A FRUSTRATING SECOND ATTEMPT AT CLOSE UP OR MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
A FRUSTRATING SECOND ATTEMPT AT CLOSE UP OR MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY [MY LEICA Q3 EXPERIENCE]
My first foray into close-up photography was earlier this month with my Sony A1 II and a 70-200mm F4 GII lens. Considering I had no previous experience and did not even know the distinction between 'close-up' and 'macro', the results were better than expected.
I submitted these photographs for review and received some excellent feedback. I was advised that my images were technically "close-up" shots rather than true "macro". My reviewer praised them but suggested that I should try the Leica Q3 for handheld macro photography.
Following this advice, I revisited the Botanic Gardens with the Q3, but things began to go wrong almost immediately. During an intense shooting session, the camera spontaneously entered video mode. I was unable to exit this function, forcing me to power the camera down. When it rebooted, it was still in video mode and then froze completely.
I performed a battery pull (removing and replacing it), which seemed to fix the issue temporarily. However, the same problem reoccurred about thirty minutes later, and then again for a third time about an hour after that.
My frustration didn't end there. When I returned home to process the images, I discovered that approximately 100 photographs were missing from the SD card. Of course they were the best photographs ever.
I have since been advised that these two problems—the freezing video mode and the missing images—may not be directly related. The freezing issue I described is, apparently, a well-documented stability problem with the Q3. Separately, I was told that my choice of SD card might be unsuitable or faulty. The specific brand I used was mentioned as having at least one card model that is known to cause failures and data corruption when paired with this particular camera.
I Undertook A Fact-Check:
I have fact-checked the claims and implications within your text:
Sony 70-200mm F4 GII Lens: You mentioned the "70-200mm F4 GII". This lens (full name: Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II) does exist and was released in 2023. It is particularly noted for its half-macro (0.5x) capabilities, which makes your original confusion between close-up and macro understandable.
Leica Q3 Freezing / Video Mode Issue: Your claim that this is a "well documented" issue is correct. Numerous user reports on photography forums and specialist sites confirm that the Leica Q3, particularly on earlier firmware versions, suffered from stability issues, including freezing, overheating, and spontaneously entering video mode. Leica has released several firmware updates (e.g., v2.0.1, v2.1) to address these problems.
Leica Q3 SD Card Failures: Your claim that certain SD card brands are "known to fail when used with the Q3" is also correct. The Leica Q3 is known to be particularly demanding and sensitive regarding SD cards. The brand you privately mentioned is frequently cited by users in forums (such as the Leica Forum) as being problematic, especially the Professional 2000x and 1800x series, leading to freezes and data corruption. The general advice is often to use cards from brands like Sony (Tough series) or ProGrade.
My first foray into close-up photography was earlier this month with my Sony A1 II and a 70-200mm F4 GII lens. Considering I had no previous experience and did not even know the distinction between 'close-up' and 'macro', the results were better than expected.
I submitted these photographs for review and received some excellent feedback. I was advised that my images were technically "close-up" shots rather than true "macro". My reviewer praised them but suggested that I should try the Leica Q3 for handheld macro photography.
Following this advice, I revisited the Botanic Gardens with the Q3, but things began to go wrong almost immediately. During an intense shooting session, the camera spontaneously entered video mode. I was unable to exit this function, forcing me to power the camera down. When it rebooted, it was still in video mode and then froze completely.
I performed a battery pull (removing and replacing it), which seemed to fix the issue temporarily. However, the same problem reoccurred about thirty minutes later, and then again for a third time about an hour after that.
My frustration didn't end there. When I returned home to process the images, I discovered that approximately 100 photographs were missing from the SD card. Of course they were the best photographs ever.
I have since been advised that these two problems—the freezing video mode and the missing images—may not be directly related. The freezing issue I described is, apparently, a well-documented stability problem with the Q3. Separately, I was told that my choice of SD card might be unsuitable or faulty. The specific brand I used was mentioned as having at least one card model that is known to cause failures and data corruption when paired with this particular camera.
I Undertook A Fact-Check:
I have fact-checked the claims and implications within your text:
Sony 70-200mm F4 GII Lens: You mentioned the "70-200mm F4 GII". This lens (full name: Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II) does exist and was released in 2023. It is particularly noted for its half-macro (0.5x) capabilities, which makes your original confusion between close-up and macro understandable.
Leica Q3 Freezing / Video Mode Issue: Your claim that this is a "well documented" issue is correct. Numerous user reports on photography forums and specialist sites confirm that the Leica Q3, particularly on earlier firmware versions, suffered from stability issues, including freezing, overheating, and spontaneously entering video mode. Leica has released several firmware updates (e.g., v2.0.1, v2.1) to address these problems.
Leica Q3 SD Card Failures: Your claim that certain SD card brands are "known to fail when used with the Q3" is also correct. The Leica Q3 is known to be particularly demanding and sensitive regarding SD cards. The brand you privately mentioned is frequently cited by users in forums (such as the Leica Forum) as being problematic, especially the Professional 2000x and 1800x series, leading to freezes and data corruption. The general advice is often to use cards from brands like Sony (Tough series) or ProGrade.