In this video you’ll see in the captions “Monochrom” and “Monochrome” but for the record this camera is officially the…Leica M Monochrom…the “Monochrome” was a result of auto-correct which I overlooked and didn’t get to “correct” all of them. Just a little bit of camera geek information that I’m ocd about sorry about that! 😂
I would only get a monochrom if the sensor has been replaced. If you can get one that has had the replacement it is a blast from the past that will be good for the the future. Maybe the best digital with film-like experience. I wanted one when they were first introduced, but had to wait a few years when the price was more reasonable and I could make a trade for one (sent it in to Leica for the free replacement sensor which included a new 1-year warrenty even second hand). Although only 18mp, with the monchrom sensor it actually punches far above that. Yes, ‘flat’ files out of the camera, so post processing is needed, and all the CCD information is there. It is very fun to use, I even like the sutter and advance rewind sound. Coming from a B&W background, it feels like I have a continous roll of monochrom film for free. The one limitation is the slow buffer. If you are a press the shutter and blashing off multiple frames the buffer fills after 6-7 exposures and you need to wait for it to clear. I’m not that type of photographer, but this has happened on a few occations. So, put a nice vintage Leitz lens on and it does amazing things, yes better in detail than film, higher IOS than film, but all the character of a vintage lens. And… very good review here that covers it all.
I agree with everything you've said here! Thanks for dropping this, it's going to be helpful to others thinking of this camera. Sorry for the late reply, I changed something in the settings and I haven't been getting my RUclips notifications. Thanks very much for watching and for your kind words!
@@GunstonGun I have a few but nothing a little cloning can't get rid of. I also have some dead pixels on my M8 and Nikon D70. It's unfortunately quite common on these older cameras. What you should be more concerned about is the possibility of sensor corrosion. I'm beginning to see signs of it on my M Monochrom and the people at Kolari told me it's going to cost $1499 and that's just the starting price! I'll be happy if I can get a couple more years of good pics out of the camera before having to pay the price. Good luck on your camera if you do have a case of bad pixels.
Can you elaborate more on the comparison between this & the Epson R-D1 when it comes to the rendering of the black & white files? I'm very tempted to buy the M9M & use the M-mount lenses to its fullest potential since it's full-frame instead of APS-C like on the R-D1.
Sure I'll be glad to give you my opinion on these two Camera Legends! When it comes to b&w rendering I would say the R-D1 is more like black and white from most digital cameras. By that I mean you can make those bw files as filmic as your processing skills can take it. Don't forget, as mentioned in my R-D1 video, it's the same sensor as the Nikon D100 so if you've had a D100 or similar camera, imagine how you'd process those files into bw. It's the same process. I personally prefer the R-D1 for color work. The thing that may make the R-D1 bw files look better or more "filmic" than a D100 is simply because when you're using vintage M mount or screw mount glass, these lenses often add character to the images but you can also use vintage Nikkors on the D100 too. If you want to see what an R-D1 bw files might look like I'd recommend getting a D100 cheap and processing those files. Image quality wise the M Monochrom is a different beast. The b&w files are flatter out of the box, the dark tones are deeper, and the resolution, acuity, and sharpness are way higher. What the R-D1 has over the M Monochrom is that it's just fun to shoot. It really feels like a film camera! Not that there's anything bad about the way the M Monochrom feels. It's beautiful and solid and feels like all the digital M bodies, but it's the files that are special. For a good compromise, I'd recommend the M9 standard and process black and whites from there. The files can get close to the M Monochrom which is based on the M9. And if you don't mind the crop, the M8 is fantastic and more affordable. Hard choices, I know! I started off with the R-D1and it took me years to acquire the others. Thanks for asking, I hope this helps.
@@cameralegend1033 Beers & Cameras did an article comparing the R-D1 and the M9. I agree with you, I prefer the colors of the R-D1. Thanks to you and Juan, I chose the R-D1s over the M9 (or its other variants). I still desire a filmic full-frame rangefinder. I'm now convinced to get the M9M not only because of your beautiful description but also because it performs better in low light than its color predecessor. M9M files have a "je ne sais quoi" that I prefer over the Typ246 or even the M11M, which are too clinical for my taste. Like you, I'll wait another 20 years for the M10M prices to become reasonable.
