Who's going to buy the new M9M?

[Teuthida]

When all the enthusiasm for a new camera has died down I think I'm going to be left with the feeling that for all the marketing hype about sharpness and resolution, Leica are going to look pretty stupid having to give away software to add noise to make the images look like something the camera isn't capable of. That should all be in the firmware and it isn't. That's the irony of it, you need software to undo what the camera does. I'd still buy one "if" had money to burn though.

Yes. The fact that Leica is shipping it with SEP2 says wverything you need to know about whether they've succeeded in producing a camera that produces analog quality B&W out of the box. if it did, why would you need SEP2?

The irony is that SEP2 is meant to work on RGB files, not greyscale. i suspect, when the dust settles, my m8 DNG files converted in SEP2 will look better than the MM files developed in SEP2.

 

[bwcolor]

I suspect that Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev will be picking one up. He likes his M9.

 

[daveleo]

I am not quite understanding some of this discussion.

Will the new Leica sensor produce color images that are converted by software (?) inside the camera ?

 

[Vincent.G]

My humble M6 can shoot in both color and b&w. Why should I downgrade to M9M?

 

[dave lackey]

Maybe who WANTS the M9-M is a good way to look at it and gauges the response better for now...because I would write out a check this minute if I had the cash or reasonable expectations within a short time frame.

IMO, this is a significant camera and one that should not be dismissed at all.🙂

 

[Bill58]

I'll continue to use my $200 Canon Model P, L1, and Lucky film--thank you.

 

[photocrazy]

I won't pay that kind of money for a machine that sacrifices versatility of color. Leica really got it wrong this time. Point is that other brands are raising standards of the game. What Leica should do is to improve buffer, back screen, high iso IQ. My ideal digital rangderfinder is the M7 D if it's possible. For now, I stay with film. And if there is a real need to go digital, I would consider Fuji X1 Pro.

Pic below is taken withe MP, summicron 35 asph, fuji neopan 400

 

[Lss]

Will the new Leica sensor produce color images that are converted by software (?) inside the camera ?

No, there are no colour filters that the light passes on its way to the sensor. It is not cheating with software.

 

[gdi]

I was hoping that the Monochrom would have a truly revolutionary sensor design for B&W; that doesn't seem to be the case. I can see that it would be better for B&W than the M9, but it still falls short of the standard which, for me, is B&W film. The look of the images I have seen are still very "digital" (not that there is anything wrong with that for a lot of people).

The M9 was a vast improvement over the M8, so I bought one. The M9P was just a cosmetic redesign, so I skipped it. Even though it's still early, the Monochrom doesn't seem to have enough advantage, even in B&W, over the M9 to justify it - so I'll skip it too.

 

[daveleo]

No, there are no colour filters that the light passes on its way to the sensor. It is not cheating with software.

Thank you.
I thought that would too too silly for a camera at that price level.

 

[MCTuomey]

I don't need one, and the funds aren't available anyway, so no-go for me. Maybe in a few years when it depreciates into my price range.

But I'm excited to see what others will be doing with the Monochrom. Retaining the CCD look I like, much cleaner high ISO, lower resolution loss from eliminating the CFA, all in the M form factor. Potential for the best small format digital B&W prints yet. Cheers, Leica.

 

[jsrockit]

I won't pay that kind of money for a machine that sacrifices versatility of color. Leica really got it wrong this time.

You're free to feel how you want (and I feel the same way), but they didn't do anything wrong. They simply added a M9 model to its line-up of M9s. The M10 is where they need to step it up... this is just an in-between model.

 

[daveleo]

No, there are no colour filters that the light passes on its way to the sensor. It is not cheating with software.

I also found this educational (for me) posting in another thread) . . .

colour doesn't exist. It is a human perception, an interpolation from elctromagnetic waves. Sensors just measure electromagnetic waves and bayer filters filter wave bands not colour. Only we just assume that because the filters are made of material that we perceive as being Red, Blue or Green that the sensors are seeing colour. In reality they are measuring elctromagnetic waves of the wavelengths that we convert to colour in our visual perceptual system. So no sensors see in colour. They see in luminosity which is an accumulation of all the wavelengths that hit them.

I am beginning to 🙄 see the light, and (seriously) this looks like a very exciting design concept (still way way beyond my budget or hobbyists needs, so I will continue grayscaling in my computer).


