Leica Q3 Monochrom embraces the absence of colour

It has been an exciting year for Leica. The German camera brand has been celebrating 100 years since it first launched a 35mm camera, with a series of exciting new models and commemorative events.

The latest new product isn't directly linked to the 100th anniversary in any way, but it certainly does feel like a fitting end to that year. The Leica Q3 Monochrom is a black and white camera in the modern Q3 body, which feels like the ultimate fusion of the brand's past, present and future.

At its core, the model features a broadly similar spec sheet to the common or garden Leica Q3. The sensor is a dedicated black and white one, doing away with the colour filters and offering improved detail and sharpness in the process.

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Beyond that, though, your use won't change too much. It's still a 60MP sensor, with options for 36MP and 18MP if you fancy a smaller file size. That operates across an ISO range of 100 to 200,000, and can even record 8k video.

The fixed lens is a Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 – as it is on the regular model – and you can use some of that impressive sensor resolution to zoom in digitally. That offers steps up to 90mm, meaning this camera can cover a pretty decent range of focal lengths for most normal use.

In fact, the biggest clue that something different is happening here is the design itself. While the body remains black, all of the engraving and lettering is either pale grey or white, with no sign of the iconic red Leica logo on the front.

One other big addition to this camera is the inclusion of Content Credentials technology. We've seen that in other models – the Leica M11-D and the Leica M-EV1 both used it – but it's the first time we've seen it in a Q-series camera.

Priced at £5,800 / €6,750 / US$7,790 (approx. AU$11,700), this is a really interesting camera. The standard Q3 is a bastion of luxury photography, with many seeing it as the ultimate fixed-lens camera – simple, but capable.

This Monochrom version will unquestionably have a smaller pool of interested users, but I can still see it being a popular choice. It feels like the best way to fuse modern and classic Leica technology in one housing, and I, for one, am here for it.