@@JonathanCabrales-wz8vi That's awesome! Yes because it's exclusively a black and white camera, the grain and grit at higher ISOs is definitely more than acceptable on the M Monochrom. In some ways, you kinda want that when shooting b&w. You could also get the smooth look when shooting at lower ISOs. I hope you'll enjoy your Monochrom when you get it! As mentioned in the video, the only real issue is the sensor corrosion so just look out for that, get one that's been fixed if possible and enjoy it. Feel free to post your experiences. Appreciate the kind words, many thanks!
@@cameralegend1033 It was an honor getting a reply from you. You sound very experienced unlike the photo hipsters with their algorithm-ready videos. I've always turned to your blog & videos for tech reviews. Funny you mentioned grain & grit, I even bought the Ricoh OG GRD to replicate the look created by Japanese photographers of the Vivo Collective & Provoke Magazine.
@@JonathanCabrales-wz8vi My pleasure! I appreciate hearing from you, you seem to have a great understanding for the things we talked about. The GRD and Monochrom will get great results in your hands no doubt! Thank you!
I totally agree. It is not for everyone and Leica is always expensive. By the way, I just noticed you're talking about the M9M and have updated this. Yes as mentioned in the video I got a really good deal on it. But as mentioned in the video you can get good b&w files out of most modern cameras even cameras from over a decade ago. Thanks for your comments!
For sure! I did use several Fuji X100, a Fuji X70 and they were great for B&W. Also the Ricoh GRD an GR were not bad. I do get great B&W results with my old Nikon D3. But man how much I like pictures taken with the M!! But I did get the 2th best I guess… I did make a great deal on a beautiful all black M8! And the RAW files converted to B&W look awesome. So happy man here🙌🙌. Keep up the good work dude!!👍
@@ferv5470 Thanks a lot for the kind words! You got the best deal with the M8! In my opinion it gives you the best of the M9 and the M9 Monochrom and really is a better value from those two cameras. The images are very close too. So you did good with the M8! Congrats and have fun with it 😍📸👍
Looking at the M9 (and M Monochrom) from the front, it's practically impossible to distinguish it from a film M camera due to the window that lets light into the viewfinder. The M typ 240 and its variants and later Ms eliminated that window and instead illuminate the viewfinder electronically. Another reason to get an M9/Monochrom !
Thanks a lot for your kind words! 😍🙏 No I haven't made a video on that but I have been thinking about doing a video about using lenses on the M cameras and the 7Artisans would be an interesting fit. I'm not sure if or when I'll do it but thanks for the suggestion it's certainly interesting!
Yes the Monochrom photos are superlative. Wow! I do wonder what the lens was, for those most detailed photos. Was it the Summilux 50mm? Wasn't the M8 was suggested as "the poor man's Monochrom" -- and since you have both of those, is there much truth to that? Good to see you again, thanks as always for your take on these great cameras.
Hi Number Six! The lens was actually the “lower” 50mm f/2 Summicron. Yes in my M8 video I mentioned that the M8 is known as “The Poor Man’s Monochrom” and if you’ll note, as a “poor man” I used the M8 for over ten years before I was finally able to get a Monochrom I could afford 😂 as to how close they are, we’re going to find out! Thanks for your comments as always 😍🙏👍
For the corrosion issue you can find M9 and M9M on eBay, Leica store and some camera store that have the sensor replaced by Leica with a certificate . It’ll cost more or less the same than finding a dealer that will add a thousand more dollars to fix your « cheap » purchase. Fun fact : repair service in Leica France told me that even some M8 could have corrosion issue.
Good suggestions! Yes buying from Leica store when they get these in is a great option. Interesting information about the M8, I wouldn’t be surprised. In fact, I would have expected it but good to hear some confirmation. Appreciate all the good information here and I’m sure anyone reading this will too. Thanks for sharing this!
