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Best Accessories for Leica Q3 43

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The Q3 43 is the same 60.3 MP body as the 28 mm Q3 — same cell, one UHS-II slot, extra shoe contacts — under a shorter compact hood. The APO-Summicron 43 is an E49 thread. A normal 49 mm ring, including Leica’s own UVa II Slim, will not live under that hood once you turn MACRO and the group walks forward. The instruction book’s workaround is aluminum hood 19658. The 2026 kit that keeps the hood already on the camera is the NiSi NC UV cut for the Q3 43. It is not a generic 49 mm UV from the same search row.

Our Top Picks at a Glance

Reviewed August 2026 · Leica Q3 43 · stock hood + filter + macro conflict · E49 · BP-SCL6 350 CIPA · UHS-II V90 for 8K / 600 Mbps ALL-I

01 🏆 Best Overall NiSi NC UV for Q3 43
★★★★★ 4.7 / 5.0 · 2026 pick

Brass E49 ring cut for this hood. Macro still turns. Do not buy a “49mm UV” or the Leica UVa II Slim and expect the box hood to seat.

Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓
02 💎 Best Value Leica BP-SCL6
★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5.0 · 2026 pick

2200 mAh, 350 CIPA, the cell the 43 ships with. A Q2 BP-SCL4 will run the body and will not unlock 8K.

Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓
03 💰 Budget Pick SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-II
★★★★☆ 4.5 / 5.0 · 2026 pick

V90. Same slot as the 28 mm Q3: 8K menu + 600 Mbps ALL-I. Confirm the box says UHS-II, not the red UHS-I twin.

Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓

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Who should buy what

  • Keep the compact hood, turn MACRO, still want glass on the front: NiSi NC UV for Q3 43 — NiSi’s Q3 43 ring (SKU NiSi-Q343-UV). Official page: original hood + macro. No front thread to stack an ND. A generic 49 mm UV is the skip.
  • A second day, or 8K at all: Leica BP-SCL6 (19531) — 7.2 V, 2200 mAh, 350 shots CIPA. USB-C on the body (9 V / 3 A while the camera is on). PCMag: the older SCL4 runs the 43 and drops 8K. Do not buy a random Qi pad — wireless on this body is the HG-DC1 path.
  • DNG plus an 8K / ALL-I menu that is not gray: SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-II V90 — same pairing as the 28 mm Q3. Format in-camera. 64 GB is still V90 if you only dump stills; do not drop to UHS-I Extreme PRO.
  • Skip: Leica E49 UVa II Slim (19691) under the stock hood — Leica Camera USA printed the incompatibility. Generic 49 mm rings. The Q3 28 hood and the Q3 43 thread-protection ring swapped onto the other body. BP-SCL4 when you want 8K. HG-DC1 + Drop XL as day-one kit. A 1/8000 “HSS for Leica” mini — leaf shutter already syncs at 1/2000; e-shutter will not fire flash.

Comparison Table

ProductBest forOn Q3 43Skip ifPriceBuy
NiSi NC UV for Q3 43Default first buyStock hood + MACROYou want to stack ND on the same ring~$98Check
Leica BP-SCL6Second cell / 8K350 CIPA · unlocks 8KYou already carry two SCL6~$180Check
Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-IISlot kitV90 · 8K + 600 Mbps ALL-IThe listing is UHS-I~$40–$70Check
Leica round hood 19658Any E49 + MACROBook’s official workaroundNiSi already solved the hood~$240Check
Leica E49 UVa II SlimSkip with stock hoodUSA store: not with box hoodYou kept the compact hood~$160Check
Leica BP-SCL4Skip for 8KPCMag: body runs, 8K offYou want C8K / 8KSpare Q2 cellCheck

