Leica M11 Monochrom

[Myrrys.eu]

I was tempted really hard by Leica M11 Monochrom, decision to get the first ccd monochrom wasn't even the money (in the end, it does play a role though). It was simply seeing the raw files of different monochrom cameras and thinking of my needs and uses. Owning a piece of history is sort of appealing to me and files looked great so I went with that one. In future might upgrade to M11 monochrom or what ever comes next, if I really really desire it.

 

[Freakscene]

I’d filed the existence of this thread away.

I now have extensively trialled an M11M.

It locks up the same as the regular version. Leica say that it is operating normally. The extra pixels are useful sometimes; I can travel with just a 50mm instead of a 50 and a 75. A lighter bag is handy, and I can take an 18mm, macro or 135mm depending on what I think I might see.

The M11M metering generally, and the highlight weighted metering specifically, is amazing, and hugely better than the earlier Monochroms. But off-the-sensor metering is problematic with a shuttered camera. When you shoot it closes the shutter then opens to expose. That slows things down.

The Pentax Monochrome is also very interesting. The Sony STARVIS IMX571BQR-J sensor in the regular/colour K-3iii was already offered in a monochrome version, the STARVIS IMX571BLR-J, so it was relatively simple for Pentax to make the K-3iii Monochrome. There is no pre-existing monochrome version of the sensor in the GRIII or the K-1 sensor, so whatever we want, we probably won’t get a monochrome version of those cameras.

Anyway, they all take very nice photos.

 

[sojournerphoto]

I had the first one - M9M - and loved it. It was a delight to use and the files were great to look at and easy to manage. I only sold it because I lost confidence in its longevity with the original corrosion and crack prone sensor.

I had an M9 at the same time and the Monochrom was still super in its own right.