Love this camera. Leica used to replace the sensor so anyone buying one can check if it was replaced to a new one that wasn’t prone to the corrosion. Leica will have given a service document when performing this and should be available. You could even contact them with the serial number and ask to check if this was done. Also - many people use the Leica M8 for monochrome as it has a poor IR filter on the sensor. The prices are going up but it is still usually a lot less than the Monochrom.
I share your sentiments on this camera, I’m not kidding when I say this camera produces some of the best files I’ve ever seen in terms of detail and resolution. Thanks for sharing this information on the M Monochrom and M8 it will be useful for anyone who reads this. Cheers!
@@cameralegend1033 no problem. The detail it produces is absolutely beautiful. I like editing files in Lightroom so the “flat” look doesn’t annoy me. I got an old Ricoh GR Digital and the jpegs looked great, the camera just wasn’t for me - too many quirks and the front wheel caused it to lock up. Had to sell it again but at least I lost no money as they too are becoming more sought after.
@@paulanderson24 I totally understand about the GRD it does have quirks despite its great b&w output. The M Monochrom has taken over my GRD as my favorite b&w camera, something I didn’t think was possible, love it! Appreciate your comments!
@@cameralegend1033 thank you for taking the time to reply, especially on an older video. Always great to chat about cameras and photos with people. Do you upload to instagram for example. The samples you included in the few videos I’ve watched are great. Really love how you see day to day life and capture it. Street/candid is a style I’ve not been comfortable with but trying to do it a little more
In this video you’ll see in the captions “Monochrom” and “Monochrome” but for the record this camera is officially the…Leica M Monochrom…the “Monochrome” was a result of auto-correct which I overlooked and didn’t get to “correct” all of them. Just a little bit of camera geek information that I’m ocd about sorry about that! 😂
I would only get a monochrom if the sensor has been replaced. If you can get one that has had the replacement it is a blast from the past that will be good for the the future. Maybe the best digital with film-like experience. I wanted one when they were first introduced, but had to wait a few years when the price was more reasonable and I could make a trade for one (sent it in to Leica for the free replacement sensor which included a new 1-year warrenty even second hand). Although only 18mp, with the monchrom sensor it actually punches far above that. Yes, ‘flat’ files out of the camera, so post processing is needed, and all the CCD information is there. It is very fun to use, I even like the sutter and advance rewind sound. Coming from a B&W background, it feels like I have a continous roll of monochrom film for free. The one limitation is the slow buffer. If you are a press the shutter and blashing off multiple frames the buffer fills after 6-7 exposures and you need to wait for it to clear. I’m not that type of photographer, but this has happened on a few occations. So, put a nice vintage Leitz lens on and it does amazing things, yes better in detail than film, higher IOS than film, but all the character of a vintage lens. And… very good review here that covers it all.
I agree with everything you've said here! Thanks for dropping this, it's going to be helpful to others thinking of this camera. Sorry for the late reply, I changed something in the settings and I haven't been getting my RUclips notifications. Thanks very much for watching and for your kind words!
any dead pixel on your ccd ? ID53?
@@GunstonGun I have a few but nothing a little cloning can't get rid of. I also have some dead pixels on my M8 and Nikon D70. It's unfortunately quite common on these older cameras. What you should be more concerned about is the possibility of sensor corrosion. I'm beginning to see signs of it on my M Monochrom and the people at Kolari told me it's going to cost $1499 and that's just the starting price! I'll be happy if I can get a couple more years of good pics out of the camera before having to pay the price. Good luck on your camera if you do have a case of bad pixels.
@@cameralegend1033 is your sensor also the ID53 series?
@@GunstonGun Mine is ID 52. Still on its original sensor.
Can you elaborate more on the comparison between this & the Epson R-D1 when it comes to the rendering of the black & white files? I'm very tempted to buy the M9M & use the M-mount lenses to its fullest potential since it's full-frame instead of APS-C like on the R-D1.
