Monochrome Leica Q3 full-frame camera rumored to launch shortly

The Leica Q3 was originally introduced in May 2023. According to the latest information from LeicaRumors, a Leica Q3 Monochrom will be introduced this Thursday, November 20. Since the Leica Q2 was already offered in a Monochrom version, it’s no surprise that Leica is continuing this tradition.

While no details on the Leica Q3 Monochrom have been unveiled yet, Leica will likely follow the same approach as for the Leica Q2 Monochrom and Leica M11 Monochrom. If that’s the case, we can expect two main differences compared to the regular Leica Q3 (from $7,360 on Amazon). First, the design will probably be slightly revised, as the red Leica logo will probably be removed from the front. The texture of the leather might also be changed. Second, the Bayer color filter in front of the 60.3 MP full-frame sensor will be removed, so the camera can only capture photos and videos in black and white.

This does make the camera less versatile, but it has the advantage that no light is lost to the Bayer filter, which should result in significantly less noise, especially at higher sensitivities. The Leica M11 Monochrom is equipped with the same black-and-white sensor and can still capture usable photos at ISO 200,000 according to some reviews. The remaining features and specs should be identical to the Leica Q3, including the 28mm f/1.7 lens, the metal body that weighs about 1.64 lbs. Autofocus, the Leica Maestro IV processor, 8K video support and the electronic viewfinder with 5.76 million dots and 120Hz refresh rate should also be onboard.