Leica Goes Full Throttle With a Carbon Fiber Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition Camera

A steering wheel-inspired grip, red control accents and an exclusive F1 color profile kick off a new licensing partnership.

Summary

Leica Camera and Formula 1 have announced a licensing partnership, starting with a special edition of the Leica Q3 43

Genuine carbon fiber, made and tested in Germany, appears on the handgrip, thumb rest and soft-release button, a first for Leica’s design language

The camera debuted in Los Angeles at an event hosted by F1 presenter Ariana Bravo and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button

Leica Camera and Formula 1 have joined forces through a new licensing partnership, and their first collaboration is the Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition. Built on the full-frame Q3 43, the special edition brings materials and cues straight from the cockpit to Leica’s compact, led by genuine carbon fiber components and a grip texture modeled on a racing steering wheel.

Carbon fiber is the headline material, and it marks a departure for Leica, which has not traditionally used it on its cameras. In motorsport, the material is prized for pairing minimal weight with high stiffness, and here it shows up exactly where hands make contact: a wireless charging handgrip with a carbon shell, a matching thumb rest and a soft-release button with a carbon inlay ringed in red. Every carbon component was produced and tested exclusively in Germany, and the visible weave catches light differently as the camera moves.

The rest of the body takes its lead from the driver’s seat. A black, non-slip Microvelour covering mimics the feel of an F1 steering wheel, while red accents on the soft-release button and one of the two function buttons on the thumb rest reference the color-coded controls drivers use to find inputs at speed. F1 logos sit on the top plate and lens cap, and the set includes a rope strap carrying both brands’ logos, all housed in custom packaging with a red inlay.

Underneath the racing trim, the hardware is pure Q3 43. Its APO-Summicron 43 f/2 ASPH. lens offers a field of view close to natural human sight, a fixed perspective suited to shooting in the paddock and trackside without reaching for a zoom. The BSI CMOS full-frame sensor uses Triple Resolution Technology to shoot at 60, 36 or 18 megapixels, backed by fast hybrid autofocus and a broad set of video features. The edition also works with existing Leica Q3 and Q3 43 accessories.

Leica developed a dedicated “Formula 1” Leica Look for the camera, delivering punchier contrast and deeper saturation tuned to the colors of the track. The profile is exclusive to this edition through the Leica FOTOS app and can be applied while shooting, so the effect is visible in the viewfinder in real time rather than added in editing. The same app handles image and video transfers to mobile devices.

The launch took motorsport culture as seriously as the hardware. The camera made its debut on October 20 at an exclusive event at the Leica Store and Gallery in Los Angeles, where Formula 1 presenter Ariana Bravo and 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champion Jenson Button introduced the collaboration. Guests were also treated to an exhibition of 26 images by Callo Albanese, the Italian photographer known for his Formula 1 and motorsport work.

The Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition is available now at all Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and specialist retailers for $9,950 USD.