Our response, when we first heard about the M-Monochrom was not dissimilar to those Leica users who've heard the rumors about the camera - falling somewhere between surprise and incredulity.
However, spend some time with the M-M and, in its own reality-impervious way, it begins to make a strange kind of sense.
The level of detail the camera captures is nothing short of astonishing and, as we found when shooting the M9, there's a real pleasure to be found in having to think harder about the shots you're taking. Getting the best out of the Monochrom takes practise (perhaps a lifetime's worth) and processing, but willfully embracing that challenge seems to be part of what this camera is about.
Is it easier, more flexible and many times less expensive to shoot in color and make black-and-white conversions (albeit at a cost of the pixel-level detail the M-Monochrom offers)? Of course it is. But then there are many cameras that offer greater capability, flexibility and (in most respects), image quality than the M9 (at a fraction of the cost), but that doesn't make the Leica any less desirable.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $7,950.00 / £6,120 (inc VAT) |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Rangefinder-style mirrorless |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy with synthetic leather trim. Top deck and baseplate in brass with black chrome finish |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 5212 x 3472 |
| Other resolutions | 3840 x 2592, 2592 x 1728, 1728 x 1152, 1280 x 846 |
| Image ratio w:h | 3:2 |
| Effective pixels | 18.0 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 18.5 megapixels |
| Sensor size | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor type | CCD |
| Color space | sRGB hardwired |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, Pull 160, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3200, 4000, 5000, 6400, 8000, 10000 |
| White balance presets | 0 |
| Custom white balance | No |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, Standard |
| File format |
|
| Image parameters |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Digital zoom | No |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Lens mount | Leica M mount |
| Focal length multiplier | 1× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 2.5" |
| Screen dots | 230,000 |
| Touch screen | No |
| Screen type | TFT color LCD with a sapphire glass LCD cover |
| Live view | No |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (rangefinder) |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.68× |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 32 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Built-in flash | No |
| External flash | Yes (Hot-shoe) |
| Flash modes | Front Curtain, Rear Curtain, Slow sync |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/180 sec |
| Continuous drive | Yes (2 fps) |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±3 EV (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±2 (3, 5, 7 frames ) |
| WB Bracketing | No |
| Videography features | |
| Microphone | None |
| Speaker | None |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC card |
| Storage included | None |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | No |
| Wireless | None |
| Remote control | No |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery & charger |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 600 g (1.32 lb / 21.16 oz) |
| Dimensions | 139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.46") |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | No |
| GPS | None |
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