Leica Q3 43 - Autofocus Explained
In this blog, I’ll share how to get the most out of the autofocus on your Leica Q3 and Q3 43. This blog will hopefully answer some questions and give you more confidence with your Q3. If you find this blog helpful, want to support my work, and are eager to learn more about your Leica Q3, check out my full camera guide for the Q3 and Q3 43 below. Finally, these are the settings that work for me. They’re not necessarily the best or the “correct” ones, because there’s no such thing. Read through the blog, try out different settings, keep what works for you, and disregard the rest.
**Updated for firmware version 4.1
This Leica Q3 43 set-up guide is designed to save you time and get your camera set up and working just like I do. While the guide is for the Q3 43, pretty much all of it will carry over to the Q3 28mm camera too.
You will learn what the major features do and why I chose to set them in a certain way. I will show you how to assign the buttons and custom menus in order to have the most important features at your fingertips. Finally, I will walk you through how I expose and focus.
This guide is not a replacement for your user manual and does not cover 100% of the features. It covers the features that, in my experience, 90% of the people use 90% of the time. This is based on years of photography and video experience.
This guide is best suited for those who want to be up and running quickly with a tried-and-tested set-up.
This is a digital download and not a physical product.
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying this guide is the most direct way you can support my work, thus allowing me to make more videos, photos, and tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!
Focus Modes
The camera comes with three focus modes that determine how the system will operate.
AFs - This mode will only focus once and lock. As long as you have the shutter button half-pressed, the focus will remain locked. This is a great mode for still life, architecture, landscapes, and very slow-moving things in the distance.
AFc - This mode will acquire focus but will carry on re-focusing based on any distance changes between you and whatever you’re focusing on. This mode is great if either you or your subject is moving and tracking that change in distance is critical. I would typically use this in any run-and-gun scenario or where there is a lot of movement. I would, however, avoid using it for still subjects because the focus can sometimes not be 100% due to the system looking for movement that isn’t there.
iAF - This is an ‘intelligent’ mode that’s meant to automatically switch between the two. In my experience, I didn’t find it very reliable and preferred to switch manually.
AF Modes
The Q3 comes with many different autofocus modes designed to get the most out of the system. In this section, I will go through each one and explain the use case. I have ranked them from most to least used in my experience.
Field - This is my most used mode, and it’s a small box that can be moved around the screen. In my experience, this has been the quickest and most reliable focus mode. I use it for pretty much everything from street photography to still life, and this is my go-to AF mode. (Used 80% of the time)
Spot - This is the most accurate and precise way one can focus. This is a small crosshair that you can place anywhere in the scene. Whilst it is accurate, the downside is that it can be slow and not the most reliable if there is a lot of movement going on. This is best reserved for still life, portraits, landscapes, and general slow photography. (Used 10% of the time)
Zone - This is a collection of spots that makes up a larger zone. You decide where to place the zone, and the camera will look for something to focus within that zone. This isn’t very precise, but if you need photos fast, this could be a good method. It’s great for run-and-gun situations where getting something is better than nothing at all. (Used 10% of the time)
Eye / Face - Great for portraits anytime a human is the subject. (Rarely use this)
Human / Animal - Same as above but this time including animals. (Never use this)
Multi Field - You have no control over where the Q3 focuses, and everything is up to the camera. (Never use this)
Tracking - You select a specific visual element in the frame to track. (Never use this)
Slow Still Life Set-up
If you plan on shooting slow still life such as architecture, products, or landscapes, I would use AFs and Field / Spot AF modes. This will give you the best results because you know the AF won’t keep hunting around, and you have the precision of the smaller AF modes.
Chaotic Spray & Pray Set-Up
If you are running through a chaotic market, shooting a parade, out of the back of a car, or anywhere with many moving pieces, then set the camera to AFc and Zone. Between these two, you’d have the highest chance of getting something, and whilst it might not be 100% in focus, it’s better to be 95% there and have the shot.
People / Animals
Anytime I’m shooting portraits, and the subject is moving around, I will select face / eye tracking as the AF mode and AFc as the focus mode. This ensures the camera tracks and keeps up with any changes. If the subject is still, I would use Spot and AFs for more control and precision.
My Go To Set-Up
My everyday setup is AFs and Field. I find this combination to be ideal for how I use the camera, and I got the best results from this set-up.
Useful Extras
You can change the size of some AF modes such as field and zone. Simply touch and hold the screen until you see two red arrows on the focus point, then use the thumbwheel dial to change the size. To recenter the focus point, double-tap the screen.
Instead of telling you how these will change your life, I would rather be practical and answer the most common questions that people tend to have when buying presets.
What are presets?
They are editing settings that are saved in a file and can be applied to any image.
Why do people buy presets?
Sometimes because they like the work of the photographer and want that style for their own photos. Mostly because they would like to see how other people edit and learn by reverse engineering the presets. Other times it’s just to support their favourite photographers, thank you!
What’s the overall style of these presets?
- Filmic
- Warm
- Soft
- Bright
What are these presets suitable for?
Street & Travel Photography
Some Nature (with further editing)
Some Portraits (with extensive editing)
Do I actually use these?
Yes. This is the same pack I use right now for all my editing. This isn’t a pack made just to sell.
Do these presets get updated?
Yes, as my style changes, these presets will also be updated. Any time a new update is available, you will get a free update via email. Of course you also keep all the old presets in case you prefer the older looks. Only presets purchased from 2025 onwards will receive the updates.
What file types are these presets for?
- All RAW files
- JPEGs & TIFFs (not recommended)
What camera brands are these presets for?
These were designed around Fujifilm, Sony, and Leica sensors. With that said, they will work with all camera brands. While there might be differences due to individual camera colour science, the overall feel of the preset will carry over.
Will these work with JPEG files?
Yes, but you will need to reduce the intensity and make further edits. I strongly recommend editing RAW files.
Are these one click edits?
95% No. You would need to do some basic adjustments as each image is different. These adjustments can include exposure, colour balance etc. In 5% of cases you can just apply and leave it alone.
Do I need to know how to edit?
You need to have a basic understanding of adjusting exposure, highlights, shadows, etc. A more comprehensive editing skillset will let you get the most out of them.
How many presets are included?
10 in the main pack and 24 in the extras pack
Why two packs?
The main pack is what I use for 99% of my edits and is kept small to reduce wasted time scrolling through presets. The extras pack is everything I don’t use often.
What software do I need?
These presets will work with any of the following:
- Photoshop (adobe camera raw)
- Lightroom Classic
- Lightroom Desktop
- Lightroom Mobile
Will these presets work with free versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed for the full paid versions.
Will these presets work with very old versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed on and for the latest software.
What file type do I get?
XMP
What else do I get?
- Comprehensive PDF guide
Can I modify these and turn them into my own?
Yes! In fact I encourage you to modify them and play around. Use these to help you get your own style.
I have more questions…. What do I do?
Make a cup of tea and drop me an email on hello@snapsbyfox.com
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying these presets is the most direct way you can support my work.
Thank you!