B&W from those other cameras

[Bill Pierce]

Here's one advantage for black-and-white work that some of those "other cameras" have over the Leica Monochrom. Some cameras with LCD finders can actually allow you to see the image in black-and-white while your shooting. This is true, for example, of the Fuji XPro when you are using its LCD finder. It's a weird experience, but one worth experimenting with if you are a dedicated b&w shooter.

 

[BobYIL]

I have posted this in another thread:

"With the CFA-less sensor, how will the chromatic aberrations be corrected in post processing? Not all Leica lenses are apochromatic corrected.. the residual (uncorrected) chromatic aberrations will remain as blur (actually additional blur) around edges. M9 users can eliminate them for each color separately in PP, what about the M9-M? Anybody thought about these??

(Didn't like this tricky "innovation"; people have M Lenses dating back to the '50s exhibiting truckload of CAs..) "

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And have been responded by a Leica authority "jaapv" :

"So Leica designed the Summicron 50 asph with the camera."

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

No, you can't. You just explained why.

I think I tried to explain (if that) why you can. It's almost as mystifying as rocket science: not every government has the knowledge or resources (or even cares) to successfully carry it out. Some can't make their rockets get off the ground or even past a few kilometers. Doesn't explain why it's possible or impossible to launch a rocket. Usually the main roadblock is money and resources. Saying that "digital can't look like film" is like saying "American rockets can't launch like Russian rockets": they're different, have different means of construction and different idiosyncrasies. They're launched from different geographic sites but the end result seems to be the same: they have successfully launched.

Photography, thank goodness, is nowhere near that complex, but just as misunderstood: regardless of having a good eye or not, regardless of having taste or not, technical knowledge can overcome (or, in the case of its lack, can tank) bad exposures. Even a perfect exposure could be masterfully be made to look "nonperfect" with the proper knowledge.

This is actually a bit on the philosophical side, but a huge misconception is that digital images can never achieve the look of film images. This is completely false. That it requires different sets of skills using one medium over the other is one thing, and that information recorded in one medium will capture one set of data differently than another medium if applying exactly the same skills for both is a completely different matter.

I am not surprised if there will be a small percentage of people who will --pardon the pun-- be able to see it this way.

 

[Duane Pandorf]

Here's one advantage for black-and-white work that some of those "other cameras" have over the Leica Monochrom. Some cameras with LCD finders can actually allow you to see the image in black-and-white while your shooting. This is true, for example, of the Fuji XPro when you are using its LCD finder. It's a weird experience, but one worth experimenting with if you are a dedicated b&w shooter.

I too shoot my GXR in DNG+JPG with the JPG set for B&W so I see in B&W thru the EVF or LCD.

I've also made my own preset in Aperture for my style B&W and use the Midpoint slide hidden in the Highlights/Shadows brick to add some pop along with the Definition slider which I believe acts like the Clarity slider in LR.

If I have time I will open the Color brick to experiment with further enhancing the image.

As to the new Leica Monochrom I'd assume one would now have to carry the colored filters to get the different effects they make with B&W film.

I'm sure this camera will sell I just don't see a reason to have two separate bodies if one wanted the option to shoot color and B&W at the same time.