Leica and Formula 1 just launched the Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition, the first product from their new licensing partnership. It costs $9,950.

A Leica Q has been my dream camera for a long time, and I’ve always been drawn to F1 design, so this one was aimed right at me.

Underneath, it’s the same Q3 43 Leica already sells. The changes are in what you hold: carbon fiber on the wireless-charging grip, thumb rest, and soft-release button, a body covering modeled on an F1 steering wheel, and red accents inspired by the color-coded controls drivers use to find buttons quickly.

That last one is my favorite detail. It’s the kind of thing you’d appreciate even more if you follow the sport.

Leica also developed an exclusive “Formula 1” color look for this camera. It adds contrast and saturation, and Leica says it’s meant to capture the atmosphere of the track and paddock. You install it through the Leica FOTOS app, and the effect appears in the viewfinder while you shoot, so you can preview the look before taking the photo.

This is the part I’d actually use. I could shoot with that F1-inspired look whether I was at a race or not. Street photography, a weekend car meet, or even photos from a vacation.

Mike Giannattasio, president of Leica Camera North America, told Sports Illustrated that this probably won’t be someone’s first camera, but there are plenty of people in and around Formula 1 who could be drawn to it.

I agree.

Professional photographers working the pit lane already have their equipment, so my guess is this camera will land with Leica collectors, photography enthusiasts, and F1 fans with money to spend.

The partnership makes sense for both brands. Leica reaches Formula 1’s audience, and F1 puts its name on a camera photographers respect. That camera already earned a Gold award from DPReview.

Of course, there’s the price.

The standard Q3 43 launched in 2024 at $6,895. The F1 Edition costs $9,950, with the same 60-megapixel sensor and 43mm APO-Summicron lens.

That premium gets you the carbon-fiber accessories, exclusive design, F1 branding, and the special color look.

I can see why a collector would pay it.

Personally, this is the kind of collaboration that makes me open a spreadsheet to see what I can cut, and I haven’t found the line item yet.

F1’s connection to Leica goes back further than this partnership. Phil Hill, the Miami-born driver who became the first American-born Formula 1 World Champion in 1961, documented his racing years with a Leica M3 and a 50mm lens. He photographed the mechanics, the transporters, and the people in the crowd as often as the cars.

That’s the kind of everyday storytelling I’ve always appreciated about photography, and it’s why a 43mm Leica makes so much sense to me.

I’m not buying one this year, but I’ll be watching for the first photos owners share using that F1 look.

The Formula 1 look

Leica also built a color look that only works on this camera. It adds contrast and saturation, and Leica says it’s meant to capture the atmosphere of the track and paddock. You install it through the Leica FOTOS app, and it shows in the viewfinder while you shoot, so you see the final image before you take it.

This is the part I’d actually use. Every photo off the camera would carry that F1 color, whether I was at a race or not.

A Leica representative told Sports Illustrated this won’t be anyone’s first camera, but plenty of people around F1 will be drawn to it. I agree. I can see someone taking it to a weekend car meet or on vacation and liking how the F1 look makes those photos feel.

Who buys a $9,950 camera

Probably not the photographers working pit lane. They already have their gear. My guess is Leica collectors and F1 fans with money to spend.

The deal makes sense for both companies. Leica reaches F1’s fan base, and F1 puts its logo on a camera photographers respect. The risk is low too, since the camera underneath already earned a Gold award from DPReview.

The price

The standard Q3 43 launched at $6,895 in 2024, with the same sensor and lens. The extra money here goes to the carbon parts, the design, and the exclusive color look.

I can see why a collector would pay it. Personally, this is the kind of collab that makes me open a spreadsheet to see what I can cut, and I haven’t found the line item yet.

Hill used his M3 to photograph the people and moments around racing, and that’s still what a 43mm Leica does best. I’m not buying one this year, but I’ll be watching for the first photos owners post with that F1 look.

A collaboration between them makes sense.

But the exclusive color treatment is what takes it beyond another luxury licensing deal.

The best brand partnerships don’t just put two logos together. They give people something new to create with.

And this one does exactly that.

Photos: Leica Camera AG