Leica M-D Monochrom ?

[Geoff Smith]

Would be: internals as MM Typ 246, styling as M-D, aluminum top & bottom plates as M Typ 262 (black chrome finish, like M6 Classic) and frame line preview lever. Body dimensions as M6 Classic (if possible, probably not).

Done.

Why?

Lighter (due to alum.), no screen, no buttons on back (only ISO dial) and B&W only.

This would be the purest M camera since the M6 Classic, an utter workhorse for serious black and white photographers (those who like and are productive with rangefinders anyway, horses for courses after all).

For extra credit, remove the on/off/single/continuous/self-timer collar switch from around the shutter release and make the ‘A’ position on the shutter speed dial be ‘OFF’, like on M6 TTL. Right, no auto-exposure (and only single shot mode). So we can also lose the weird button next to the the shutter release where the frame counter used to be. And remove the exposure comp. dial (since we no longer have auto-exposure) and the “thumb hump.” Yeah, that’s right, we’re one step away from a manual shutter cocking lever. Even I’m not that nostalgic 😉

Basically, I want a Typ 246 Monochrome that’s as close as possible to an M6 TTL Japan Edition (with brass and black paint available to those who want it via A La Carte).

Who’s with me? 🙂

What if this were digital? Rock!!!

 

[michaelwj]

Only if the shutter speed dial is small and goes the "correct" way! I don't need a speed faster than 1/1000th - use an ND filter like you're supposed to! In this case there is no -OFF on the shutter but the film rewind lever 'R' on the front could be repurposed to an on/off switch, give us back the standard shutter button.

While we're at it, remove the meter to give a better shutter release feel, we can just sunny-16 it - we're hardcore. I can't actually imagine anyone using a camera like this for anything other than enjoyment so there's no problem if we overexpose a few shots here or there.

 

[Geoff Smith]

Right! Rewind lever on/off switch FTW!

 

[mod2001]

serious black and white photographers

They use film 😉😎

Yogi

 

[coelacanth]

What if this M-D MM actually takes film??? But it rejects anything other than black & white film. Not even C-41 "monochrome" film.

 

[Keith]

Given the choice of buying what may be the world's most expensive digital monochrome camera (knowing that when Leica offers less they always charge more) or dragging my M2 out of the cupboard and popping a roll of Tri-X in it ... I would probably choose the latter! 😀

 

[Vince Lupo]

I like the M-D exactly as it is. No need to change it, no need for the black and white sensor. It produces black and white images that are pretty darned nice, and compare favourably to the 246 (at least to my eye).

Of course the minute they introduce the M-D Monochrom I'm sure I'll want one 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

I'm with you.... even if I wouldn't buy it.

 

[Geoff Smith]

coelacanth -- right, it looks at the DX coding and won't fire the shutter if it's anything that can't be developed in Rodinal!

Vince, no disrespect to the M-D, very nicely done by Leica in my opinion. Just think a monochrom version in addition would be a nice option (identical dedicated bodies for color and b/w, like some of us used to do with film bodies). Or maybe an expanded a la carte configuration matrix that allowed you to choose a monochrom sensor with different body styles, etc. Or something like that. Just musing... not like I can afford any of this anyway! 😉

 

[Vince Lupo]

coelacanth -- right, it looks at the DX coding and won't fire the shutter if it's anything that can't be developed in Rodinal!

Vince, no disrespect to the M-D, very nicely done by Leica in my opinion. Just think a monochrom version in addition would be a nice option (identical dedicated bodies for color and b/w, like some of us used to do with film bodies). Or maybe an expanded a la carte configuration matrix that allowed you to choose a monochrom sensor with different body styles, etc. Or something like that. Just musing... not like I can afford any of this anyway! 😉

I do love my Monchrom 246, but really I don't see much difference between files from it and the M-D. The one thing you can do, however, with the 246 that you can't do with the M-D is use black and white filters. Hate to admit it, but I seem to be reaching more for my M-D than the 246. It's a super camera, and makes me realize how much time I waste chimping.

 

[brennanphotoguy]

I loved my time with the M-D. I'd love to have more than two and half weeks with one next time. I liked it just the way it was. I could maybe see the aluminum top plate to save some weight but I wouldn't list in my "need" category by any means.

 

[Geoff Smith]

There's no way to make the M-D store anything other than a color thumbnail/preview with the DNG, right? If I dedicate a body to b&w I want to minimize the chance of ever seeing the files in color. I feel like if it's is in the DNG I'll see it eventually even if I go to great pains to lock everything down after downloading the files from the camera. Any way around this?

Brennan -- not thinking of this as a variant of the M-D as such, more of the 246. Loved your video by the way, I think you're responsible for a lot of M-D GAS! M-D and a used MM (ccd) may be the way to go for me...