.
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[ampguy]

yeah

yeah

Don't forget to put it on your Cabela's Visa for Cabela's bucks, and get a cap and mug while you're there too. Also, pick up a Nikon M-223 scope while you're there, you'll be glad you did.

Looks great for us black and white shooters. My only concern is what I am reading about exposure and how if the highlights are overexposed somewhat, you cannot extract information to correct exposure. It may be more demanding for exposure accuracy. But what the hell, I also shoot 8x10 with an Pentax Digital Spot meter so it should not be a problem for me being old school.

On another note, I am absolutely shocked at the price of this new 50mm Summicron! Gee, I only paid $695 on Ebay 3 years ago for a mint late generation Summicron! Come to think of it, My Noctilux was only $4K 4 years ago on Ebay! I really cashed in eh? A buddy of mine works at Cabellas and tells me he can get any Leica product 60% off for me! It seems if Cabellas carries Leica scopes for their guns, you as an employee can order any product made by Leica even if the store does not sell it at 60% off! Hello Monocrome for me!!! Maybe it would be worth it to work at Cabellas for extra cash and reap these discounts!!!

 

[StillKicking]

I like the idea of it.. but for the price no. I love my M2 and M3 and will stick with those for now. My Hexar is no slouch either. If I shoot digital it will have to be a Nikon D800 for me.

 

[J. Borger]

My humble M6 can shoot in both color and b&w. Why should I downgrade to M9M?

Mine too, as does my Mamiya 7....but i never loaded a color film in them. I owned a R-d1 and a M8 but never kept a picture in color. Converted ALL of them to B&W. So i do not think i would miss the coloroptions very much. I have to find other arguments for not liking this new camera😉.
From the samples i have seen so far i still think B&W film looks a lot better. That's a better argument for me for not spending money (for now)!

 

[Jobin]

For less than price of the new m9m, you can have the perfect film camera (mp), the perfect lens and a wonderful film scanner.

 

[urban_alchemist]

I already have an M9 and have saved for an M10. (M8u for sale soon, if anyone's interested). I love shooting with my film cameras - usually loaded with Adox CHS or some other ultra-slow film.

So why am I seriously considering buying an MM? 2 things.

1: Usable 10,000ISO. What interested me about the sample shots were the level of detail straight-from-the-camera in the 100% crops. I've never seen anything like it. Even at 10,000. Imagine the possibilities when paired with a 0.95 Noctilux. This is one area where the MM is unique: film and the M9 will not come close.

2. I really like the idea of a digital camera that ONLY shoots B+W. What I miss most about the fully-film days was the innateness of the media to the image. You made a decision to shoot a certain film and you had to stick with it, for better or worse. I used to (and still do) shoot a lot of b+w film. But I never convert my RAW digital files to b+w as it feels like cheating. Call me a wierdo, but I can't wait to be able to chuck an M9 (or M10) and an MM into a bag and just pick up one or the other depending on whether then, at that moment, I feel like shooting colour or b+w...

 

[Richard G]

I already have an M9 and have saved for an M10. (M8u for sale soon, if anyone's interested). I love shooting with my film cameras - usually loaded with Adox CHS or some other ultra-slow film.

So why am I seriously considering buying an MM? 2 things.

1: Usable 10,000ISO. What interested me about the sample shots were the level of detail straight-from-the-camera in the 100% crops. I've never seen anything like it. Even at 10,000. Imagine the possibilities when paired with a 0.95 Noctilux. This is one area where the MM is unique: film and the M9 will not come close.

2. I really like the idea of a digital camera that ONLY shoots B+W. What I miss most about the fully-film days was the innateness of the media to the image. You made a decision to shoot a certain film and you had to stick with it, for better or worse. I used to (and still do) shoot a lot of b+w film. But I never convert my RAW digital files to b+w as it feels like cheating. Call me a wierdo, but I can't wait to be able to chuck an M9 (or M10) and an MM into a bag and just pick up one or the other depending on whether then, at that moment, I feel like shooting colour or b+w...

Agree with both points. But not getting one yet.

 

[KEVIN-XU 愛 forever]

Seriously,go buy films!!! Don't spend such money on that luxury camera..... I think it's much more worth to spend money to support the B&W film and color film. Actually B&W film should be better than the digital.