How We Picked These Accessories

  • What Leica published: Q3 43 technical specification (leica-camera.com): APO-Summicron 43 f/2 ASPH., E49, 60.3 MP (9520×6336), DNG ~70 MB, 8 GB buffer, UHS-II recommended / UHS-I also listed, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C to 10 Gbps, HDMI Type D, IP52, 772 g / 688 g with / without battery. Focus 60 cm–∞; MACRO 26.5–60 cm. Mechanical central shutter to 1/2000 s; electronic to 1/16000 s. Flash only on the shoe; TTL with SF 26 / 40 / 58 / 60 / 64 or system-compatible / SF C1. BP-SCL6 2200 mAh, 350 shots CIPA; BC-SCL4 charger; USB charge 9 V / 3 A (min. 27 W) in operation. Instruction book (pm-13047): compact hood is on the camera; hood recommended against vignetting; with the compact hood you cannot use a filter and MACRO together; aluminum hood order 19658 is the official workaround; thread-protection ring of the Q3 43 is not compatible with the Q3; optional front cap E49 order 14001 if you shoot without a hood. Carton: one SCL6, hood, hood cap, strap, thread ring, shoe cover, USB-C cable. No pop-up. No internal stills store.
  • The 43-only trap is the hood, not the sensor: Leica Forum: a normal 49 mm filter blocks the stock hood; slimmer rings can seat the hood and then hit the inside when MACRO walks the barrel forward. Downtown Camera / authorized dealers: Leica E49 filters work with hoods 19657 / 19658 / 19659, or with no hood — not with the hood in the carton. Leica Camera USA on the E49 UVa II Slim (19691): “not compatible in combination with the standard lens hood included with the Leica Q3 43.” NiSi’s Q3 43 NC UV page: original hood + unhindered macro; brass, no generic “49 mm UV” claim. Amazon listing for that SKU: no front thread, original push-on cap, not third-party 49 mm pinch caps. That is why Overall is the dedicated ring, not a $25 UV and not a $160 Leica filter under the wrong hood.
  • The body is still a Q3: Same slot, same cell, same 8K / ALL-I numbers. 8K to SD at 300 Mbps; MOV C4K / 4K All-Intra 600 Mbps (75 MB/s) — over V60’s 60 MB/s floor. Photo Review on the 28 mm Q3: 8K stays gray without a V90 flag (and an SCL6). Memory Card Lab (Q3, firmware 4.0): in-camera write ~150 MB/s; UHS-I clocked as SDR50 ~45 MB/s. PCMag on the 43: SCL4 reduces runtime and drops 8K. Tom’s Guide listed the 43 slot as UHS-II / V90. So Value is a second SCL6, Budget is Extreme PRO 128 GB UHS-II V90 — not a Qi pad, not a Tough card, not the Q2 battery you already own.

Best Accessories for Leica Q3 43: Detailed Reviews

🏆 Best Overall

NiSi NC UV Filter for Leica Q3 43 View on Amazon View on B&H

Best For: Stock hood + MACRO + a protector on an APO 43
Key Feature: Q3 43-specific E49 · brass · no front thread
Rating: 4.7 / 5.0 ★★★★★
SKUNiSi-Q343-UV · barcode 6971634241111 · “NC UV for Leica Q3 43”
ThreadE49, cut for this barrel — not a generic 49 mm UV
Hood / MACRONiSi: original Q3 43 hood seats; macro group still travels
StackingNo front thread. Pull it to mount an ND or a different hood
CapOriginal Leica push-on / hood cap. Not a third-party 49 mm pinch cap

Why it fits the Q3 43. This is the accessory the 28 mm Q3 does not force on you. The 43’s compact hood is shorter so the camera stays close to Q3 size. Forum reports and Leica’s own UVa II Slim page agree: a normal E49 protector and that hood are not a pairing, and MACRO makes a “slim enough to hood” ring hit the inside. NiSi published a ring for this body. Brass, nano coat, 99.2% transmission on their sheet. It stays on for travel. It is not an ND system and it will not take a second filter on the front. If you need Leica glass plus MACRO, that is the 19658 hood in Layer 2 — about $240 before the $160 UVa II. For a first accessory on a $7,000 compact, the dedicated UV is the kit.

