First Impressions
Stefan, you had the opportunity to test the Leica Q3 Monochrom before its official launch – what was your very first moment with the camera like?
As an M photographer, my reflex was of course to set everything to manual – creatures of habit, right? 🙂
The first day, I shot exclusively in manual mode and was surprised how close the Q came to the results I usually get with my M. My first shots at the Landesmuseum I wanted to keep deliberately soft – people in the frame, but discreet, almost dreamlike.
On the second day, I simply let the Q do its thing – fully automatic – and noticed: surprisingly often, it thinks like I do. That was almost a bit uncanny.
The first day, I shot exclusively in manual mode and was surprised how close the Q came to the results I usually get with my M. My first shots at the Landesmuseum I wanted to keep deliberately soft – people in the frame, but discreet, almost dreamlike.
On the second day, I simply let the Q do its thing – fully automatic – and noticed: surprisingly often, it thinks like I do. That was almost a bit uncanny.
What was your first thought when you saw the first RAWs on screen?
Just: wow. Some shots were so balanced that I could leave them almost completely unedited. Exactly how I had them in my head – and exactly how they came out of the camera.
You said you’ve never had to edit so little before – why do you think that is?
It’s clearly due to the monochrome sensor. It captures greys with a depth and dynamic range that’s simply stunning. It reminded me of my first look at the M10 Monochrom RAWs – that “wow, this is real black and white!” moment.
It’s not the same as just clicking the BW button in Lightroom. There’s soul in it.
It’s not the same as just clicking the BW button in Lightroom. There’s soul in it.
Path to Photography
How did you come to Leica?
That was a tactile moment: love at first touch. My best friend Jip had a small collection of Leicas – probably more than reasonable. 😉
The first time I held his M, I was done for: the weight, the mechanics, the satisfying click of the shutter – pure precision and beauty cast in form.
Shortly after, the M10 moved in with me – and with it began a pretty intense passion for photography.
The first time I held his M, I was done for: the weight, the mechanics, the satisfying click of the shutter – pure precision and beauty cast in form.
Shortly after, the M10 moved in with me – and with it began a pretty intense passion for photography.
You said “Jip had.” Past tense.
Yes, past tense. Jip passed away very suddenly six months ago – an aortic rupture. One second he was there, the next he wasn’t.
Just minutes later, only a few hundred meters away, I woke up with a stabbing pain in my chest. Got up, collapsed, blue lights, suspected heart attack.
Only the next morning, in the hospital, surrounded by tubes and wires, I learned that Jip was gone.
The doctors ran every test – for four days. Nothing. No findings. Maybe it was just Jip’s way of saying goodbye. A final message: “Keep following our passion.”
Jip was more than a friend – he was part of my photographic journey. He took the first steps with me on the M10, showed me how to really use the rangefinder. For my first exhibition, he helped select the photos and the paper. I can’t share those moments with him anymore. It reminds me how fleeting life can be – and how important it is to hold on to it.
Just minutes later, only a few hundred meters away, I woke up with a stabbing pain in my chest. Got up, collapsed, blue lights, suspected heart attack.
Only the next morning, in the hospital, surrounded by tubes and wires, I learned that Jip was gone.
The doctors ran every test – for four days. Nothing. No findings. Maybe it was just Jip’s way of saying goodbye. A final message: “Keep following our passion.”
Jip was more than a friend – he was part of my photographic journey. He took the first steps with me on the M10, showed me how to really use the rangefinder. For my first exhibition, he helped select the photos and the paper. I can’t share those moments with him anymore. It reminds me how fleeting life can be – and how important it is to hold on to it.
Why monochrome photography?
Because reduction is freedom. I quickly realized that the limitation to lines, light, and shadow appeals to me far more than any explosion of color. In black and white, only the essential remains – form, emotion, light. Everything else can disappear.
What are your cameras – for daily use, projects, travel – or is there “only one”?
I own an M10, an M10 Monochrom, and a Q2. The M10 stays – for sentimental reasons, it was my first.
But to be honest: I shoot almost exclusively with the M10 Monochrom. For me, it’s not just a camera – it’s an extension of my eye.
But to be honest: I shoot almost exclusively with the M10 Monochrom. For me, it’s not just a camera – it’s an extension of my eye.
What kind of photography do you love most – street, architecture, etc.?
I like to move right between those worlds. My designer’s eye looks for patterns, proportions, rhythm – and street life brings movement into that structure. I love these silent urban stages made of concrete, steel, and glass, where suddenly a single person appears and changes everything.
