Monochrom: Love or Not?

[Doug]

...So, to repeat, I may be a weenie, but for $8K, I want a camera that essentially gives me my choice of whether to go color or B&W. Don't want to box myself in....

Right, and I think boxing oneself in is just the point of the M Monochrom. Those who might previously have shot only black & white film voluntarily boxed themselves in, so to speak. Yet this is often an advantage in staying on track with "seeing" in black & white. And the MM, being dedicated to this purpose, appears to be very good at it.

Others, who might carry a second camera loaded with color film, or a second medium format back with color, would be more aligned with your view and prefer to have the choice at the time of shooting. These folks (along with those who shoot only color) would show little interest in the MM, and prefer the M9, ME, or forthcoming M.

I admire Leica for filling the niche within a niche by producing a dedicated B&W machine. There really is no direct competition, always a nice position to hold. I won't be buying an M Monochrom myself, but I hope enough others will make the effort profitable for Leica.

 

[jaapv]

I think the MM as single camera is useful for 100% B&W shooters only. After all, even with film we had a choice. The MM is best in combination with an M9.
I think the best photographs come from visualizing them in the first place, not by changing tack halfway the process. Although that may be needed as an emergency cover-up sometimes.

 

[cam]

I think the MM as single camera is useful for 100% B&W shooters only. After all, even with film we had a choice. The MM is best in combination with an M9.
I think the best photographs come from visualizing them in the first place, not by changing tack halfway the process. Although that may be needed as an emergency cover-up sometimes.

see i am a 100% black and white shooter. that is what i see and that is what i shoot. colour just distracts, imo, and when i notice it nowadays it is only in terms of what b/w tones i will be getting from it.

i did a behind-the-scenes shoot for an LP cover recently, documenting the event. we corralled all the images together and it was the first time my boyfriend had seen RAW from the M9 and he kept on commenting on how gorgeous the colour was. i honestly never noticed 😱

 

[J. Borger]

If you like what's coming straight of the MM sensor and/or what you can do with PP the MM might be to someone's liking. Espcialy for the convenience.
If you thry to simulate a certain B&W FILM look though with a digital camera, the MM is not better than any other digital camera. In fact i think a lot of posted samples have an over digital look to it. Especially the night shots and the low iso pictures.
I tried to love the MM but i have been there: using all kind of old glass , adding a bit of grain etc.. with my M8 and RD1 to get a desccent B&W look i can get straight of a camera loaded with B&W film. Do not want to get into that same workflow again wit an MM.

The MM is certainly not the game-changer for B&W photography Leica wants you to believe. Film still rules for B&W!
For me the MM is about high resolution and clean high iso performance: both are not relevant for the B&W photography i like.

 

[cam]

but you've forgotten one important thing -- high ISO. not just the look, but the fact that it can.

i shoot frequently in very low light situations where 2500 w/an F/1 lens is not enough. even with underexposure (which can look really ugly on an M8 or M9 if you try and bring it up), i cannot always get the shutter speed fast enough. whilst blur can be very cool and expressionist, sometimes i would prefer to be able to catch the moment clearly.

this may not be relevant to your photography, but it certainly is for mine.

 

[jaapv]

I think simulating film with a digital camera is kitsch. As it is I prefer the look of good digital cameras, especially the MM. We only like film better because our eyes and minds have been trained into it over the decades. YMMV. having said that, there is nothing wrong with film, but it is different. I fear the game has been changed irrevocably.

If you like what's coming straight of the MM sensor and/or what you can do with PP the MM might be to someone's liking. Espcialy for the convenience.
If you thry to simulate a certain B&W FILM look though with a digital camera, the MM is not better than any other digital camera. In fact i think a lot of posted samples have an over digital look to it. Especially the night shots and the low iso pictures.
I tried to love the MM but i have been there: using all kind of old glass , adding a bit of grain etc.. with my M8 and RD1 to get a desccent B&W look i can get straight of a camera loaded with B&W film. Do not want to get into that same workflow again wit an MM.

The MM is certainly not the game-changer for B&W photography Leica wants you to believe. Film still rules for B&W!
For me the MM is about high resolution and clean high iso performance: both are not relevant for the B&W photography i like.

 

[J. Borger]

I think simulating film with a digital camera is kitsch. As it is I prefer the look of good digital cameras, especially the MM. We only like film better because our eyes and minds have been trained into it over the decades. YMMV. having said that, there is nothing wrong with film, but it is different. I fear the game has been changed irrevocably.