 

[Vince Lupo]

There's no way to make the M-D store anything other than a color thumbnail/preview with the DNG, right? If I dedicate a body to b&w I want to minimize the chance of ever seeing the files in color. I feel like if it's is in the DNG I'll see it eventually even if I go to great pains to lock everything down after downloading the files from the camera. Any way around this?

It's funny you say that -- yesterday I took a photo with the M-D that I was so sure I was going to make black and white, but then when I looked at it in colour I changed my mind!

I don't think there is any way to have it show you a black and white exclusive DNG from the get-go. Unless there's a way to apply some kind of preset to the DNG files as you open them? That question is a bit beyond my pay grade 🙂

 

[brennanphotoguy]

Thanks, I appreciate it! Hopefully we'll get around to making some more videos soon, work has us both tied up pretty good for the most part. Brett had an MM246 from the start of release and just recently sold it but loved that camera as well. I think the MM246 is an awesome successor to the original MM and I would like to see an M-D with that same sensor just for the sake of having options but outside of that I think the rest of the stuff on the list is a wish. I would like to see more a la carte stuff though for sure.

 

[airfrogusmc]

If they make one I might be opening the wallet.

 

[Geoff Smith]

Brennan -- agreed, M-D a la carte with the option for the MM 246 sensor would suffice.

 

[Godfrey]

I loved my time with the M-D. I'd love to have more than two and half weeks with one next time. I liked it just the way it was. I could maybe see the aluminum top plate to save some weight but I wouldn't list in my "need" category by any means.

I like it just the way it is too. My favorite digital M.
I prefer the M-D's controls and features just the way they are, although a monochrome version would be nice.

There's no way to make the M-D store anything other than a color thumbnail/preview with the DNG, right? If I dedicate a body to b&w I want to minimize the chance of ever seeing the files in color. I feel like if it's is in the DNG I'll see it eventually even if I go to great pains to lock everything down after downloading the files from the camera. Any way around this? ...

If I'm in a B&W Only mood, I apply a B&W preset to the M-D files as I import them into Lightroom. I could make that the default for the M-D in Lightroom too.

It's funny you say that -- yesterday I took a photo with the M-D that I was so sure I was going to make black and white, but then when I looked at it in colour I changed my mind!

I don't think there is any way to have it show you a black and white exclusive DNG from the get-go. Unless there's a way to apply some kind of preset to the DNG files as you open them? That question is a bit beyond my pay grade 🙂

Come now ... It's really very simple:

• In the Develop module, select an M-D DNG file.
• Set the adjustments to make it a B&W rendering.
• Optionally, create a preset for those settings. *
• Select Develop > Set Default Settings from the Develop menu
• Click "Current Settings"

Now all M-D DNG files will render to monochrome, by default.

* The reason you want to do this is that you might, at some point, want to restore the Adobe defaults to do color work. You do that by using the Set Default Settings command again to restore the defaults, and if you have the B&W preset, you can reset the default back to B&W any time you want to. 🙂

G

 

[Vince Lupo]

Come now ... It's really very simple:

• In the Develop module, select an M-D DNG file.
• Set the adjustments to make it a B&W rendering.
• Optionally, create a preset for those settings. *
• Select Develop > Set Default Settings from the Develop menu
• Click "Current Settings"

Now all M-D DNG files will render to monochrome, by default.

* The reason you want to do this is that you might, at some point, want to restore the Adobe defaults to do color work. You do that by using the Set Default Settings command again to restore the defaults, and if you have the B&W preset, you can reset the default back to B&W any time you want to. 🙂

G

You're talking about Lightroom, yes? Sorry I wasn't aware of how it could be done -- just not something I've ever had the need to do 🙂

 

[Godfrey]

You're talking about Lightroom, yes? Sorry I wasn't aware of how it could be done -- just not something I've ever had the need to do 🙂

Yes, as I said in the second quote of my response: Lightroom.

I've found during my teaching and discussions, that many many people don't realize that they can customize Lightroom's Develop defaults to match your needs for each camera model (and you can even make it sensitive to the ISO setting as well...). It's such a powerful capability I'm kinda shocked that more people don't take advantage of it—most seem to just use the Adobe defaults.

I have Lightroom tailored and customized in its defaults for each of my cameras. Doing this gives me a much better, faster to work with, starting point for my image rendering. It saves a bit of time every time I import image files.

G

 

[Geoff Smith]

Interesting. Would one still see color thumbnails from the M-D in Lightroom's import dialog (prior to the application of a b&w import preset) with this approach? Or does it pre-apply the import preset? I'll try this.