Leica Q3 digital camera
Toronto. Wow! Leica has been around for a century now. It seems like only yesterday that the little camera saved a German optical house and revolutionized photography – all after WW1 ended.
The camera, formally introduced to the world in 1925 at the Leipzig Fair, had roots going back over a decade earlier. The creator of the little camera was Oskar Barnack, who joined the optical house of Ernst Leitz, Wetzlar in 1911. The biggest challenge Leitz faced was convincing potential users that the tiny negative (double frame on 35mm film) of only an inch by an inch and a half could make large photographs.
The Leica motto was roughly “little negatives, big pictures” since the Leica was first released in the days when people chose the size of camera to match the desired size of photograph. Dealers had displays of 11×14 photographs by known photographers with a tiny ‘negative’ tucked down in a corner to emphasize what the Leica could accomplish.
In the late part of the last century, like many family owned businesses, Leitz broke apart and segments were sold to others. Today, microscopes by Leitz still sell, but as Leica Microscopes (my friend had eye surgery under a Leica, while I had similar surgery under a Zeiss). The camera segment, and a few other consumer products, moved to control by ex-Leitz officials. When digital technology hit, Leica moved on to digital as a high-end camera, continuing both camera and lens design.
The company left behind the less expensive film cameras manufactured for them by Minolta and Panasonic – the Leica “Plastikas” as I called them. Today, for those wishing to dip in the Leica pool, a few inexpensive (for Leica) cameras are offered. Or you can buy a digital Leica like the Leica Q3 shown here for about $9,500.00 Canadian (other Leicas cost more or less than a Q3). The Q3 camera specs are impressive: 60mp+ CMOS sensor, full frame, 50-100,000 ISO, and a built-in Summilux 28mm f/1.7 aspheric lens.
Happy birthday little friend. By the way, camera collectors welcome the Leica and a few other well made high end cameras at strong prices. Visit our 2025 events to see what you can add to your collection. Next up is our well known annual summer trunk sale on July 13th – rain or shine.
