Leica’s F1 Q3 43 Is A Camera Dressed For Speed

If you’re spending upwards of $20,000 on a Las Vegas Grand Prix Paddock Club pass for your next Formula One outing, it’s only fitting that you have appropriate gear around your neck to go with the pricey lanyards. Leica and Formula 1 may actually be an organic pairing and the result of their common efforts is the special edition Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition, an F1-themed version of Leica’s fixed-lens, full-frame Q3 43. Mostly a cosmetic collaboration rather than a technical development programme, Leica has nonetheless executed this to perfection.

A special weave of carbon fibre adorns the handgrip, thumb rest and soft-release button. Microvelour covering modelled on a F1 or hypercar steering wheel, red accents on the soft-release and function buttons along with requisite F1 logos on the top plate and lens cap, plus a rope strap carrying, you guessed it, more logos. The grip is removable, charges wirelessly and has an Arca-Swiss mount, which is an extra on the standard camera. The only software change is a Formula 1 Leica Look tuned to offer more contrast and saturation, loaded through the FOTOS app and applied to JPEGs. You can even wirelessly share these with your iPhone in case you want to Instagram your Paddock Club spoils in real time, with a healthy dose of racetrack atmosphere.

But can it capture an F1 car at full send? Yes, within limits. The camera offers continuous shooting up to 15 frames per second, an electronic shutter reaching 1/16,000sec and a Sport scene mode. The Auto focus subject detection covers eyes, faces, bodies and animals only and not cars, so you will have to be proficient with manual settings if you really want to capture the speedy looks of the cars in motion. The lens is a fixed 43mm but it is a formidable everyday camera, making it ideal for street and portrait photography.

Leica hasn’t announced the number of units or even an Indian launch date or price yet, but considering that the standard version is listed at Rs 7,60,000, the F1 Edition should land close to Rs 10 lacs. International sales have started this week though, just in time to grab one on your way to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.