Canon R100 vs Leica Q3

The Canon EOS R100 and the Leica Q3 are two digital cameras that were announced in May 2023. The R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the Q3 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (R100) and a full frame (Q3) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 60.3 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R100		Leica Q3
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
		28mm f/1.7
24 MP – APS-C sensor		60.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/24p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 50-100,000
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		15 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		130 x 80 x 93 mm, 743 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check Q3 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Leica Q3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon R100 and the Leica Q3 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica Q3 is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Canon R100. It is noteworthy in this context that the Q3 is splash and dust-proof, while the R100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the Q3 has a lens built in, whereas the R100 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the R100 gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the Q3 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL6 power pack. The power pack in the Q3 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm GFX 50S	148 mm	94 mm	91 mm	740 g	400	Y	Sep 2016	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
14.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	EUR 8 349	amazon.com
15.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
16.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	769 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	EUR 6 799	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R100 features an APS-C sensor and the Leica Q3 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the Q3 is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 60.3MP, the Q3 offers a higher resolution than the R100 (24MP), but the Q3 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 3.72μm for the R100) due to its larger sensor. It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica Q3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Q3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.6 x 31.6 inches or 121 x 80.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38.1 x 25.3 inches or 96.8 x 64.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.8 x 21.1 inches or 80.7 x 53.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R100 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica Q3 are ISO 50 to ISO 100000 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
7.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
8.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
9.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
10.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
11.		Fujifilm GFX 50S	Medium Format	51.1	8256	6192	1080/30p	25.4	14.1	2977	96
12.		Fujifilm X-A7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1955	84
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
14.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
15.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
16.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
17.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Q3 provides a better video resolution than the R100. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/24p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Q3 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R100 (5760k vs 2360k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon R100, the Leica Q3, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
2.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Fujifilm GFX 50S	optional	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
12.		Fujifilm X-A7	none	n	3.5 / 2760	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
15.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
17.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The R100 has one, while the Q3 does not. While the built-in flash of the R100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R100 and the Leica Q3 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R100 and the Q3 write their files to SDXC cards. The Q3 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the R100 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R100 and Leica Q3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm GFX 50S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm X-A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
16.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the Q3. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the R100 and the Q3 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Q3 replaced the earlier Leica Q2, while the R100 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and Q3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica Q3 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R100 or the Leica Q3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R100:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (400 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.

Reasons to prefer the Leica Q3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (60.3 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 59%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4k/24p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.79x vs 0.58x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the R100 necessitates an extra lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Q3 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R100 and the Leica Q3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R100 and the Q3 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
9.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm GFX 50S	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	EUR 6 499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
13.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	EUR 6 199	ebay.com
14.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	EUR 8 349	amazon.com
15.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
16.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	EUR 6 799	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check Q3 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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