Leica Q3 Monochrom overview: a prime digital digicam for black-and-white pictures purists

Leica Q3 Monochrom: two-minute overview

Cash no object, I would in all probability choose the Leica Q3 as my favourite compact digicam. It is a fabulous 61MP full-frame digicam with an especially sharp, fastened 28mm f/1.7 wide-angle lens, and the final word on a regular basis carry.

I am additionally keen on black-and-white pictures, particularly on sunny days when mild and shade are the celebrities of the present. So it was a delight to kick off 2026 by getting out and about on frosty mornings within the UK, with the low-lying solar illuminating my environment and the Leica Q3 Monochrom in my hand – it is equivalent to the unique Q3 in virtually each method, besides that it solely shoots in monochrome.

This digicam is as area of interest as they arrive, and for a lot of it additionally begs the query: why would you choose a digicam that solely takes black-and-white photographs when you’ll be able to merely choose a black-and-white colour profile in a daily digicam, like the unique Q3, which additionally shoots in colour whenever you wish to? Why limit your self? That was the main target of my testing over the course of three weeks with the Q3 Monochrom.

Leica Q3 Monochrom at BHPhoto for $7,790

Picture 1 of two

For me, the explanations I’d go for a digicam like this are twofold – one technical, and one inventive. The inventive purpose is easy: its restricted parameters. I can not change to paint. I am seeing the real-time picture in black and white, and it helps me to actually respect mild and shade, type and composition.

Capturing in black-and-white generally is a nice train that can assist you elevate the standard of your pictures on the whole, do you have to deliver colour into the equation at different instances. You possibly can, nonetheless, get this expertise with a ‘common’ digicam through the use of a black-and-white colour profile, in order that by itself just isn’t sufficient purpose. The second technical purpose is, although – and that is elevated mild sensitivity.

In easy phrases, all sensors in digital cameras see in black and white. To supply colour photographs, a colour filter array is positioned in entrance of the sensor, the commonest of which is the Bayer sample with pink, inexperienced and blue pixels (RGB – with twice the variety of inexperienced pixels).

The downside is {that a} colour filter array reduces mild sensitivity, resulting in a rise in noise and decreased sharpness. Briefly, it reduces picture high quality by a small quantity, which is seen extra clearly in difficult mild situations.

So – and significantly in the event you largely prefer to shoot black-and-white photographs anyway – a colour filter is extra of a hinderance than a assist. With these picture high quality drawbacks, it is like watering down juice when you may in any other case benefit from the full taste straight from the supply.

A monochrome-only digital digicam gives the purest type of black-and-white pictures you may get from a digital digicam; and from my expertise with the Q3 Monochrom, there’s one thing slightly additional in regards to the high quality of the black-and-white photographs it produces. A refined enchancment, a lovely grain quite than noise, and filmic high quality. Spotlight clipping is, nonetheless, a significant disadvantage to this type of sensor.

Sure, the Leica Q3 monochrom is as area of interest as they arrive, and it prices a fairly penny too at $7,790 / £5,800 / AU$12,090. However, in the event you love black-and-white pictures, it is the final word on a regular basis carry, and among the finest compact cameras round.

Leica Q3 Monochrom: value and availability

Introduced on November 20, 2025 and accessible nowPriced from $7,790 / £5,800 / AU$12,090

Leica unveiled the Q3 Monochrom in November 2025 and it went on sale instantly, costing $7,790 / £5,800 / AU$12,090. That is a mark-up of about 5% over the Q3, which was launched in 2023.

The Q3-series fashions use the identical BP-SCL6 battery, whereas Leica sells quite a lot of equipment at its on-line retailer, together with a leather-based half case, thumb helps, and carrying straps.

Leica Q3 Monochrom: specs

Leica Q3 Monochrom: design

Identical design because the Q3, save for Monochrom logoDivine lens high quality and handlingAwkward tilt touchscreen

The Q3 Monochrom primarily has the identical premium, minimalist design as the unique Q3, save for its suitably monochromatic emblem. Which means it operates in precisely the identical method as the unique mannequin, for good and for dangerous.

The 28mm lens is the star of the present, not solely by way of the pictures it produces, however due to the way it handles; it is outfitted with first rate autofocus, however is designed in a approach to please manual-focus followers, with autofocus activated through a well-hidden button on the manual-focus ring.

It additionally appears to be like identical to a manual-focus-only lens. There are focus distance markings, and a macro mode that is activated by turning a dial which reveals new focus distance markings – a design masterstroke.

