Leica releases their latest addition to their black and white only digital camera with this latest Q3 Monochrom.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: Leica Q3 Monochrom
The Leica Q3 Monochrom has a retail price of SGD 9,900 including GST, and is available now.
Commentary
This is the update to the Q2 Monochrom which was released in November 2020. Leica have had a history of monochrome digital cameras, a lineup which perhaps carries over from black and white film images. As noted in the release details, black and white is not just an absence of colour, but the focus is on light, shadows, textures. This allows the suspension of disbelief in the viewer of the photograph. As the image is detached from the conventional colour view we get as we look at the world with our eyes. Not long after Leica’s first digital camera, the M8 and the M9, the ideas of a monochrome version floated around the vaunted halls of Wetzlar. And in November 2012, the M9 Monochrom was released with a 40mp sensor. This was followed by the M10 Monochrom in 2020 and the Q2 Monochrom with a 47mp sensor derived from the Q2 and SL2 later in the year.
Following these steps, the Q3 Monochrom is released with the 60mp sensor of the Q3 series (both the Q3 and Q3 43 share the same body), and is paired with the Q3’s Summilux 28 f/1.7 ASPH lens. Thus, we can see that the new Q3 Monochrom is actually the Q3 with the colour elements removed. All the other technical aspects remain unchanged. And the camera now features the Content Credentials technology, the first in a Q, and a useful temper-proof verification for the origin of the photograph. Our SL3-S is also so equipped.
To start with, all digital sensors are colour blind and thus monochromatic. Colour is sensed by using a Bayer (or other similar) filter which placed over the sensor. This allows each pixel to only see one particular RGB colour, and for the processor then to make up the colour image by the algorithm used by teh processor. In a monochrome sensor, this filter is absent. And along with it goes the filter. As this filter is absent, more light is able to reach the sensor, and thus ISO performance is greatly improved. In addition, the demands and artefacts created by the algorithm to create the colour image is also not present.
| Feature | Achromatic/Monochromatic Sensor | Standard Color Sensor |
|---|---|---|
| Color Filter Array (CFA) | No CFA (or a clear filter) | Uses a Bayer pattern (Red, Green, Blue filters) |
| Output | Black and white/grayscale images | Color images (RGB) |
| Light Sensitivity | Higher (up to 3x more light per pixel) | Lower (filters block 2/3 of light) |
| Resolution/Sharpness | Higher effective resolution/sharpness | Lower effective resolution (requires demosaicing/interpolation) |
| Low Light Performance | Superior due to higher light absorption | Requires longer exposures or higher ISO, which increases noise |
| Dynamic Range | Can capture a broader range of tones with less noise | More prone to highlight clipping in individual color channels |
Leica is not the only manufacturer to make a monochrome only camera. Phase One has their IQ4 140 Achromatic back which also produce only black and white images.
The just under SGD 10k price is the same price as the Q4 43 which we reviewed recently.
Release information
The Fascination of Black-and-White Photography
Black-and-white photography is more than just a look. It reflects a particular mindset. In the absence of colour, the focus lies on light and shadow. Equipped with sensors that record only brightness data, Leica’s monochrome cameras capture the very essence of photography. The new Leica Q3 Monochrom continues Leica’s unwavering commitment to the essentials, distilling black-and-white photography to its purest form.
As with all Leica Q-Cameras, the Q3 Monochrom is particularly compact. It combines cutting-edge technology with timeless design, defined by its clean, minimalist aesthetic. Its dedicated black-and-white full-frame sensor, featuring 60 MP and T riple Resolution T echnology, is primed to capture each moment with exceptional clarity. Paired with the Summilux 28 f/1.7 ASPH. lens, the Q3 Monochrom features a fast, wide-angle fixed focal length, complemented by an integrated macro mode and accurate autofocus. Those who favour manual focusing are aided by intuitive focus assist functions when needed. As a perfect companion for travel, street and lifestyle photography, it excels at capturing emotion in striking images and videos, even in challenging lighting conditions. With seamless connectivity to the Leica FOTOS App via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB-C, images can be edited and shared straight from a smartphone.
More intuitive than ever: thanks to its newly simplified user interface – clearly divided into photo and video functions, with straightforward icon and menu navigation – the emphasis remains firmly on the subject, not the handling. The high-resolution OLED viewfinder and tilting touch display provide a reliable real-time preview.
The Q3 Monochrom is also the first Q-Camera to incorporate pioneering Content Credentials technology, which optionally embeds a digital signature into images to offer tamper-proof verification of their origin and any subsequent edits.Handcrafted in Germany from premium materials, the Leica Q3 Monochrom is a camera perfectly suited to everyday creative practice. It impresses with its functional elegance, while offering dedicated black-and-white photographers and filmmakers maximum freedom through a choice between manual or automatic operation.
The Leica Q3 Monochrom will be available worldwide from 20 November 2025 at Leica Stores, in the Leica Online Store and from authorised dealers. The recommended retail price is SGD 9,990 including GST.
