• Leica introduces the Q3 Monochrom with a dedicated 60MP black-and-white sensor.
• Triple Resolution Technology supports 60MP, 36MP and 18MP images.
• A fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens includes stabilization and macro focusing.
• The Leica Q3 Monochrom is available worldwide for USD $7,790.

Introducing the new Leica Q3 Monochrom, a USD $7,790 full-frame compact with no interest in photographing the world in colour. Built around a dedicated 60MP monochrome sensor and Leica’s fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 lens, it is effectively a 60MP love letter to black-and-white photography, created for photographers who would rather concentrate on light, shadow and form than adjust the saturation later.

The Q3 Monochrom carries the familiar Leica Q design in a considerably more focused direction, capturing every photograph—and even its 8K video—exclusively in black and white. There is no colour file hiding underneath and no opportunity to change your mind afterwards, making the camera as creatively disciplined as it is expensive. At USD $7,790, monochrome commitment certainly does not come cheaply.

Before we look more closely at what makes this camera different, here are the key Leica Q3 Monochrom specifications, covering its dedicated 60MP sensor, fixed Summilux lens, focusing system and monochrome-only approach.

• Camera type: Full-frame compact camera dedicated exclusively to black-and-white photography
• Sensor: 60MP full-frame monochrome sensor with Triple Resolution Technology
• Image resolution: 60MP, 36MP or 18MP
• Lens: Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. with optical image stabilization
• ISO range: ISO 100–200,000
• Display and viewfinder: Tilting touchscreen & 5.76-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
• Focusing: Hybrid autofocus, manual control & macro focusing from 17cm
• Video and protection: Up to 8K video recording and IP52 dust-and-splash resistance
• Price: USD $7,790

The defining feature of the Leica Q3 Monochrom is its dedicated 60MP full-frame sensor, designed exclusively for black-and-white photography. Unlike a conventional camera that records colour before converting the image into monochrome, the Q3 Monochrom captures only luminance information, allowing it to concentrate entirely on brightness, contrast and tonal detail.

Removing the colour-filter array means every pixel can record light directly rather than having to interpret red, green and blue information. The result should be sharper fine detail, smoother tonal transitions and greater depth, particularly in scenes where texture, reflections and small changes in available light matter more than colour.

It also means there is no colour photograph hiding inside the file. Once the shutter is pressed, black and white is the only option.

Leica’s Triple Resolution Technology allows photographers to capture images at 60MP, 36MP or 18MP, depending on how much resolution and storage space the situation requires. The full 60MP setting provides maximum detail for large prints and careful cropping, while the lower-resolution modes offer smaller files without abandoning the sensor’s monochrome character.

The ISO range extends from 100 to 200,000, giving the camera plenty of room to work in low light and encouraging the grainier, high-contrast look that often suits monochrome photography. It is a very specific approach, but that is the point: the Q3 Monochrom removes colour from the decision-making process and leaves the photographer to concentrate on light, timing and composition.

The Q3 Monochrom keeps the compact proportions and fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens of the standard Q3, giving photographers a bright, versatile focal length suited to street scenes, travel, portraits and everyday documentary work. Optical image stabilization helps when shooting handheld in lower light, while the integrated macro mode reduces the minimum focusing distance to 17cm for closer details.

Framing is handled through a 5.76-million-dot OLED viewfinder or the tilting rear touchscreen, which makes it easier to shoot from above, close to the ground or at less obvious angles. Leica has also included its hybrid autofocus system, digital crop settings between 28mm and 90mm, and IP52 protection against dust and splashing water, so the camera remains practical despite its rather specialized purpose.

Visually, Leica has leaned into the monochrome theme by giving the all-metal body a matte-black finish, removing the familiar red logo and replacing coloured markings with shades of black and grey. It is deliberately understated, although anyone familiar with Leica’s Q cameras will still recognize it immediately—which is probably exactly how Leica owners prefer it.

The Leica Q3 Monochrom is available worldwide through Leica Stores, the official Leica Site and authorized dealers, with a US price of USD $7,790. It officially launched on November 20, 2025, alongside several compatible accessories, including colour filters, carrying straps and a multifunction handgrip with wireless charging.

That price places it firmly in specialist territory, particularly for a fixed-lens camera that cannot capture colour. Still, the Q3 Monochrom isn’t trying to be the most practical camera in your bag — it is made for photographers who already know they want Leica’s compact Q experience, with absolutely no temptation to switch back to colour.