Agree! Since i do not want to get into fakery anymore i stick with film for B&W since my preference lies there.
The game might have changed but will never be over. I see more and more people shooting film when i am out on the streets. Especially young people, art students and professinal photographers working on personal work or just shooting for their pleasure. Compared to the whole market the film market is and will always be a niche in for sure. Glad to be part of it 🙂

 

[J. Borger]

but you've forgotten one important thing -- high ISO. not just the look, but the fact that it can.

i shoot frequently in very low light situations where 2500 w/an F/1 lens is not enough. even with underexposure (which can look really ugly on an M8 or M9 if you try and bring it up), i cannot always get the shutter speed fast enough. whilst blur can be very cool and expressionist, sometimes i would prefer to be able to catch the moment clearly.

this may not be relevant to your photography, but it certainly is for mine.

In that case your needs are different and i understand why you might want to shoot digital. I simply do not like the look of clean high iso low light shots when it comes to B&W photography. In color it,s a different story.

 

[jaapv]

Agree! Since i do not want to get into fakery anymore i stick with film for B&W since my preference lies there.
The game might have changed but will never be over. I see more and more people shooting film when i am out on the streets. Especially young people, art students and professinal photographers working on personal work or just shooting for their pleasure. Compared to the whole market the film market is and will always be a niche in for sure. Glad to be part of it 🙂

So we are one niche conversing with another😛

 

[borge]

Love - definitely.
A camera has never grown faster on me.

 

[Tadeyev]

Monochrom = Magnificent!

Monochrom = Magnificent!

In my view the Monochrom is the 1st digital camera that can achieve the quality of film.
That being said, I can buy an awful lot of film for that price, and that makes one question if it is worth it.

The real deciding factor for me were the results at high ISO settings.
High ISO films are disappearing fast, and the ability to work without flash is really important for me.

I will continue to shoot film regularly, but I am saving for a Mono for sure :bang:
Damn you Leica !

 

[airfrogusmc]

LOVE MINE!!!!!!

That and the 35 lux FLE, heaven.....

 

[C_R]

Love it. Needs less postprocessing than M9. This was one of my first shots with the MM, almost no pp with Photo Ninja

MM and Nocti 1.0, 1/125 @ ISO 320

Carsten

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Beautiful shots indeed, but you don't need a M-monochrome to make such beautiful shots

 

[kxl]

I like shooting B&W; hence, I shoot B&W film.

I have way more than $8K sunk into my DSLR gear alone, but my DSLR gear offers me A LOT of flexibility.

Would I buy a Monochrom? Not if it means giving up the above. I will have to shell out additional $$$$$, and it would be awfully difficult for me to dedicate $8K to one piece of equipment regardless of how exquisite that one piece of equipment is.

 

[C_R]

...but you don't need a M-monochrome to make such beautiful shots

Thats the question. Do you have your own experience with the MM ?

Carsten

 

[Richard G]

MM
I don't have one.
I am being very disciplined and won't buy one for some time.
Hate? That would not be rational.
Worth it? Yes. It's all here one RFF:

Resolution
Tonal range
High ISO, perfect useable very high ISO.

See C_R's landscapes and weep.
See Jazrm's Scary Faces and marvel.
See many others' pictures in the long MM best pictures thread.

 

[Vince Lupo]

I just got mine this past week, and I do love it already!

I will be very interested to see how prints from my camera will look, and not simply scrutinized on a computer screen. Having said that, the baryta print that's included with each Monochrom package is pretty darned impressive (still debating whether I should mat and frame it or not!). However, I did check the prices of baryta prints from WhiteWall (the lab that has the 'exclusive' arrangement for Monochrom owners) and between printing and shipping, an 8x10 would be in the neighbourhood of $70+. Weldon Color Lab in California is $50 for an 8x10 print on Ilford Galerie Digital FB, plus shipping. Guess I shouldn't complain though -- if you have an $8k camera, then I guess I shouldn't be quibbling about a $50 print. If I ever get a shot that's worthy of printing to that degree, I'll probably give Weldon a try. Not there yet though!

Have any MM owners made any prints from their files? If so, how do they look to you???

 

[airfrogusmc]

I just got mine this past week, and I do love it already!

I will be very interested to see how prints from my camera will look, and not simply scrutinized on a computer screen. Having said that, the baryta print that's included with each Monochrom package is pretty darned impressive (still debating whether I should mat and frame it or not!). However, I did check the prices of baryta prints from WhiteWall (the lab that has the 'exclusive' arrangement for Monochrom owners) and between printing and shipping, an 8x10 would be in the neighbourhood of $70+. Weldon Color Lab in California is $50 for an 8x10 print on Ilford Galerie Digital FB, plus shipping. Guess I shouldn't complain though -- if you have an $8k camera, then I guess I shouldn't be quibbling about a $50 print. If I ever get a shot that's worthy of printing to that degree, I'll probably give Weldon a try. Not there yet though!

Have any MM owners made any prints from their files? If so, how do they look to you???

I've printed a couple images, printed them on 13 X 19 Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper Epson 2880 printer and they look great.

 

[MichaelToye]

I swapped an entire Canon system for the MM and a lens. Best decision ever 🙂

Michael