Canon R8 vs Leica Q3

The Canon EOS R8 and the Leica Q3 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2023 and May 2023. The R8 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the Q3 is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame 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 R8		Leica Q3
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon RF mount lenses		28mm f/1.7
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		60.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/60p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 50-100,000
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		15 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
220 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
133 x 86 x 70 mm, 461 g		130 x 80 x 93 mm, 743 g

Check R8 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 R8 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R8 and the Leica Q3. 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 measures 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 notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon R8. It is noteworthy in this context that the Q3 is splash and dust-proof, while the R8 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 R8 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 R8 gets 220 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 battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
2.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
7.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
8.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
11.		Leica M11	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	640 g	700	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
13.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	769 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Q3 is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 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 R8 (24MP), but the Q3 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 5.98μm for the R8). Yet, the Q3 is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the R8, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Q3 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its 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 R8 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 R8 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
2.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
7.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
8.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
9.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
10.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
11.		Leica M11	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	none	26.3	14.8	3376	100
12.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
13.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
14.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
15.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
16.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
17.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Q3 provides a better video resolution than the R8. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety 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 R8 (5760k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R8 and Leica Q3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica M11	optical	n	3.0 / 2333	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
12.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
15.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 R8 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 R8 and the Q3 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 R8 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 R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
11.		Leica M11	Y	- / -	-	-	-	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
13.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the R8 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 R8 and the Q3 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Q3 replaced the earlier Leica Q2, while the R8 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R8 and Q3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R8 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica Q3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R8 or the Leica Q3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R8:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• 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.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2023).

Reasons to prefer the Leica Q3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (60.3 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 59%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4k/60p).
• 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 0.70x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1620k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the R8 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• 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.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (3 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Q3 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 9 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 R8 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R8 or the Q3. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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 R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
2.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
7.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
8.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	US$ 6 949	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
11.		Leica M11	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2022	US$ 8 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
13.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R8 price at
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Check Q3 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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