Helium 11 Grip for Leica Q3 and M11 - The Grip Leica Should Have Made

by DL Byron

posted Monday, February 17, 2025 at 8:54 PM EDT

Helium Design Lab, manufacturer of high-end accessory grips for Leica camera platforms, and Hugh Brownstone have partnered on two custom-designed grips for the Leica Q3 and for the M11.

Brownstone runs the excellent photography technique and reivew YouTube channel Three Blind Men and an Elephant, and an excellent street-photography educator.

The Leica Q3 has gained quite a following with both diehard Leica shooters and influencers alike. It's a camera that feels distinctly Leica despite—or perhaps due to—some quirks.

One of the shortcomings these grips seek to fix is the underwhelmeing grip on the Q3.

Owners of both the Q3 and M11 frequetly buy aftermarket grips to imporve comfort, and the new Helium 3 grips offer the same benefit. Unlike most grips, the Helium 3 adds a slot for an AirTag, as well as an anti-tampering screw to deter theft.

Helium 3 Grip for Leica Q3

Helium 3 Grip for Leica M11

Brownstone is a longtime industry friend of mine and I asked him why he decided to work on a grip.

We couldn’t find the right grip for our Leica Q3s, so we designed one ourselves. Once we realized what we’d done we thought, 'Maybe other people might want one, too.'

Turns out they do! It takes a Leica shooter (like me) to know that Leica shooters are very particular about their gear. Learning that Hugh and Helium Design have built a thriving business manufacturing grips for them is great news. It's also an indicator of a strong Leica ecosystem. I hope they run even more grips.

Both grips feature

Leica finger loop compatibility
Textured finger well
Integrated Arca-Swiss compatible base
Modular, integrated thumb rest
Apple AirTag slot
Precision laser-cut, eBA substrate
Anti-tampering screw
Access to battery and SD card without the removal of the grip
Peak Design Capture Clip and Travel Tripod compatible without any need of an adapter plate
Center of lens mark on base plate to aid in aligning with tripod/clamp mounts center axis

Preorder the grip(s) directly from Helium Design labs. The price is $490 plus shipping.