Question for Monochrom users

[airfrogusmc]

Congrats Tim. I still have the original MM. My go to camera for personal work.

 

[gnuyork]

It is like pushing Tri-X 2-3 stops and getting Plus X negatives.

Leica should make a Monochrom 3 and go back to the CCD sensor and use this tag line.

 

[Calzone]

Leica should make a Monochrom 3 and go back to the CCD sensor and use this tag line.

G,

I'm hoping that Leica makes a SLM.

Cal

 

[Timmyjoe]

Congrats Tim. I still have the original MM. My go to camera for personal work.

Thanks, I'm pretty excited.

Best,
-Tim

 

[lawrence]

I have the original MM... owned it from new
After the initial bout of using it, I found myself putting film camera's back in the bag, even left it at home when I have been on holiday. HP5, M2 & TLR were the choice
Mixing digital and film in the bag has never worked for me either.
However I like it and taken some great photo's with it, but it hasn't replaced film.
I'm also not sure the 246 version was an upgrade either, the original had something I never saw in the later model

A friend of mine has two of the original MMs. He was persuaded to 'upgrade' these to the later model and part exchanged the MMs for them. A month later he was back in the shop doing the reverse 😉

 

[Timmyjoe]

A friend of mine has two of the original MMs. He was persuaded to 'upgrade' these to the later model and part exchanged the MMs for them. A month later he was back in the shop doing the reverse 😉

I'm sure there are some advantages to the New Monochrom, but I'm just a huge fan of the CCD sensor. Ever since I used an M8, and compared it to my Nikon digitals (with CMOS sensors), there's just something about how a CCD records light that I really like.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Larry Cloetta]

I'm sure there are some advantages to the New Monochrom, but I'm just a huge fan of the CCD sensor. Ever since I used an M8, and compared it to my Nikon digitals (with CMOS sensors), there's just something about how a CCD records light that I really like.

Best,
-Tim

I’m convinced, for myself, that the same is true for color as well, (CCD vs. CMOS) though many, if not most, don’t see that.
Or, they see the difference and prefer the CMOS. Or, they see the difference, slightly prefer the CCD rendering, but (think they) can’t live without the higher ISO and higher resolution capabilities of newer CMOS sensors.
It’s nice to have choices, even if some choices are NLA new.

 

[Timmyjoe]

I’m convinced, for myself, that the same is true for color as well, (CCD vs. CMOS) though many, if not most, don’t see that.
Or, they see the difference and prefer the CMOS. Or, they see the difference, slightly prefer the CCD rendering, but (think they) can’t live without the higher ISO and higher resolution capabilities of newer CMOS sensors.
It’s nice to have choices, even if some choices are NLA new.

In the early 1990's I was living in New York and doing a fair amount of studio work, and we used many bricks of Kodak Ektachrome EPP-100. There was something about that film, the pop, the sparkle, just something. Never found that in the CMOS sensors on my Nikon digital cameras, but when I first used a Leica M8, it was like POW!, there's those colors I was missing.

And then when converting those files to B&W, again, there was just a sparkle or something. Have not used the (new to me) MM1 yet (it's off for sensor replacement) but I have faith that I'll find the same POW! when I start using it for B&W work.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Calzone]

I’m convinced, for myself, that the same is true for color as well, (CCD vs. CMOS) though many, if not most, don’t see that.
Or, they see the difference and prefer the CMOS. Or, they see the difference, slightly prefer the CCD rendering, but (think they) can’t live without the higher ISO and higher resolution capabilities of newer CMOS sensors.
It’s nice to have choices, even if some choices are NLA new.

Larry,

I'm use to using 800 ISO to 1000 ISO max for film.

On digital pretty much I do the same. Even with CMOS and my SL I would rather have the file that is cleaner.

Cal

 

[airfrogusmc]

I shoot on the streets all the time at 1600 and 3200 ISO with the original MM and print 12 X 18 and the prints are spectacular.

I shot a job for a hospital client that had 36 X 54 inch prints that you could come right up to shot at 3200 with the original MM and they were also very good indeed.

You can see in these photos of them on the wall in a staircase.

 

[newtorf]

I used to be a heavy film shooter for five years (2011-2015). By a chance, I bought a MM in 2015, and boom, my film consumption dropped from 180 rolls a year to near zero in 2016, and stopped completely after that. But I didn't pick up the MM either after Leica repaired the sensor and meanwhile I got a Fujifilm X100T. Five years later, I pick up my M4 again and over a thousand feet B&W films. I leave the MM behind as an expensive paper weight, even though I know it can produce stunning images. I just like the feeling of winding the camera handle and the taste of different films. It's so satisfying...

 

[Timmyjoe]

I'm disappointed with my self and the MM. It's a great camera, and makes beautiful images, but I just rarely shoot it. For me it feels fragile, I worry about changing lenses getting dust on the sensor and moisture in the sensor cavity, leading to sensor corrosion (or whatever that condition was that caused spots on the sensor that showed up on the images), especially now that no one will service the original MM sensor anymore. Whereas I throw my M4 into the bag, with rolls of Tri-X, and just shoot, knowing if I somehow mess up the camera with use or lens changes, it's a short trip to DAG and all is good again.

Best,
-Tim

 

[airfrogusmc]

I traded my origianll MM after 9 years of faithful use in a deal to get a M 10 Mono,. And the M 10 Mono is insanely good. Probably the finest digtal camera I have ever shot with.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

I'm disappointed with my self and the MM. It's a great camera, and makes beautiful images, but I just rarely shoot it. For me it feels fragile, I worry about changing lenses getting dust on the sensor and moisture in the sensor cavity, leading to sensor corrosion (or whatever that condition was that caused spots on the sensor that showed up on the images), especially now that no one will service the original MM sensor anymore. Whereas I throw my M4 into the bag, with rolls of Tri-X, and just shoot, knowing if I somehow mess up the camera with use or lens changes, it's a short trip to DAG and all is good again.

Best,
-Tim

Tim,

That’s not only blasphemy, it’s blasphemy uttered in church.
But, more seriously, I have had an M246 for 6 months and also have mixed feelings, for a variety of reasons, some of which relate to usage, as you note, and some of which relate to actual results compared to monochrome conversions from my Z7. And some of which relate to, yes, film.
Different people have different needs, or in this case desires. In my case, I’m still ambivalent after 6 months about black and white images coming from the M246 relative to black and white images coming from the Z7, or film for that matter. I’m not confused about the differences, either, and do realize I’m an outlier here among users.
You can dare to be different, just don’t do it in church. 🙂

 

[Out to Lunch]

And the M 10 Mono is insanely good.

Are you getting good results with non-Leica glass as well?

 

[JohnWolf]

I'm hopelessly torn. When I get a good, nicely processed BW shot from my M6, there's nothing better. Just love the aesthetic character. And the handling is such a pleasure.

But my M246 output is so consistent and convenient, and the high ISO capability is so compelling. And I find its middle gray zones particularly luscious.

I'm sure I would benefit from fully committing to one or the other, but just can't seem to do it. In fact, I've listed and withdrawn my M6 twice recently.

John

 

[airfrogusmc]

Are you getting good results with non-Leica glass as well?

My 35 Lux FLE is usually glued to it but the Voigt 50 1.2 Nokton is wonderful on it.

I love silver gelatin prints and I love the process of film but to have 25,000 ISO and even 50,000 ISO as real options with the M 10 M is an insane thought. I mean to be able to use 1600 and 3200 with results that are just amaizing on the street allowing me to shoot at f/11 ar 1/1000 of a second is a real gift.