M Monochrom . . . . it's not a review folks

[jonoslack]

but I've said a few words, and there are some pictures to look at.

Leica M Monochrom

it's all yours!

[Hosermage]

No wonder we haven't seen much of your photos from the china trip!

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Hosermage

No wonder we haven't seen much of your photos from the china trip!

[KurtKamka]

Awesome, Jono. Exactly what I was looking to see. Lots of shooting and not much talking ... too much of that on the LUF this morning.

Very nice photos, by the way. It looks like your visit was wonderful. I'm taking a trip to Quingdao in June to accompany my son to the university there so that he can spend the summer continuing his linguistics/Chinese education.

[dude163]

nice!!

[m_driscoll]

Jono,

Very cool. I, pathetic, dilettante photographer that I am, just traded my Nocti for one! No idea when they're available. I last used the Nocti 3-4 months ago. Only my snobbish Leica ego will miss it. Where there's a will, there's always a way to justify another photographic purchase. Great shots from China.

Cheers, Matt

Zenfolio | Matt Driscoll

[Jorgen Udvang]

Great photos, Jono, and that camera makes perfect sense. I wish I could say that I don't want one, but ever since Pete Myers' article at LL, I've wanted a b&w camera. Judging from the photos in your galleries and those at dpr, Leica has really made a Leica camera this time. It's unfortunate that it's a bit on the expensive side

I do have a fridge with lots of b&w goodies though, ready to be inserted into my ancient non-Leica, non-digital image makers

[CharlesK]

Jono, great shots! Love the tonality and the quality

[GrahamWelland]

Two words - hubba hubba! I actually think that it'll sell like hot cakes. If I had a spare $k I'd order one immediately.

[cam]

Originally Posted by jonoslack

but I've said a few words, and there are some pictures to look at.

Leica M Monochrom

it's all yours!

but why can't i see it?

i hate when i miss all the fun

i did get on after all, merci!

[bradhusick]

You mention it will be available in chrome and black. Is this true? I really want chrome but nobody else has mentioned that

[cam]

Originally Posted by bradhusick

You mention it will be available in chrome and black. Is this true? I really want chrome but nobody else has mentioned that

according to the store i was at, only black is available for order.

[Terry]

Originally Posted by cam

according to the store i was at, only black is available for order.

Store - well done Cam....you are wasting no time.

[cam]

Originally Posted by Terry

Store - well done Cam....you are wasting no time.

i'd like to say i was only schmoozing, but, well, golly gee whiz

(saving my pennies, though -- lunch was two tacos at Jack in the Box for 99 cents...)

[ashwinrao1]

Fantastic images, Jono, and thank you for sharing this real world perspective and fantastic images from your trip. Did Leica pay your way on that trip (I hope so), as your images will likely make their advertising catalog (or so I hope)....

I appreciate your images, and how they let the camera and the photog do the talking!

I too assumed that it'd only be available in black

[ashwinrao1]

And by all means, Jono, keep quackin'

[Ario Arioldi]

Thank You Jono, superb images.

[retow]

Fantastic pictures, thank you.

[Knorp]

Hi-de-hi Jono,

The camera and your images both excellent of course, but ... how was Berlin ?

[BishopB]

Beautiful images, Jono!

[charlesphoto]

Honestly, so far I'm not impressed by the images I've seen from this camera (and I'm not singling you out Jono). Seems to be a lot of blown highlights and washed out areas, and nothing that couldn't have been done just converting an M9 file (and maybe better).

Could just be a matter of one having to be really careful with exposure (esp highlights) and working it hard in post (just as one had to do in a darkroom). That said the 6400 shots are pretty amazing, but not enough for me to shell out $8K. Will be interested to try one for an afternoon sometime - Ashwin? Problem is, I find the colors of the M9 to be so fantastic I rarely want to shoot (convert) to b&w anymore!

[Terry]

Originally Posted by cam

lunch was two tacos at Jack in the Box for 99 cents...)

Welcome back to America or should it be

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Terry

Welcome back to America or should it be

no worries, I will have a nice swiss breakfast to compensate.
-bob

[ashwinrao1]

LOL. Charles, you know me well. I'll certainly want one, and should have the funds by July to actuate my desires....

If it works out that I can get one, you are more than welcome to take it for a test drive...I too am concerned about blown highlights, but then again, seeing the ISO 5000 images on Sean Reid's site leaves me wanting it to see what I could do with that and fast glass...

[cam]

Originally Posted by Bob

no worries, I will have a nice swiss breakfast to compensate.
-bob

lol! will you still be around later in the month? (i leave the 22nd, thank goodness for my digestive system.)

[Peter Klein]

Great job, Jono, you really showed us the place and the people while putting the camera through its paces. The camera is well beyond my means, but it looks like Leica made a wonderful instrument. (Note to self: Be nice to Ashwin, maybe he'll let me try his... )

[OlliL]

Great read Jono!
Now I'll go through the pictures, but they're already promising!

I'm pretty interested in seeing Silver Efex converted images from the M9-M, compared to those from the regular M9. Maybe, if you can put something up later?

[rayyan]

Excellent images and educated words from the field. But one has come to expect that from Jono.

Welcome back and thank you.

Do I need it, the M9-M? Many do. Do I want it? Maybe...the waiting list here is not too long. I have time to digest the information.

Take care Jono.

[dhsimmonds]

As our Dutch friends would say "now the monkey pops out of the sleeve".

Well done Jono, but I don't think that I will be putting my Silver Efex Pro plug-in away just yet!