Skip this if you already bought 19658 and a Leica E49, or you never mount a filter and you like the naked APO.

  • Keeps the compact hood Leica already screwed on
  • MACRO still turns — the book’s failure mode for generic 49 mm
  • Searchable SKU, not “49mm UV” lottery
  • No front thread — ND means the ring comes off
  • Amazon mixes generic 49 mm listings next to it
💎 Best Value

Leica BP-SCL6 View on Amazon View on B&H

Best For: A second day, and 8K staying on the menu
Key Feature: 7.2 V · 2200 mAh · 350 CIPA · order 19531
Rating: 4.6 / 5.0 ★★★★☆
CellBP-SCL6 · 19531 · same pack as Q3 / SL3 family
On Q3 43350 shots CIPA (displays auto-off 5 s). ~70 MB DNG. 8K needs this cell
ChargeUSB-C on the camera: 9 V / 3 A in operation; 5 V / 1.5 A off. BC-SCL4 on the desk
Not thisBP-SCL4 / Q2 cell — PCMag: body runs, 8K disabled, shorter day
Wireless10 W pad is the HG-DC1 path, not a random Qi puck under the baseplate

Why it is Value. The 43 is 772 g with one battery and a 350-shot CIPA line. That is a short walk once EVF, AF, and a 60 MP DNG are on. The carton has one SCL6. USB-C will top it up from a 27 W brick. It will not give you a second body in the bag. PCMag’s 43 review is the 8K footnote: SCL4 is the Q2; it powers the camera and turns 8K off. Buy the current cell. Third-party 7.2 V packs exist; this pairing is the official 19531 so firmware and 8K stay on the same page as Leica’s sheet.

Skip this if two SCL6 already live in the pouch. Then spend the money on the card or the hood.

  • The cell Leica specified — and the one that keeps 8K
  • USB-C in the body; BC-SCL4 if you already have the charger
  • Shared with Q3 / SL2 / SL3 family if the bag is mixed
  • Leica price on a 2200 mAh pack
  • Does not add a grip. HG-DC1 is a different, expensive stack
💰 Budget Pick

SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-II V90 View on Amazon View on B&H

Best For: The only slot — 60 MP DNG and an unlocked 8K line
Key Feature: UHS-II · V90 · 128 GB
Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 ★★★★☆
ModelExtreme PRO SDXC UHS-II · 128 GB V90 (256 GB same family)
Why V904K / C4K ALL-I 600 Mbps = 75 MB/s. V60’s floor is 60. 8K 300 Mbps is V30 math; the menu still wants V90
On this bodySame slot as Q3. ~70 MB DNG · 8 GB buffer · clips to 29 min
SKU trapExtreme PRO UHS-I (same red sleeve). Extreme (no PRO) V30. Kingston React Plus V60
FormatIn the Q3 43. Forum gray-8K threads on the 28 mm body were often an unformatted V90

Why it is Budget, not Overall. You cannot finish a walk without a card. You can finish one without a filter. The 43 does not change the slot: UHS-II recommended, 600 Mbps ALL-I, 8K behind a V90 flag on the sister body. Memory Card Lab’s Q3 write path topped out around 150 MB/s — a Sony Tough sticker is a tax, not a faster 43. Confirm UHS-II and V90 on the print. 64 GB is still the right class if the battery dies first (~900 DNGs). 128 GB is the default so one ALL-I clip and a day of DNG fit.

Skip this if a V90 UHS-II 128 GB is already formatted in the camera. Then the money is the NiSi or the second SCL6.

  • V90 covers ALL-I and the 8K unlock used on this family
  • 128 GB matches a 350-shot cell of 70 MB files
  • Cheapest thing in the Top 3 that the camera actually needs
  • Amazon mixes UHS-I Extreme PRO into the same row
  • Will not enlarge the 8 GB buffer

If You Need Something Else

The book’s other door is a different hood. The shoe also takes a thumb rest the 28 mm Q3 already used. Neither replaces the UV + cell + V90 kit.

