Thinking of buying a Monochrom M

[Jennifer]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

?..............Of course there are some who may have close company ties, but that's not surprising given the small company approach that relies on members for beta testing and otherwise. I'm sure a lot is spoken behind doors.

 

Jeff

 

"Small company approach"?? Seemingly, it's a decades old Microsoft company policy to use it's paying customers as beta testers post launch.

[erl]

Kenneth, bring your conundrum back to the money.

You say you have it. Good.

What can you really do with money? Spend it!

Absolutely, money has no other use.

So, unless you have something else to spend it on, buy the Monochrom.

Enjoy what can be done with the Monochrom. Money can't do that for you.

Even if you are a lousy photographer ( ) you can still enjoy the camera.

You don't have to make top class pictures to enjoy the gear.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[fursan]

There are plenty of other cameras available that are cheaper and just as good. Even if you insist on buying a digital Leica M, there are loads of better value options that will still provide a black and white digital file that is, on most meaningful measures, as good as a Monochrom file. .....

 

Ian, I am exploring possibilities for monochrome. Could you please let me have some camera makes to make it easier for me..

 

Best regards.

[tookaphotoof]

Jeff, as with all things depreciation is steep in the first couple of years.

 

Anyways, 50 years into photography an now having a lust for the Monochrom?

I'd say, run to the shop, get one and use it!

If it doesn't work for you, at least you've tried.

Even canny old Yorkshire men won't be able to take the money with them at the finish line.

I'm far from rich, spend way too much money on a couple of Leica's and enjoy them every day. They gather valuable memories for me. That's worth more than being able to live in a castle.

[tookaphotoof]

So I'm mixing up the Yorkshireman with someone else... [emoji16]

[Jennifer]

Jeff, as with all things depreciation is steep in the first couple of years.

 

Anyways, 50 years into photography an now having a lust for the Monochrom?

I'd say, run to the shop, get one and use it!

If it doesn't work for you, at least you've tried.

Even canny old Yorkshire men won't be able to take the money with them at the finish line.

I'm far from rich, spend way too much money on a couple of Leica's and enjoy them every day. They gather valuable memories for me. That's worth more than being able to live in a castle.

 

Asbestos suitcase??

[erl]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

[mmradman]

Kenneth,

 

Just seen second hand MM for less than £5k at well known UK dealer (LUF sponsor), that is 20% saving over new model and it comes with dealers six month warranty plus Leica would service any senior failure for free beyond original warranty period. By the way UK market is awash is secondhand Monocrom bodies.

 

Personally I would wait few more months and buy new monochrome model based on M240, you get more advanced camera than one based on M9.

[dj_61]

I seriously doubt that there will be a new monochrom within several months. Leica just relased the silver version.

[mmradman]

I seriously doubt that there will be a new monochrom within several months. Leica just relased the silver version.

 

Several months or bit longer it will happen eventually, expressing my opinion which platform I prefer as digital device (use both M9 and M240 btw).

[kenneth]

How could we? You seem determined not to buy what is widely recognised as a classic Leica camera. Best not to get one.

Well if you put it that way, I might have to. Do I buy black or chrome?

[kenneth]

"Small company approach"?? Seemingly, it's a decades old Microsoft company policy to use it's paying customers as beta testers post launch.

Here is a guy I have go t to know, seems very knowledgeable and was involved with NASA and worked with Leica on the Monochrom M in the early days. Really nice guy Pete Myers, Fine Art Photographer, Santa Fe, New Mexico

[kenneth]

Kenneth, bring your conundrum back to the money.

You say you have it. Good.

What can you really do with money? Spend it!

Absolutely, money has no other use.

So, unless you have something else to spend it on, buy the Monochrom.

Enjoy what can be done with the Monochrom. Money can't do that for you.

Even if you are a lousy photographer ( ) you can still enjoy the camera.

You don't have to make top class pictures to enjoy the gear.

