Finally pulled the trigger on a Q3 (so stoked!) but now I'm completely spiraling over the lens choice - wait, obviously it's a fixed lens camera, I meant which conversion lenses or add-on filters/accessories should I look at, or are people just cropping in digitally? I've been reading up on the Leica 28mm vs cropping to 35mm/50mm in-camera, and while the sensor has insane megapixels, I keep wondering if I'm missing out on real optical reach for street portraits (mostly what I shoot). Budget is flexible since I already dropped cash on the body, but I travel super light so I don't want bulky adapters. Should I just stick to the native 28mm crop modes or is there a trick I'm missing?
ive been through three of these Q bodies. tried optical adapters years ago and they were garbage... things may have changed, but tbh cropping is just easier.
Just catching up on this thread. Honestly, spending more after buying a Q3 just hurts my wallet. With three kids Im always watching every single penny, so paying for overpriced Leica filters or adapters is a hard pass for me. I did the math on cost per year and keeping it stock is the only way to go. Here is how I set mine up without wasting cash:
- Skip the Leica branded filters. Dealer wanted like $180 for a piece of glass, but I grabbed a Hoya 49mm NXT Plus UV Filter online for around $35. Saved me a ton.
- Use the digital crop. 60 megapixels means you arent losing anything for street stuff, and it costs $0 per mile or year.
- DIY lens hood protection. Just be careful and pocket the savings for kids shoes instead. Cant justify spending hundreds more when the built-in setup already works. Total DIY dad win right there.
Would love to know this too
The 60-megapixel sensor on the Leica Q3 gives you plenty of room to crop digitally without buying extra gear. For street portraits, just use the in-camera frame lines for 35mm, 50mm, or 75mm. Here is how to manage the focal lengths safely and keep your budget in check:
- Save your money on optical conversion lenses. They add bulk and risk damaging the fixed front element if they cross-thread or slip during fast street shooting.
- Protect the native glass affordably. Buy a basic UV filter like the B+W 49mm UV Haze MRC 010M to shield the lens from scratches and dust.
- Watch out for moisture. The Q3 weather sealing is decent, but always double-check that the battery door and bottom plate are fully locked before shooting in damp conditions.
- Back up your cropped files properly. Cropping in-camera still records the full 60MP raw file, so just make sure your storage cards have enough write speed and capacity. I would recommend getting a professional clean if dust ever gets past the front element, as disassembling a fixed-lens body yourself voids the warranty and risks internal damage. Stick to the built-in crop modes and save your cash.
Same here!
Same setup here, love it
Yep, this is the way
Regarding what #7 said about "Yep, this is the way" — wait, no, I actually think everyone just repeats that because cropping sounds easy on paper (though honestly, the digital crop mode just kills your final resolution if you want to print later). Before you start buying stuff — are you mostly shooting wide environmental street stuff, or are you actually trying to isolate faces from across the street? Because if it's the latter, a 28mm is just the wrong focal length entirely, and no amount of cropping is going to fix the perspective distortion for tight portraits. If you want to keep the package small and actually boost your reach optically without clunky adapters, look into these:
- Leica Q3 digital zoom set strictly to 35mm frame lines just for framing composition, but save the DNG.
- B+W Master UV Haze MRC Nano 49mm Filter to protect that expensive glass without losing sharpness. What kind of street framing are you usually going for?