Picture 1 of 4

Different design options are the identical, too. We’ve a good 5.76m-dot viewfinder, plus a crisp 1.84m-dot tilt touchscreen. I am not a fan of the lean design, although – it protrudes from the again of the digicam and it is awkward to grip and pull out for waist-level capturing. For the subsequent Q installment, Leica ought to take notes from Fujifilm and others.

Each contact screams premium high quality, from the knurled management dials with simply the correct amount of resistance, to the pop-out battery and the viewfinder’s pop-out diopter adjustment. The reminiscence card door design might do with slightly tweaking as a result of it seems like one weak level, however quality-wise I can not in any other case fault the Q3 Monochrom.

Picture 1 of 6

For a deeper dive into the design of the Leica Q3 Monochrom, take a look at my Leica Q3 overview.

Leica Q3 Monochrom: options and efficiency

Excessive-resolution 61MP sensor with digital crop modesReasonable autofocus efficiency and exact handbook focusAverage battery life

There isn’t any change from the unique Q3 concerning options or efficiency, both, save for the monochrome-only photographs, which is what I am going to double down on on this part.

To summarize the opposite features first, the Q3 Monochrom’s startup time is speedy, battery life is common at greatest, autofocus accuracy and velocity are good, whereas in-body picture stabilization efficiency is just okay, however definitely welcome in a digicam able to capturing such high-resolution images.

And with 61MP to play with there’s large scope for cropping into photographs to emulate the look of tighter lenses – a function that may be accessed instantly utilizing one of many two buttons above the LCD display screen (the gallery under reveals a number of digitally cropped photographs utilizing the utmost in-camera crop setting, then the complete un-cropped model for comparability). The opposite button above the LCD switches from stills to video, with 8K video recording as soon as once more current.

Picture 1 of 8

The macro setting of the lens reduces its close-focusing distance, making it attainable to seize flowers and different small topics in beautiful element – that is one other string to the bow of the Q3 collection (see the gallery instantly under).

I additionally love how the utmost aperture of the lens is good and shiny at f/1.7. Pair that with the picture stabilization, and Q3 cameras really feel extra versatile general than the gorgeous Fujifilm GFX100RF, even when that digicam has a good sharper lens – take a look at my Q3 vs GFX100RF real-world take a look at to see how these premium compacts evaluate.

The 28mm lens additionally produces a few of the crispest sunstars I’ve seen (take a look at the backlit tree picture two galleries down); once more, for extra particulars, take a look at the Q3 overview.

Picture 1 of seven

Now, let’s get on to black-and-white picture high quality. Firstly, there are three predominant monotone profiles to select from: pure (which is the profile I used for many of this overview), plus a sepia and a blue-tone look.

I used to be shocked and upset to see how restricted the customization choices are for these profiles, although. For instance, distinction may be tweaked for these presets, however you’ll be able to’t apply a filter impact, as you’ll be able to to, say, Fujifilm and Ricoh options.

That mentioned, it is attainable to add LUT profiles to the digicam from the Leica app for different inventive kinds, or in fact connect a bodily filter to the 28mm lens. I like utilizing an orange filter to create dramatic skies with an infrared-type look, whereas a inexperienced filter can emphasize pores and skin tones.

Picture 1 of 10

I’ve taken images with the Q3 Monochrom in a variety of eventualities, capturing all photographs in RAW (DNG) and JPEG. When evaluating the 2, the pure profile brightens shadows, at the price of wealthy distinction.

In all photographs element is significantly sharp, with a lovely advantageous grain – sort of like an ISO 50 movie pictures really feel.

Picture 1 of 10

Sadly, I did not have the unique Q3 similtaneously the Q3 Monochrom to make direct comparisons. Nevertheless, I’ve prior expertise for such comparisons, and so I do know that photographs shot in black-and-white on a colour digicam have extra pronounced noise, and element is barely softer.

I’ve since carried out a little analysis, and located that YouTuber Florian Froschmayer has posted a extremely helpful video which reveals the ins and outs for every Q3 mannequin, with comparisons that again up my expertise.

His video additionally hammers dwelling a significant warning for utilizing a monochrome-only digital digicam: spotlight clipping is unforgiving. In case you had been to overexpose a picture – that’s, with highlights blown out – you would not have the ability to get better this element to just about the identical extent as with a colour mannequin, like the unique Q3.

Already figuring out this, I factored in underexposing when capturing with the Q3 Monochrom. To a level, this method can offset the image-quality advantages of its higher mild sensitivity, however the truth stays that its photographs are sharper and cleaner than the Q3’s when seen carefully. In case you’re into black-and-white pictures, with a great deal with on publicity, the Q3 Monochrom’s black-and-white picture high quality exceeds the Q3’s.

Ought to I purchase the Leica Q3 Monochrom?

Purchase it if…

Do not buy it if…

Additionally contemplate