Monochrom: Love or Not?

[douglasf13]

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 !

Many would say that color digital surpassed color film a while ago, technically, and it is B&W digital that didn't compete with B&W darkroom prints. It seems to me that the MM brought B&W digital up to speed, although I still don't think that either B&W nor color digital look particularly like their film equivalents.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Dunno about that -- the print that's included with each Monochrom package looks pretty film-like to me! Guess you have to see it in the flesh to tell for yourself.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I'm a film lover and the MM is the only 135 format digital camera I would say does B&W justice. The up side is the high ISO and being able to go from 320 to 10,000 with a turn of the dial. I can also do things with quick mask and work on very small areas that I could never do in the conventional darkroom. Still love the look of a beautiful zone system silver gelatin or platinum print made from a large format negative but for smaller formats the image quality reminds me of the B&W images I made from my Blads.

 

[jcrutcher]

I love mine! Well worth it to me.

 

[FrankHarries]

Leica M

Leica M

Your experiences make me wanting this camera - I thought GAS for me has been cured! Glad, that by no chance i could afford one right now! But well.....

 

[f6andBthere]

I think anyone who genuinely loves black and white photography and isn't controlled in their thinking by the film v digital platform that constantly rears it's ugly head, will seriously consider this camera for their personal artistic expression.

I think I could love it .... but the price!!!!! 😱

😛

 

[Pioneer]

I think I could love it .... but the price!!!!! 😱

😛

There in lies the rub. That is a lot of Tri-X or HP5. If either of those go away, no problem, I'll be first in line. Until then...the M9 will have to work.

 

[douglasf13]

I think anyone who genuinely loves black and white photography and isn't controlled in their thinking by the film v digital platform that constantly rears it's ugly head, will seriously consider this camera for their personal artistic expression.

I think I could love it .... but the price!!!!! 😱

😛

Oh, I agree. I'm not saying that film is better or worse. I'm just saying that, while you can make digital files look similar to film, they are two different recording mediums with different qualities. The MM certainly seems to be the best B&W 35mm digital, to date.

 

[Calzone]

I think anyone who genuinely loves black and white photography and isn't controlled in their thinking by the film v digital platform that constantly rears it's ugly head, will seriously consider this camera for their personal artistic expression.

I think I could love it .... but the price!!!!! 😱

😛

Love is expensive. I expect mine in January. I'm an old film die hard, and for me the MM is just a separate medium from film.

Cal

 

[jaapv]

Many would say that color digital surpassed color film a while ago, technically, and it is B&W digital that didn't compete with B&W darkroom prints. It seems to me that the MM brought B&W digital up to speed, although I still don't think that either B&W nor color digital look particularly like their film equivalents.

Why should they look like film?😕 It will only make them look kitschy. It is a different medium, with a different look.

 

[douglasf13]

Why should they look like film?😕 It will only make them look kitschy. It is a different medium, with a different look.

You didn't read my follow up comment, jaapv. I don't think the MM files should look like film. I was responding to the poster above who said that the MM competes with film, but the M9 doesn't.

 

[airfrogusmc]

what i want to know is can you readily tell the difference between b&w images printed at 11x14 taken with the MM vs. the M9? (or are the differences really only seen when you print larger?)

Where you can really see the difference in in high ISO. 3200 is very clean. I'm an old Hasselblad and large format film guy/darkroom rat and the files from the MM are different from film but amazing in their own right and the best B&W I have experienced yet form a small digital camera and the real plus with the high ISO is street work giving you large DoF along with high shutter speeds when you really need to freeze everything.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Anybody looking for one should try Murphys in Louisville Ky. They might have some. Check with Kevin Murphy.

 

[jarski]

simply stunning work has been posted here lately from MM!

 

[bigeye]

I'm testing digital B&W, and my problem is printing, not the camera. The MM looks great, but only gets you half way there. How do you get a true high-quality B&W print?

- Charlie

 

[airfrogusmc]

I'm testing digital B&W, and my problem is printing, not the camera. The MM looks great, but only gets you half way there. How do you get a true high-quality B&W print?

- Charlie

Charlie,

I have an Epson 2880 and it does a good job with B&W. I like Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper. Is it the same as a well printed silver gelatin print? No but when its matted, on the wall and under glass they look pretty good. These were not taken with the MM.
My favorite room with some of my work. All printed with the Epson 2880 on the paper I mentioned.

 

[Vince Lupo]

For what it's worth (and for those who don't own a Monochrom), there is an 8x10 print that comes with each Monochrom, and it looks pretty darned film-like to me! As well, WhiteWall photo lab in the UK offers 'true' fibre-based prints from digital (I think this is who printed this image for the Monochrom kit), as well as Weldon Color Lab in Los Angeles. Not cheap, but it's likely as close to a traditional fibre-based print as you're going to get at this point.

 

[boywithlomo]

i don't want to re-learn a medium (digital)
i can make true fibre based prints in my bathroom
neat
http://richarddanielson.tumblr.com/

 

[cam]

For what it's worth (and for those who don't own a Monochrom), there is an 8x10 print that comes with each Monochrom, and it looks pretty darned film-like to me! As well, WhiteWall photo lab in the UK offers 'true' fibre-based prints from digital (I think this is who printed this image for the Monochrom kit), as well as Weldon Color Lab in Los Angeles. Not cheap, but it's likely as close to a traditional fibre-based print as you're going to get at this point.

cheers for that!

i hadn't known about Weldon before... i definitely prefer being able to speak/work with the lab so this is perfect next time i'm in town. thank you!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Honestly, if I had the money to get one, I would. I still wouldn't ditch my M8, unless it meant a swap would be the only way to get one; that's how impressed by it I am.

Before I saw the product, like many on the intertoobes, I scoffed and laughed at it. Saw the specs, later on I --for a short while-- played with it. Smitten. You need to be on B&W visualizing mode all the time, that's for sure, and that's difficult for digital users, including film users who can only visualize "in film" and have very negative notions of "digital".

Options are like traveling abroad: some people love the comfort of their town, not seeing the need to go elsewhere, others itch to go wherever the winds take them. Some places are worth going to, and others not staying glued in.

Perhaps one day I can "go" and have a Monochrom.