A new Leica M Monochrom and Special Artist Edition soon?

A new Leica M Monochrom and Special Artist Edition soon?

Leica-M-Monochrom-Silver-Chrome-550x309

It appears Leica has been working on a new Monochrom camera based on the M 240 (as I hinted at long ago). Gone will be the current monochrome and in its place the new version which will be like an M 240/M-P but with its sensor receiving the B&W treatment just as the M9 did for the current Monochrom camera. It will give a different look just as the M 240 gives a different look over the M9, and IMO, it will be better with a higher Dynamic Range as well as giving better high ISO performance. My guess? ISO 25,000 max. Just a guess of course. 🙂

So when will this new Monochrom hit the streets? NO idea, as for now it is just really rumors as nothing is official yet but somehow info has leaked (as it always seems to do).

The other big news/rumor is that there will be a full on raw brass M 240 “Lenny Kravitz” special edition. Not sure I get this one at all but hey, some may enjoy it. Usually if there is a celebs name on it, expect to pay more and being unique it will end up being a limited run priced higher than any standard M 240 or M-P. I will predict it is nothing more than cosmetics as it will have the same sensor as the M 240 and M-P. Nothing is confirmed as to it being a “Lenny Kravitz” edition but that is the word on the street (Lenny is an avid Leica shooter).

I am loving my silver chrome Monochrom which is already a classic. Will be interesting to see when this new version arrives but we all knew it was only a matter of time.

As soon as more details and news or release info hits I will share it here. Seeing that I am not a rumor site though, you may want to check LeicaRumors.com to see if they have more info.

Steve

 

27 Comments

  1. Yes, please, a special edition MP 60 mix: either a vulgar MP with no back display (one thing less to break) just RAW and that gorgeous ISO dial…or a B&W sensor… But I do love my M typ 240 M-P…!

  2. I think the old Monochrom will always be a classic and many may choose to hold onto it rather than trade up -who knows ? I wish Leica well with all their new cameras as they are only a tiny enterprise in comparison to the competition and they add something interesting to the mix.They need to pursue the market as staying static in the modern age is not an option.

    So ok I’m a Leica fan -but I do not like their special edition culture -they would be better employed in making Leica (Loaners ) available to up and coming photographers and especially photographers who risk their lives trying to document the ills of the world to best effect awareness and change.

    Rgds

  3. I still don’t understand why it isn’t possible to make a “M” body with the possibility of exchanging the sensor and perhaps the LCD panel. A “M” body with it’s rangefinder should last 30+ years, so why force people to buy a whole new camera every other couple of years? Exchanging the sensor and LCD for about $3500 would make more sense to me then feeling the need to trade in my almost new camera the moment a new one hits the street. I feel Leica could get a lot more fans if they went that route.
    Anyway, i hope they have they have the brains to leave the whole video thing out of the new Monochrome. (and out of every future “M”!)

  4. Also…The EVF and focus peaking was to be a critical tool for using shallow DOF M and legacy R lenses. The primitive one matched with the M240 cannot be upgraded because of the camera chipset employed so unless they refresh it for the MM230 (?), I’ll stick with the original MM. As Steve says, it’s a classic. Without a Bayer, it already resolves way above the 18 MP of its sensor (verified by Roger Cicala at Lens Rentals). A 24 MP sensor, sans Bayer, ought better the D810 in terms of resolution by a significant margin. Then again, it may prove be too demanding for some older glass, as was the case with the D8xx, or show exaggerated vibration sensitivity (because of the small pixel pitch), like the Sony a7R and the need to shoot WO because of diffraction issues.

  5. Wonder if the files will exhibit that lovely grain-like noise of the current M Monochrom. I love my M Monochrom for many reasons, but one of them is that the images from it can blend seamlessly (at moderate sizes) with those from my M2 and M6.

    But I suspect you’re right, Steve – higher ISO, more dynamic range and, I’ll bet, much, much finer noise in the files. Billboard-sized images will be a cinch.

  6. I love my Monochrom, but a 2nd gen 24MP Monochrom with an EVF and live view is something I would seriously have to consider, unfortunately. There’s an old saying among photographers, “If you want to make a small fortune in photography, start with a large one.” Nothing, but nothing, drives that point home like Leica.

    • Wow Alex, that’s a big call! I’ve been considering the RX1 for years, but have also been tempted by the M9 or a Sony A7s as well.

      Steve has raved about the RX1, so I’m curious to know how you’re finding it?

  7. Having “a camera to grow old with” is just a cliche for lusting after the latest model in this age of continuous obsolescence. I’m not saying that a new M-Mono based on the M240 wouldn’t be great — but I’ll stick with my M-E for a while before I “upgrade” to yet another $10K+ beauty!

    Actually, IMO, I’m happy to go backwards — to the M6TTL which I’ve just purchased. I’m 71 now, and that’s a camera I should have grown old with!!!

  8. Instead of churning out more questionable M updates, be great to see a couple of primes for the T system, a 60 1.7 (90 summarit) would be sweet and get me to buy into the system.

  9. Fascinating news!Beautiful mono pics on here Steve,I really enjoyed looking at them.John P

  10. I’ve been saving my pennies for a Monochrom with EVF (the rangefinder is becoming impractical as the eyes age). I hope an M240-based Monochrom will use the EVF from the T and not the EVF for the M240 and X2. Fingers crossed.

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