Often it’s just a silhouette – small but decisive. And just as important to me is the negative space, the area in between. It directs the viewer’s gaze to what truly matters.
Often it’s just a silhouette – small but decisive. And just as important to me is the negative space, the area in between. It directs the viewer’s gaze to what truly matters.
Will the Q3 become your new camera?
No – not the new one. 😉 The tactile experience of an M remains unmatched. But the Q3 is the camera I’ll take when I want to travel light or be more spontaneous. In a way, my elegant second voice
Technical Differences & Image Character
How does the image character of the Q3 Monochrom differ from the M Monochrom?
The Q3 is crystal clear, almost clinically precise – “crisp” in the best sense. The M, on the other hand, has that fine, organic touch that feels closer to film. Two personalities, both fascinating.
Was there anything about the Q3 Monochrom’s black-and-white rendering that surprised you?
Yes – its depth. Dark areas are essential to me; they give the image weight and drama. The Q3 brings them out beautifully, without losing detail.
How do you find the automatic exposure and handling compared to the fully manual Leica M?
With the M, I usually work slowly, almost meditatively. I compose, set distance, aperture, shutter speed – and wait patiently until life enters my frame.
But sometimes something happens out of the corner of your eye – a fleeting moment with no second chance. That’s where speed matters. And that’s where the Q shines.
But sometimes something happens out of the corner of your eye – a fleeting moment with no second chance. That’s where speed matters. And that’s where the Q shines.
Practical Use & Workflow
Has your photographic behavior changed with the Q3 – are you more spontaneous, faster, maybe more experimental?
Definitely. All three.
The Q3 Monochrom is a real game-changer: the autofocus is precise, fast, and reliable – even for subjects ten meters away or bikes racing past. That opens entirely new creative possibilities.
The Q3 Monochrom is a real game-changer: the autofocus is precise, fast, and reliable – even for subjects ten meters away or bikes racing past. That opens entirely new creative possibilities.
How much does autofocus influence your way of seeing and reacting compared to the M, where everything is manual?
I see with the Q3 the same way I do with the M – but it gives me moments I would otherwise lose. Those fleeting, unpredictable seconds when life pauses for just an instant. With the M, I wouldn’t even try – with the Q, I can capture them.
Would you say the Q3 Monochrom brings you closer to your final images – less of a “tool” and more of a “direct expression”?
Yes, absolutely. The images often come so close to my vision that I can show them straight out of the camera. It feels less like a tool and more like a direct digital expression of how I see.
How does the Q3 perform in low light?
Fantastic. Both the M10 Monochrom and the Q3 Monochrom are nearly unbeatable in low light. I’ve taken night shots where you can see the texture of concrete ten meters away – with no visible ISO noise. That’s almost magic
Emotion, Intuition & Style
What does monochrome photography mean to you – and how does the Q3 help express that
Monochrome photography is, for me, the purest form of seeing. When color disappears, only the essence remains: light, shadow, structure – and emotion. Black and white doesn’t take anything away; it reveals what’s truly there. It’s like slowing down for the eyes, an invitation to look more closely.
The Q3 helps me express exactly that. It reacts quickly, is precise, and lets me focus entirely on the moment – without technical distraction. Its tonality, the depth of the greys, those velvety transitions between light and dark – they all give my images a timeless quality.
With it, I can capture everyday stories in their quiet intensity – raw, honest, reduced. For me, that’s the essence of photography.
The Q3 helps me express exactly that. It reacts quickly, is precise, and lets me focus entirely on the moment – without technical distraction. Its tonality, the depth of the greys, those velvety transitions between light and dark – they all give my images a timeless quality.
With it, I can capture everyday stories in their quiet intensity – raw, honest, reduced. For me, that’s the essence of photography.
Was there a moment or scene where you immediately felt: I wouldn’t have seen or captured this with the M?
I was recently at the train station, actually looking for a completely different scene. Then this light streamed through the windows – soft, dramatic, perfect. I stopped.
Suddenly everything happened at once: a child who didn’t want to board the train and was gently pulled along by the mother; another clinging to his father. These stories unfolded in seconds. With the M, I would have hesitated – with the Q, I caught them. One of those magical moments when technology suddenly enables emotion.
Suddenly everything happened at once: a child who didn’t want to board the train and was gently pulled along by the mother; another clinging to his father. These stories unfolded in seconds. With the M, I would have hesitated – with the Q, I caught them. One of those magical moments when technology suddenly enables emotion.
Does the Q3 feel more like a “tool” or a “companion”?
