and easily scratched according to some reviewers

Thinking about an Oberwerth case

I definitely need a bag that's smaller than what I've been hauling my Nikon gear around in.

Haven't got a flash yet, but planning on getting the hot shoe mounted remote control for my Prohoto flashes

The Profoto A1/10 flashes that I use on my Nikon cameras seem too big to mount on the Q3

MickeyVee said:

Another good video..

Click to expand...

Thanks again!

MickeyVee said:

BTW.. your pics are lovely.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

MickeyVee said:

You'll have a great time with the Q3. Enjoy!

Click to expand...

Appreciate it!

Best Regards,

RB

Amazing shots. Based on these photos you will have no prob with the Leica. It does not have the AF of the Sony and Nikons etc. but man it's such a joy to shoot with and no slouch at all. The 61MP sensor and the 28/43 lenses are the best I've ever used. When you shoot with this camera its emotional. The tactile experience, size, feel, quality is the best I've ever experienced with any camera. It's a work of art. I can't put it down. I had a Sony A1, 24-70 GM2, Zeiss 55. Got tired of lugging all the gear around so sold it and put up some cash for the Q3 43 and no regrets at all. Love how small and light it is with the Oberworth Qbag. This is a 1 and done for me.

Richard Spangler said:

Amazing shots.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

Richard Spangler said:

Based on these photos you will have no prob with the Leica.

Click to expand...

I'm already starting to feel comfortable with the Q3...

User interface appears straight forward and easy to understand/navigate...

Richard Spangler said:

it's such a joy to shoot with

Click to expand...

I'm beginning to get a sense for this...

I attended a Ringo Starr concert yesterday.

No "professional cameras or cameras with detachable lenses" allowed.

But no problem allowing me to carry the Q3 in (it fits in my coat pocket)

Richard Spangler said:

and no slouch at all. The 61MP sensor and the 28/43 lenses are the best I've ever used. When you shoot with this camera its emotional.

Click to expand...

I think I might be starting to understand that.

Richard Spangler said:

The tactile experience, size, feel, quality is the best I've ever experienced with any camera.

Click to expand...

No argument there.

Despite my being somewhat dependent on the backlit Nikon Z8 buttons, I had no problem easily learning to feel where the Q3's menu, play, aperture ring are and make on the fly adjustments.

Richard Spangler said:

It's a work of art. I can't put it down.

I had a Sony A1, 24-70 GM2, Zeiss 55. tired of lugging all the gear around so sold it and put up some cash for the Q3 43 and no regrets at all. Love how small and light it is with the Oberworth Qbag. This is a 1 and done for me.

Click to expand...

Well, for some uses, I'll still be lugging my Nikon bodies and lenses around,

But, I'm starting to think that perhaps my first thought on equipment choice just might be, "can I just take the Q3 for this particular situation...")

For my first outing, a Q3/43 would have been better.

But gave me a chance to get use to the Q3

However, even though I was seated over 150 feet away from the stage, my first try at cropping the 60 MP DNG file to 100%

I just got home from the concert and haven't culled through which shots might be the technically/artistically best. But here is fast first attempt (good case to test out ability to crop!):

Uncropped (Can barely see Ringo Starr at his drum kit):



Cropped ~100%



Cropped ~180%:



At first glance and without a technically valid methodology, cropping on the 60 MP seems pretty good.

I also took a few pictures on my iPhone 16.

As expected, they were nowhere close to the Q3

For this particular event, sure the Q43 would likely have been better.

But as a first attempt for me, things appear promising!

Thanks again for the comments.

I look forward to learning more from and participating in the Leica forum

Best Regards,

RB

--
http://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges
https://www.nikonimages.com/member-photos/859