The Leica Q3 is a superb digicam and has the type and efficiency that Leica lovers love. Nonetheless, the digicam’s grip has pissed off some, and a photographer and architect have teamed as much as remedy the issue. Photographer Hugh Brownstone, additionally identified for his manufacturing firm, Three Blind Males and An Elephant, has labored for the previous 12 months together with his expensive buddy and fellow photographer, architect Ed Palisoc, on the He3 Handgrip for Leica Q3. PetaPixel chatted with Brownstone, a longtime trade buddy, and Palisoc about their Helium Design Lab challenge, their shared love of pictures, and the way they constructed their new Leica Q3 grip, which they (very pretty) describe as the most effective exterior digicam grip ever made. At a look, the Helium Design Labs He3 Grip for the Leica Q3 is an all-in-one entrance grip, thumb relaxation, and tripod plate for the Leica Q3, machined from a single piece of aluminum. Not like Leica’s official Q3 grip and thumb relaxation — that are two separate merchandise — the He3 doesn’t block the battery and reminiscence card slots or stop the usage of the digicam’s scorching shoe. Additional, it really works with Leica’s Finger Loop, securely and secretly shops an Apple AirTag, has a backside anchor lug for various strap configurations, is Peak Design appropriate, and has a built-in Arca-Swiss tripod mount. How Two Passionate Photographers Turned ‘What Would We Need in a Leica Q3 Grip?’ Right into a Actual Product Though Brownstone, knowledgeable photographer, educator, and content material creator, and Palisoc, an architect, have very totally different careers, their shared love for pictures led to them beginning Helium Design Lab, and making the brand new He3 grip. Palisoc, who has been enthusiastic about pictures since his grandmother purchased him a Canon movie digicam when he was 12, met Brownstone by way of YouTube. They acquired to speaking, and Palisoc occasion went to certainly one of Brownstone’s workshops. They grew to become quick mates and after chatting about their expertise with the Q3, started engaged on the He3 grip. After a couple of 12 months and greater than 100 design prototypes, the product is lastly obtainable to order.
Every individual brings distinctive and uncommon complementary abilities. Brownstone has spent a long time working with plenty of cameras, and he is aware of what he — and different photographers — like and dislike about digicam designs. He has an acute consideration to element. Palisoc understands kind, perform, and physics and may create the 3D fashions required for a challenge like this. “Ed is good. He’s good about doing issues that individuals don’t see. Even the internals of the grip are distinctive,” Brownstone says. “The time I’ve spent with you going over this challenge has set the bar of what it means to actually work nicely with somebody,” Palisoc says of working with Brownstone. The inventory Leica Q3 is a stupendous digicam, however some photographers desire a correct handgrip. Unsurprisingly, the He3 grip challenge was instigated by Brownstone and Palisoc discovering the Q3’s commonplace grip design a bit missing. Additional, whereas Leica has an optionally available grip for the Q3, it blocks the reminiscence card and battery compartments. It helps wi-fi charging, but when a photographer desires to simply swap the battery out within the area, they need to totally take away the grip. It’s not preferrred from a workflow perspective. The He3 grip addresses these points, and does a lot extra. Each single side of its design, usability, and flexibility has been thought of — and regarded once more. Palisoc has 3D modeling expertise from his structure profession and entry to a 3D printer at dwelling, so he was in a position to consistently make revisions, print them, and check them out in his fingers. The perfect of those prototypes had been shipped to Brownstone so they may work collectively on additional refinements primarily based on his hands-on expertise.
Helium He3 Leica Q3 Grip Design variations ranged from a centimeter right here or there to a millimeter to a tenth of a millimeter. Why get so exact with each curve and angle? No Element Is Insignificant When You Use One thing All of the Time “Even the smallest sensation on the palm of your hand issues,” Palisoc explains. The exact form of the grip required vital thought and lots of of tiny design modifications. Brownstone provides that good design ought to demand little consideration from the person. If somebody notices one thing that’s off by the tiniest quantity, it issues as a result of these minor frustrations develop into one thing extra vital whenever you use a product for years and dwell with it. Brownstone and Palisoc know full nicely that Leica is extremely considerate about the way it designs its merchandise. No element is just too small for the legendary German digicam maker. So, it’s simple to dismiss some complaints on-line about sure points of the Q3’s design as overly nit-picky or distinctive to a particular individual’s hand or workflow.