🔧 Official hood if you want any E49

Leica aluminum / round Q hood (19658) View on Amazon View on B&H

Order no.19658 in the Q3 43 book. 19657 / 19659 are the same round-Q family in other finishes
JobFilter + MACRO + a hood — the compact hood cannot do all three
Dealer noteE49 Leica filters (including UVa II) with 19657 / 19658 / 19659, or with no hood
SizeLarger than the carton hood. That is the trade

Buy this when the filter is a Leica E49, an ND, or a CPL — rings the NiSi will not stack. The book sent you here. It is not Overall because it is a $240 hood to make a $160 UV legal, and the compact hood you already own is the one street shooters keep. Do not put the 28 mm Q3 hood on this barrel; the thread-protection rings do not swap either.

✋ Thumb rest, same shoe as Q3

Leica Thumb Support Q3 (19533) View on Amazon View on B&H

Order no.19533 aluminum black (silver / blasted brass in the same family)
FitHot shoe on Q3 and Q3 43. Occupies the shoe — no SF 40 at the same time
Body772 g with battery. The rest is leverage, not a battery grip

Leica’s Q3 thumb support drops into the extra-contact shoe. It is the official one-handed add-on on a body that has no MHG-style front grip in the carton. It is Layer 2 because it does not fix the hood, the 350-shot cell, or the V90 slot. Soft-release buttons and the leather Multifunctional Protector (18573, Arca base) are the same family of comfort, not the first three SKUs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Leica E49 UVa II Slim work with the hood in the box?

No. Leica Camera USA: the UVa II Slim (19691) is not compatible with the standard Q3 43 hood. Authorized dealers say E49 Leica filters want hood 19657 / 19658 / 19659, or no hood. MACRO plus a generic 49 mm ring is the same collision the book already warned about.

Can I put the Q3 28 mm hood or thread ring on the 43?

No. The Q3 43 book: its thread-protection ring is not compatible with the Q3. The 28 mm hood is a different, deeper part; reviewers who tried it report the threads do not match. Keep each ring on its own camera.

Does the Q3 43 need a V90 card and a BP-SCL6 for 8K?

Yes on both. Same Maestro IV body as the 28 mm Q3: 8K at 300 Mbps, 4K / C4K ALL-I at 600 Mbps. Photo Review grayed 8K without a V90 flag. PCMag: SCL4 powers the 43 and turns 8K off. Format the V90 in-camera.

Will a Qi charger juice the camera on the nightstand?

Not by itself. Wireless charging on this family is the HG-DC1 handgrip plus a 10 W pad (Leica lists Native Union Drop XL with that grip). USB-C on the body is the cable path: 9 V / 3 A while the camera is on.

Does the Q3 43 have a pop-up flash?

No. Same shoe rules as the Q3: TTL with listed Leica system units (SF 40 is the compact). Electronic shutter does not allow flash. Mechanical sync is already 1/2000 s.

Final Verdict

🏆 Best Overall:
NiSi NC UV for Q3 43 – The ring that keeps the compact hood and still turns MACRO.
Buy Now
💎 Best Value:
Leica BP-SCL6 – 350 CIPA, and the cell that keeps 8K.
Buy Now
💰 Budget Pick:
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB UHS-II – V90 for the same slot as the 28 mm Q3.
Buy Now

For a Leica Q3 43, buy the NiSi NC UV if you want glass on the APO and the hood that came in the box. Buy a second BP-SCL6 if the day is longer than 350 CIPA frames or you need 8K. Buy Extreme PRO 128 GB UHS-II V90 for the only slot. The official 19658 hood is how you run a Leica E49 or an ND with MACRO. Skip generic 49 mm filters, the UVa II Slim under the stock hood, a Q2 battery for 8K, and a Qi pad without the HG-DC1.

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