The Leica Q2 nonetheless stands out as probably the most lovely, succesful, and costly full-frame cameras you should purchase, however new rumors counsel its imminent successor might meld its basic seems with some much-needed characteristic boosts.

The Japanese rumors website Asobinet (opens in new tab) has printed what seems like the primary leaked photographs of the Leica Q3, which it claims will launch someday between Could and June. And in a typical transfer for Leica, the Q3’s design seems to be nearly equivalent to the Q2 – from the entrance, a minimum of.

The small tweaks seem to incorporate a barely totally different place for the autofocus auxiliary mild, and what seems to be a thinner base plate. In any other case, the compact full-frame digicam seems near-identical from the entrance – and contemplating the Q2 is a minimalist masterpiece, that is no unhealthy factor in any respect.

However this does not imply the Q3’s design might be utterly unchanged. Some earlier hypothesis has prompt the Q3 might get a tilting display and even, as prompt by Leica Rumors (opens in new tab), a “swivel show”. If that’s certainly an articulating display that may flip round to face the entrance of the digicam, it will be a serious change for the Q sequence (even when now we have already seen Leica cameras, just like the Leica V-lux, with flip screens).

Nonetheless, past that potential display change, there are 5 extra strong rumors concerning the Leica Q3’s doable specs. Listed below are the principle rumored options that would make it the most effective full-frame cameras round, even when it does (as anticipated) exceed the Q2’s launch worth of $4,995 / £4,250 / AU$7,999.

Leice Q3: 5 new rumored options

1. A brand new 60MP full-frame sensor

The Leica Q2 is not precisely a slouch within the picture high quality division – there are nonetheless only a few compact cameras that may match the extent of element it produces, which continues to rival the and greatest mirrorless cameras and greatest DSLRs.

However the Leica Q3 has been tipped to get the identical 60MP backside-illuminated sensor because the Leica M11. That is probably each good and unhealthy information. In our Leica M11 overview, we have been impressed with that sensor’s extensive dynamic vary and ISO efficiency.

However, we additionally famous that the sensor was “brutally unforgiving of focusing errors and is probably too high-resolution for a digicam of this sort”. Nonetheless, the Leica Q3 is predicted to have the identical in-body picture stabilization (IBIS) because the Q2, which the M11 lacks – in order that may very well be the essential ingredient that makes the Q3 sing as a handheld journey digicam. 

2. Wi-fi charging and USB-C

One of many extra intriguing new options on the Leica Q3’s rumored specs checklist, printed by each Leica Rumors (opens in new tab) and Asobinet (opens in new tab), is a “new handgrip with wi-fi charging”.

Regardless of its fame for making basic rangefinders, Leica is not antagonistic to packing fashionable improvements into its cameras – just like the gorgeous smartphone-style touchscreen on the Leica TL2 – and if the Q3 does pack in wi-fi charging powers, it will be one of many first cameras to take action.

Luckily for present Leica house owners, it seems the Q3 may even have the identical BP-SCL4 battery because the Q2, solely with a better capability. And the digicam may even apparently get a USB-C port, which ought to open up the potential for in-camera charging (which the port-less Q2 does not provide).

3. Inner storage

One of many strangest omissions of recent mirrorless cameras is that only a few provide inner storage, as an alternative relying completely on reminiscence playing cards. The Leica M11 reversed this development with 64GB of inner storage – and the rumors counsel the Leica Q3 will match this characteristic.

Thus far, the rumors have solely revealed that the Q3 will doubtless have “inner storage”, with no reference to the capability. But when the Q3 does match the Q2’s 64GB storage, that’ll be sufficient to retailer round 700 uncooked information. This may very well be a little bit of a lifesaver in the event you’ve forgotten your reminiscence card, or stuffed up the one in its SD card slot.

4. Improved phase-detection autofocus

One of many Leica Q2’s important weaknesses was its pretty common autofocus efficiency, however it feels like Leica goes to deal with this on the Q3.

Within the leaked specs there is a point out of “Section detect AF”, which might make it a greater performer for capturing shifting topics than the Q2’s contrast-only autofocus system.

Whereas contrast-detect AF is ok when utilizing single-point autofocus, you ideally want phase-detect AF for conditions the place you need to change to steady autofocus (or when capturing video). 

After all, you too can use handbook concentrate on the Q2, however the inclusion of autofocus is what units it aside from old-school rangefinders just like the Leica M11. Elsewhere within the rumored specs checklist, an “improved focus illumination mechanism” hints at some higher low-light focusing powers, too.

5. Improved video powers

The Leica M11 might utterly lack the power to shoot video, however the Leica Q2 truly has some fairly respectable video specs. In line with the most recent rumors, the Q3 might enhance on these additional – though that is removed from sure.

In line with Leica Rumors (opens in new tab), on the Q3 the “video functionality could also be pushed past 4K” decision, however 8K video is wanting unlikely. That mentioned, the positioning says that the “lack of 8k remains to be not confirmed”, which leaves it open as a slim chance.

Whereas the 60MP sensor would technically help 8K decision, it is unlikely to be a characteristic that many potential Q3 patrons are considering. Extra helpful is the guarantees of improved video autofocus, so it appears doubtless that the Q3 will merely provide a extra usable model of the Q2’s capability to shoot DCI ‘Cinema’ 4K at 24p and UHD 4K at 30p or 24p.