Sure I'll be glad to give you my opinion on these two Camera Legends! When it comes to b&w rendering I would say the R-D1 is more like black and white from most digital cameras. By that I mean you can make those bw files as filmic as your processing skills can take it. Don't forget, as mentioned in my R-D1 video, it's the same sensor as the Nikon D100 so if you've had a D100 or similar camera, imagine how you'd process those files into bw. It's the same process. I personally prefer the R-D1 for color work.
The thing that may make the R-D1 bw files look better or more "filmic" than a D100 is simply because when you're using vintage M mount or screw mount glass, these lenses often add character to the images but you can also use vintage Nikkors on the D100 too. If you want to see what an R-D1 bw files might look like I'd recommend getting a D100 cheap and processing those files.
Image quality wise the M Monochrom is a different beast. The b&w files are flatter out of the box, the dark tones are deeper, and the resolution, acuity, and sharpness are way higher.
What the R-D1 has over the M Monochrom is that it's just fun to shoot. It really feels like a film camera! Not that there's anything bad about the way the M Monochrom feels. It's beautiful and solid and feels like all the digital M bodies, but it's the files that are special.
For a good compromise, I'd recommend the M9 standard and process black and whites from there. The files can get close to the M Monochrom which is based on the M9. And if you don't mind the crop, the M8 is fantastic and more affordable.
Hard choices, I know! I started off with the R-D1and it took me years to acquire the others. Thanks for asking, I hope this helps.
@@cameralegend1033 Beers & Cameras did an article comparing the R-D1 and the M9. I agree with you, I prefer the colors of the R-D1. Thanks to you and Juan, I chose the R-D1s over the M9 (or its other variants).
I still desire a filmic full-frame rangefinder. I'm now convinced to get the M9M not only because of your beautiful description but also because it performs better in low light than its color predecessor. M9M files have a "je ne sais quoi" that I prefer over the Typ246 or even the M11M, which are too clinical for my taste.
Like you, I'll wait another 20 years for the M10M prices to become reasonable.
@@JonathanCabrales-wz8vi That's awesome! Yes because it's exclusively a black and white camera, the grain and grit at higher ISOs is definitely more than acceptable on the M Monochrom. In some ways, you kinda want that when shooting b&w. You could also get the smooth look when shooting at lower ISOs.
I hope you'll enjoy your Monochrom when you get it! As mentioned in the video, the only real issue is the sensor corrosion so just look out for that, get one that's been fixed if possible and enjoy it. Feel free to post your experiences.
Appreciate the kind words, many thanks!
@@cameralegend1033 It was an honor getting a reply from you. You sound very experienced unlike the photo hipsters with their algorithm-ready videos. I've always turned to your blog & videos for tech reviews.
Funny you mentioned grain & grit, I even bought the Ricoh OG GRD to replicate the look created by Japanese photographers of the Vivo Collective & Provoke Magazine.
@@JonathanCabrales-wz8vi My pleasure! I appreciate hearing from you, you seem to have a great understanding for the things we talked about. The GRD and Monochrom will get great results in your hands no doubt! Thank you!
I would love to own and use a M9M but it is still to expensive for me.
I totally agree. It is not for everyone and Leica is always expensive. By the way, I just noticed you're talking about the M9M and have updated this. Yes as mentioned in the video I got a really good deal on it. But as mentioned in the video you can get good b&w files out of most modern cameras even cameras from over a decade ago. Thanks for your comments!
For sure! I did use several Fuji X100, a Fuji X70 and they were great for B&W. Also the Ricoh GRD an GR were not bad. I do get great B&W results with my old Nikon D3. But man how much I like pictures taken with the M!! But I did get the 2th best I guess… I did make a great deal on a beautiful all black M8! And the RAW files converted to B&W look awesome. So happy man here🙌🙌. Keep up the good work dude!!👍
@@ferv5470 Thanks a lot for the kind words! You got the best deal with the M8! In my opinion it gives you the best of the M9 and the M9 Monochrom and really is a better value from those two cameras. The images are very close too. So you did good with the M8! Congrats and have fun with it 😍📸👍
Looking at the M9 (and M Monochrom) from the front, it's practically impossible to distinguish it from a film M camera due to the window that lets light into the viewfinder. The M typ 240 and its variants and later Ms eliminated that window and instead illuminate the viewfinder electronically. Another reason to get an M9/Monochrom !