Prototype #21 Nonetheless, when sufficient individuals choose up on sure issues or simply want a digicam felt a bit totally different within the hand, it’s arduous to not discover. Whereas some love the Q3 for its svelte, compact design, others want they may really feel extra buy within the physique and maintain it extra confidently whereas capturing. As Brownstone usually emphasizes, the most effective digicam doesn’t add hurdles between the photographer’s concept and their picture. A digicam should fade into the background to cut back any friction when creating pictures. Positive, the Q3 can do this for some individuals straight out of the field, however not everybody. Leica is aware of as a lot, provided that it gives an OEM hand grip for the digicam. Leica’s OEM Q3 hand grip forces customers to both take away it to swap batteries or cost it wirelessly. The wi-fi charger shouldn’t be included and is $175. What Makes the He3 Grip Completely different Past addressing shortcomings with the OEM add-on grip regarding battery and reminiscence card slot entry — customers can simply entry these with the He3 grip connected to the Q3 — the grip gives an enormous quantity of options. The detachable He3 thumb grip doesn’t require the usage of the new shoe, not like Leica’s OEM thumb grip for the Q3. There’s a modular, detachable thumb grip that attaches to the He3 grip, including a cushty place to place one’s thumb whereas capturing. This doesn’t block any of the Q3’s controls. Not like some thumb grip add-ons, corresponding to Leica’s personal $230 thumb relaxation, it additionally doesn’t block the Q3’s scorching shoe.
The grip has a slot to connect Leica’s finger loop accent and works with Peak Design’s Seize Clip and Journey Tripod plate. The He3 grip additionally has a backside anchor lug, permitting photographers to simply use a wrist strap somewhat than a extra typical neck strap to carry the Q3. The He3 grip, which additionally features a backside plate for the Q3 for a bit extra grip area, is Arca-Swiss mount appropriate, too, which means that photographers don’t want a separate tripod plate or adapter for his or her Q3. There’s additionally a further 1/4-20 screw mount to connect equipment to the digicam. Prototype #54 The Leica Q3 is an costly digicam — $6,295, to be exact — so individuals rightfully wish to shield it towards theft. Whereas an Apple AirTag gained’t cease a digicam from being stolen, it is going to make it simpler to trace, and the He3 grip has an anti-tamper slot inside for the AirTag. The AirTag can’t be accessed with out eradicating the grip, and the grip has an anti-tamper screw. The battery compartment continues to be accessible, and the He3 is Arca-Swiss mount appropriate. Though it’s not seen from the product pictures, the AirTag is slotted securely into the entrance grip of the He3. The exact inner design for the AirTag location is certainly one of a number of patent-pending points of the He3 grip, and Brownstone and Palisoc are enjoying it very near the vest and wouldn’t present the 3D mannequin construction. Additional, the He3 grip is constructed utilizing totally CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum, which makes it sturdy and light-weight.
Brownstone and Palisoc thought having the grip manufactured in america was crucial, because it’s good to make issues domestically when potential. Discovering an operation that might deal with a comparatively low-volume order requiring sub-millimeter precision was tough, however they did it. The grip is machined from a single piece of aluminum. These are simply six of the lots of of prototypes that Brownstone and Palisoc made. The hassle and care they’ve put into the He3 grip for the Q3 will likely be concurrently apparent and invisible to everybody who makes use of it. On the one hand, that the grip is so versatile and makes capturing with the Q3 a greater expertise will likely be instantly obvious, however the immense quantity of labor required to make a product that merely works is unimaginable to see from the skin. There’s an inverse relationship between the precision with which one thing is made and the quantity of consideration it calls for in use, particularly when it’s a product an individual holds and makes use of to realize one thing else — like taking a photograph. “We’ve profound respect for one another and belief one another,” Palisoc remarks. “It’s a really uncommon factor.” Because of their belief and talent to work collectively, Brownstone and Palisoc have created what seems to be to be the most effective third-party digicam grip ever. Pricing and Availability For these lucky sufficient to personal a Leica Q3, the Helium He3 Leica Q3 Grip is accessible to preorder now for $480. Whereas that is greater than Leica’s OEM grip, take into account that Leica not solely works at a a lot bigger manufacturing scale, however when one purchases the grip, the wi-fi charger, and thumb relaxation attachment that blocks the new shoe, the worth provides as much as $600.
Picture credit: Helium Design Lab (Hugh Brownstone / Ed Palisoc