I am fast running out of excuses, you guys are so good. I will also need a scanner as well, I gather the Epson 750 is a good neg/ slide/ scanner. I think I will hang onto my film cameras though

[erl]

Definitely hang on to your film cameras. I hope you have a darkroom/bolthole otherwise you will need a scanner, but not for the MM.

 

I sense that already your life is looking up.

 

P.S. You will need good fast computer to process digital files though.

You see, that's what I mean about money. You can only spend it!

Edited August 24, 2014 by erl

[jaapv]

Here is a guy I have go t to know, seems very knowledgeable and was involved with NASA and worked with Leica on the Monochrom M in the early days. Really nice guy Pete Myers, Fine Art Photographer, Santa Fe, New Mexico

 

Err....he was working with a Kodak DCS 14 without Bayer filter. But thank you for pointing out the site. The tones of that old Kodak monochrome camera resemble the MM closely. Interesting.

[Jeff S]

Err....he was working with a Kodak DCS 14 without Bayer filter. But thank you for pointing out the site. The tones of that old Kodak monochrome camera resemble the MM closely. Interesting.

 

Kenneth didn't say he (Pete) used the MM for his pics, only that he worked with Leica on the MM (presumably on its development).

 

One of the articles linked on his site says he was the first to use the Kodak.

 

Jeff

Edited August 24, 2014 by Jeff S

[kenneth]

I mentioned earlier that I wrote to Leica Ag re my concerns and thought others might be interested to see the reply

 

Dear Mr Cooke,

 

Thanks for getting in touch. The problem of long-term servicing of digital cameras is something that affects all brands. Leica have said they will endeavour to support their digital M cameras for a period of at least ten years after production ceases. After that, they cannot say - due to the non-availability of spare parts.

 

With the M8, Leica originally hoped to offer upgrades to keep the product current. But they did not anticipate the way that specifications change, making components of a certain age obsolete.

 

I myself own an M8, and mine still functions perfectly. Of course I am not happy if the screen were to stop working, as I would not be able to use the camera any more. But I hope that, if I look after it carefully, (which I do) it will last me another ten years!

 

If Leica reach a point where they are no longer able to support the M Mono, it will be because spare parts are no longer obtainable. They will not withdraw support otherwise.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

 

I am seriously thinking of proceeding with the purchase of a Leica Monochrom M and that is because of the encouragement and kind support that I have received from some of the members here. I say some because others have been, quite frankly counter productive to that end, I am sure they know who they are. Ego can be a disruptive element we can all suffer from but I am grateful indeed to those who have sincerely helped by pointing the way and I will surely seeking your valuable help after acquiring the camera and I am a digital Neanderthal.

Edited August 24, 2014 by andybarton
No personal details of third parties please

[Avatar]

You won't regret the decision to get a Monochrom. It's in a class by itself to say the least.

 

Here's a thread I made the first day or week I got mine. The amount of shadow detail you can bring out in an image is truly astounding.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/street-photography/258192-day-monochrome.html

 

Hope you don't change your mind. : )

[adespen]

I still have my Canon PowerShot sub megapixel digital camera and a Sony Mavica floppy disc camera that work but I no longer want to use them. Obsolescence?

Tastes change faster.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[wattsy]

Ian, I am exploring possibilities for monochrome. Could you please let me have some camera makes to make it easier for me..

 

Once you get beyond a certain level of camera (pretty much anything nowadays with a reasonably large chip) it is possible, with solid processing skills, to obtain good quality black and white. I've tended to use Leica exclusively for many years now but when, for whatever reason, I've used a Canon or Nikon, I've not found it difficult to obtain pleasing results. Sticking with Leica, I've found both M8 and M9 as excellent cameras for digital black and white. The latter has an "internet gossip" reputation for being less suited to black and white and, whilst tonally it is different to the M8 and, particularly, the M Monochrom, it is still a very fine camera for making black and white conversions and can be bought for less than half the price of the more esteemed Monochrom.