[Mike Woods]

Very nice work Jono. So....are you buying?

Mike

[Braeside]

Thanks for posting Jono. I had guessed you had it because you mentioned you had been forced to use Lightroom for a camera recently.

Tried any tricolour photos with it using RGB filters?

[OlliL]

Jono bashing on RFF

RFF-Thread

[Vivek]

I hope it is not inappropriate if I link one of your images here,Jono.



That is worth more than any words. Well done!

[jto555]

Nice shots, however I think they would have look brilliant in colour! And that (of course) is the biggest flaw with the M9M, the lack of ability to decide when to shoot colour and when to shoot black and white.

The M9M may cost more to buy than an M9 but I bet the resale value will be lower.

[fotografz]

Thank you Jono, Lucky you!

A few questions, if you have a moment.

Does the Mono camera have a LCD highlight warning ability?

Did you work with any of the DNG images in Nik Silver Efex ... specifically any of the film choices that provide various tonal curves?

By chance did you use any color filters to mitigate dominate color responses?

How did you find the LCD resolution to work for B&W? I am a bit disappointed that Leica chose to not upgrade the LCD res.

-Marc

[jlm]

so Jono...aside from contributing a review, were you able to provide any feedback to Leica to assist the development of the camera?

[Double Negative]

Nice write up, Jono!

Sheesh, you didn't even mention LVL at the bottom...

[ptomsu]

Great work Jono!

All reviewing and testing and samples.

If B&W would be my thing, I would be excited. But given the IQ you can get already with most of today's color versions of digital cameras, at least I for myself cannot find any justification to invest into an M9M.

[HiredArm]

Great Images Jono. I'd go out on a limb and say you just single handedly sold at least 25 M9-M's with your pictures.

[RAM]

Wonderfull evocative images Jono - well done.

[D&A]

Originally Posted by jlm

so Jono...aside from contributing a review, wee you able to provide any feedback to Leica to assist the development of the camera?

I bet Jono had hammer and screwdriver in one hand and M9M in the other, all ready to show Leica he's ready and "in the know" in just what is required to assist them in the camera's development . I also noticed those birds (ducks) in one of the last images shown in your "write-up", are sort of lifeless...is this the way our subjects will be rendered when shot (no pun intended) with this new camera...LOL!

OK, I couldn't resist trying to inject a little humor into this post this morning but seriously, as was mentioned in one of the contributing posts here, I too would love to see comparisons of nearly identically taken images with the M9 and M9M with the M9 converted to B&W with Silver Fast....at various ISO's camera settings and of course alternate Nik developing styles. I have no doubt Leica did this comparison during the development of the M9M, but I think this may be one of a number of important questions that many have, who might be sitting on the fence with regard to purchase.

Jono, I equally enjoyed both reading your written description of your experiences with the camera and the lovely images accompanying your article...not only for the technical aspects of the M9M's output but the actual composition and subject matter displayed in those images. Thanks very much Jono for sharing all this with us!

Dave (D&A)

[rayyan]

Originally Posted by jto555

...And that (of course) is the biggest flaw with the M9M, the lack of ability to decide when to shoot colour and when to shoot black and white.

It is not a flaw actually. It was designed as such. Intentionally. Rather clever,
I think.

[scho]

Jono,
Marvelous set of images from tour China trip. You seem to have mastered Henri very well.

[fotografz]

Originally Posted by D&A

I bet Jono had hammer and screwdriver in one hand and M9M in the other, all ready to show Leica he's ready and "in the know" in just what is required to assist them in the camera's development . I also noticed those birds (ducks) in one of the last images shown in your "write-up", are sort of lifeless...is this the way our subjects will be rendered when shot (no pun intended) with this new camera...LOL!

OK, I couldn't resist trying to inject a little humor into this post this morning but seriously, as was mentioned in one of the contributing posts here, I too would love to see comparisons of nearly identically taken images with the M9 and M9M with the M9 converted to B&W with Silver Fast....at various ISO's camera settings and of course alternate Nik developing styles. I have no doubt Leica did this comparison during the development of the M9M, but I think this may be one of a number of important questions that many have who might be sitting on the fence with regard to purchase.

Jono, I equally enjoyed both reading your written description of your experiences with the camera and the lovely images accompanying your article...not only for the technical aspects of the M9M's output but the actual composition and subject matter displayed in those images. Thanks very much Jono for sharing all this with us!

Dave (D&A)

Especially some comparitive shots at ISO 5,000 and 10,000. Oh wait ...

-Marc

[Guy Mancuso]

I know this sounds so unLeica but rather just have the M9 and convert when I want. What happens when you really want color. I know I know you can start throwing the rocks at me. I'll go back to not posting now. Lol

[Godfrey]

In honor of the M9 Monochrom, I just fitted the first roll of XP2 into my 'new' 1971 Nikon F plain prism and stuck the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 on it. Let's see where the next 24 exposures takes me. :-)

[Paratom]

Originally Posted by fotografz

Especially some comparitive shots at ISO 5,000 and 10,000. Oh wait ...

-Marc

base ISO 320.....does that mean I need another ND filter now?

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Guy Mancuso

I know this sounds so unLeica but rather just have the M9 and convert when I want. What happens when you really want color. I know I know you can start throwing the rocks at me. I'll go back to not posting now. Lol

Two bodies

[Vivek]

Base ISO is 320. Isn't that another clever thing from Leica?

Start high and you can reach 10,000 in fewer steps.

[Vivek]

Originally Posted by Terry

Two bodies

Exactly! M9P and M9M. Same of everything (including the price tags) except the color details.