- Shoots 60MP photos and up to 8K video
- 28mm f/1.7 Summilux fixed lens
- Dust and splash proof IP52 rating
It turns out the rumors were true: Leica has today unveiled the Q3 Monochrom, a dedicated monochrome edition of the existing Leica Q3 full-frame fixed-lens compact.
As our writer James Abbott noted in his Leica Q2 Monochrom review a few years ago, “when you see the quality of the images from a camera that has no color array filter and no need for an interpolation algorithm, you’ll quickly realize why the Q2 Monochrom makes sense. Even if it means sacrificing the ability to shoot in color.”
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The Q3 Monochrom is built around a fast Summilux 28 f/1.7 ASPH lens and a 60MP full-frame sensor (which can also shoot at 36MP and 18MP, thanks to its Triple Resolution Technology) with an ISO range of 100 to 200,000. It can also record black-and-white video in up to 8K resolution. For close-up photography, the selectable macro mode reduces the minimum focus distance to 17cm, while the digital zoom allows users to zoom/crop all the way up to a focal length equivalent to 90mm.
As you would expect from a premium Leica camera, the Q3 Monochrom is built in Germany to the brand’s exacting standards and aesthetics. The all-metal housing is finished in black (with gray details and of course the iconic red dot logo) and rated to IP52 standards, making it protected against dust and water splashes.
The camera features a 5.76MP OLED viewfinder and tilting touchscreen, as well as micro HDMI, USB-C, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and compatibility with Leica’s FOTOS mobile app. It is also the first camera in the Q series to offer images with content information, the digital signature that verifies that an image has not been tampered with.
Form an orderly Q, shoppers
And now for the painful part. As you’d expect from a premium Leica camera, the Q3 Monochrom is expensive – priced from $7,790 / £5,800 / AU$12,090. The good news – at least for those with the necessary funds – is that it can be ordered from today, November 20, 2025 at Leica Stores, the Leica website and authorized dealers. A range of accessories including a handle (which includes wireless charging), carrying straps and a red filter are also sold today.
To me, the Q3 Monochrom sounds like a brilliant – maybe even perfect – street photography camera. Not only should it offer impeccable image quality in pretty much any light thanks to the combination of lens and sensor (and, let’s face it, the fact that it’s a Leica camera), it’s also compact, unobtrusive and robust – all things I’d look for in a camera I used for quick on-the-hoof and candid compositions. Now I just need to find the money to buy a…
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