Sorry I missed this! Somehow I'm not getting my notifications but great information, appreciate you taking the time. Thanks;
Great vid! Have you made one a bout the 7Artisans lens/M combo?✌️🇦🇺
Thanks a lot for your kind words! 😍🙏 No I haven't made a video on that but I have been thinking about doing a video about using lenses on the M cameras and the 7Artisans would be an interesting fit. I'm not sure if or when I'll do it but thanks for the suggestion it's certainly interesting!
Yes the Monochrom photos are superlative. Wow!
I do wonder what the lens was, for those most detailed photos. Was it the Summilux 50mm?
Wasn't the M8 was suggested as "the poor man's Monochrom" -- and since you have both of those, is there much truth to that?
Good to see you again, thanks as always for your take on these great cameras.
Hi Number Six! The lens was actually the “lower” 50mm f/2 Summicron. Yes in my M8 video I mentioned that the M8 is known as “The Poor Man’s Monochrom” and if you’ll note, as a “poor man” I used the M8 for over ten years before I was finally able to get a Monochrom I could afford 😂 as to how close they are, we’re going to find out! Thanks for your comments as always 😍🙏👍
For the corrosion issue you can find M9 and M9M on eBay, Leica store and some camera store that have the sensor replaced by Leica with a certificate . It’ll cost more or less the same than finding a dealer that will add a thousand more dollars to fix your « cheap » purchase. Fun fact : repair service in Leica France told me that even some M8 could have corrosion issue.
Good suggestions! Yes buying from Leica store when they get these in is a great option. Interesting information about the M8, I wouldn’t be surprised. In fact, I would have expected it but good to hear some confirmation. Appreciate all the good information here and I’m sure anyone reading this will too. Thanks for sharing this!
Files look amazing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the camera!
Thanks Simone! Appreciate your comments as always 😍🙏👍
Love this camera. Leica used to replace the sensor so anyone buying one can check if it was replaced to a new one that wasn’t prone to the corrosion. Leica will have given a service document when performing this and should be available.
You could even contact them with the serial number and ask to check if this was done.
Also - many people use the Leica M8 for monochrome as it has a poor IR filter on the sensor. The prices are going up but it is still usually a lot less than the Monochrom.
I share your sentiments on this camera, I’m not kidding when I say this camera produces some of the best files I’ve ever seen in terms of detail and resolution. Thanks for sharing this information on the M Monochrom and M8 it will be useful for anyone who reads this. Cheers!
@@cameralegend1033 no problem. The detail it produces is absolutely beautiful. I like editing files in Lightroom so the “flat” look doesn’t annoy me.
I got an old Ricoh GR Digital and the jpegs looked great, the camera just wasn’t for me - too many quirks and the front wheel caused it to lock up. Had to sell it again but at least I lost no money as they too are becoming more sought after.
@@paulanderson24 I totally understand about the GRD it does have quirks despite its great b&w output. The M Monochrom has taken over my GRD as my favorite b&w camera, something I didn’t think was possible, love it! Appreciate your comments!
@@cameralegend1033 thank you for taking the time to reply, especially on an older video. Always great to chat about cameras and photos with people. Do you upload to instagram for example. The samples you included in the few videos I’ve watched are great. Really love how you see day to day life and capture it. Street/candid is a style I’ve not been comfortable with but trying to do it a little more
The monochrom is still my favourite,bought mine 2016 with a updated sensor
I'm drooling now! 👍
Time to seek one out! Just make sure it’s a good one! 😎 Appreciate your comments thanks! 😍📸👍
Very informative
I try! Thanks! 😍🙏👍