Both, honestly. My M is my constant companion – it almost always hangs on my shoulder. The best camera is the one you have with you. For many, that’s a smartphone – for me, it’s always been the M.
But maybe, just maybe, the Q3 is starting to challenge that position a little.
But maybe, just maybe, the Q3 is starting to challenge that position a little.
Comparison & Future
If you had to choose today between the M Monochrom and the Q3 Monochrom – which would it be?
That’s an easy – and at the same time emotional – decision: the M Monochrom. Nothing comes close to that tactile experience. The weight, the resistance of the shutter, the feeling of making every decision consciously. It forces me to be present. And that’s exactly what I love about it.
Where do you see the biggest advantages of the Q3 Monochrom, and what do you miss from the M?
The Q3 clearly wins in lightness and automation – both open new freedoms. I remember a scene where I prepared the frame for 20 minutes until finally someone walked into it. With the M, I could never have held that position so long – my arm would have fallen asleep. 🙂
What I miss is the ability to change lenses. Lenses are like brushes to me – each has its own language. Sometimes I reach for something modern, sharp, and precise; other times an old vintage lens with that soft, dreamy character and a bokeh that tells stories. But that’s, of course, where the two models differ.
What I miss is the ability to change lenses. Lenses are like brushes to me – each has its own language. Sometimes I reach for something modern, sharp, and precise; other times an old vintage lens with that soft, dreamy character and a bokeh that tells stories. But that’s, of course, where the two models differ.
Project & Exhibition
What did you do for the Q3 Monochrom test – a special project?
Yes – “72 Hours in Zurich.” For three days, it was just me, the Q3 Monochrom, the city, and the light. I didn’t want to just document Zurich but feel it – its structures, its silence, its people passing by. Of course, I went to my favorite places: lots of concrete, clean lines, hard shadows. But amidst all that, I wanted to find small stories – those fleeting encounters that bring the urban space to life. The Q3 was my quiet companion – fast, precise, discreet.
How many pictures did you take?
Take? No idea – probably too many. 🙂
After my usual ruthless selection, about 40 remained. But those are the 40 that matter.
After my usual ruthless selection, about 40 remained. But those are the 40 that matter.
What moment stood out most to you (situation, person, photo, etc.)?
There was this one moment at the train station, just before noon. The light fell diagonally through the windows, and an older man with a hat and a cane paused briefly in the doorway – as if frozen between time and motion. Not staged, just happened.
Those are the situations that move me. When architecture, light, and human presence align perfectly for a split second – and all you have to do is press the shutter. The Q3 gave me exactly those moments that might have been lost with the M.
Those are the situations that move me. When architecture, light, and human presence align perfectly for a split second – and all you have to do is press the shutter. The Q3 gave me exactly those moments that might have been lost with the M.
How do you select images for an exhibition?
The same way I always do: with a mix of instinct and distance. First, I make a rough pre-selection – the images that touch me right away. Then I let them sit for a few days and look again.
In the end, I usually get a second opinion from my Leica community. (In the past, I would have asked Jip.) After spending so much time with your own images, you sometimes lose perspective. Fresh eyes often see better what truly holds up.
In the end, I usually get a second opinion from my Leica community. (In the past, I would have asked Jip.) After spending so much time with your own images, you sometimes lose perspective. Fresh eyes often see better what truly holds up.
What does it mean to you to exhibit in the Leica Store?
I publish daily on Instagram and Irys, and my series are seen thousands of times – but nothing replaces the feeling of holding a print on fine paper in your hands. Photography only becomes real once it leaves the screen.
I’ve been taking photos for as long as I can remember and have owned countless cameras over the years. But the true passion began with my Leica M10. Since then, my connection with Leica goes beyond technology – it’s almost an emotional relationship, shaped by haptics, history, and that special feeling when everything comes together.
Being able to show my work in the Leica Store feels a bit like coming home. I’m incredibly grateful to Ivan and Andreas for their trust – and deeply honored to be part of this project. It’s a real joy to share my stories in the analog world.
I’ve been taking photos for as long as I can remember and have owned countless cameras over the years. But the true passion began with my Leica M10. Since then, my connection with Leica goes beyond technology – it’s almost an emotional relationship, shaped by haptics, history, and that special feeling when everything comes together.
Being able to show my work in the Leica Store feels a bit like coming home. I’m incredibly grateful to Ivan and Andreas for their trust – and deeply honored to be part of this project. It’s a real joy to share my stories in the analog world.
In memory of my friend Jip.
