Are You a Better Photographer b/c You Use a leica Monochrom?

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That is what the M9 did to me when I switched to RF in 2010. 

 

I think the MM makes me a better black and white photographer simply because I shoot more and more freely. Any camera that inspires you and gets you out there and practice your craft is the one that will make you a better photographer. The M8 was the greatest investment I ever made to further my style as a photographer, and I have owned plenty of cameras that just didn't speak to me. I ended up not using them a lot and ultimately sold them again. Hopefully the photographers that bought them are inspired by them and create wonderful work. The last one of these cameras I sold was a Hasselblad XPan. And I am currently selling my medium format back, mostly because I am having so much fun with the MM and would rather put my money into another lens for it.

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[pklein]

The (original) MM's form and controls feel just right to me, and that does help make me a better photographer.  The MM gives me a beautiful, flexible file that responds well to my intentions, and that helps make me a better photographer. The MM is optimized for the best digital B&W, and that helps me be a better B&W photographer.  Note that I say "helps make," not "makes," because it's still me that frames and takes the picture.  But I must say that when I started to use the MM (9), it was like coming home, and I'm loving the results I'm getting from it.  I can only speak for myself, but I sense that with the MM I can rise to my potential more easily.  I feel a closer connection with the whole process of photography, something that I haven't felt since my days with a film M.

[skinnfell]

I am not going to comment on the article in question, since it has a high degree of irony and subjectivity.

But I will answer your question in the post title.

 

I firmly believe that the Monochrom has made me a better photographer.

Before that I would say the same thing about using an all-manual rangefinder camera (M6/M8/M9).

Before that I would say the same thing about using one fixed focal lenght for several years. (50mm in my case)

 

See the pattern?

Simpler equipment = better photographer.

(at least in my case)

 

The added quality of the optics and mechanics of leica is a nice bonus, but does little against the betterness of my images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ThePioneer]

Why, of course! Doesn't it work that way with everyone?

 

You have to have a camera to be a photographer of any type. It works even better if your camera works the way you think. My granddaughter (she has an eye as well) likes her I-Phone because it works the way she thinks. I grew up with a K1000 so the Monochrom fits my thought process.

 

But, am I a great photographer? Well...no. Becoming great means you have transcended the tools. I believe the great ones are creating the photograph before they even select the tool. The tool, the camera, for them becomes part of the creation because it facilitates it.

[enboe]

The MM, and as of this week, MM2 don't make me a better photographer, but may help bring out the better photographer already within me.  Let me expand on that.

 

Leicas are about the photographic process for me.  A new M is a fun thing.  MM shooting is about recalling and applying the skills of B&W photography.  So would a roll of Tri-X, so it's not the MM.

 

if you're looking for a technical tool to do the job, the MM/MM2 will meet the need,  If you enjoy M shooting and B&W, then it's definitely enjoyable.  If you just need a new toy and have the money, by all means, get on the list.

 

Eric

 

P. S.  The real question is if the new Leica Q will make you a better photographer.

[Ai_Print]

Why yes.....I am better because I shoot "Monochrom".....

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[Peter H]

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No, of course not.

 

You may feel that a camera you feel good about allows you to become a better photographer,  but so may a good breakfast or a comfortable pair of trousers.

 

Nice things are nice, but they don't make us better.

[pico]

No equipment in this world can improve my photography, unless it includes a personality transplant.

[wilfredo]

I enjoyed reading your article.  I concur with you that mindfulness is part of the photographic process for those of us who choose to work with equipment such as the Leica M cameras.  I have a nephew, now 9 years old, who loves shooting photos with an Ipad.  He has a definite eye for photography, and perhaps someday his eye will mature to the point where he will opt for a Leica?  He's got a few decades to prepare for the expense.

 

I believe my Leica Monochrom makes me a better photographer (as did my previous M's) because I can dance with it! It's been the best dance partner I've had thus far, and what I mean by that is that it folllows my lead.  My photography is based on my ability to see something worth shooting, composing the shot, and snapping the shutter.  Having a tool that will bring my vision to life is an integral part of that process, so yes my original Leica Monochrom makes me a better photographer.  Thank you for the article.

[sls]

Does an MM make me a better photographer? 

 

I've just sold my M9 and purchased a Q (two weeks ago) and a second hand MM1, plus a 50 cron-M, offloading a couple of lenses. 

 

I just took some test shots outside the store and one of the radio on the shelf behind my desk in the office, for the sake of it being the nearest object in a bit of light. It almost looks like I was trying to take a proper photograph ! 

 

I might not be a better photographer, but I'm expecting some better images.

 

Very random test shots:

 

 

 

[algrove]

Of course! What a question, although I am still waiting for that perceived improvement. It will probably come tomorrow although my diary says I wrote that about 5 years ago too.

 

Pico--I think some can be more artistic by writing in the snow for immediate gratification on more than one front.

[sls]

Well, I've been out for my first afternoon with my new M Monochrom 1 and 50mm Summicron-M and (1) it was a lot of fun (2) very pleased with the results compared to my M9. Here's a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here's one with my 21mm Zeiss

 

[sls]

Indulge me, relatively new to this forum and I'm not terribly tech savvy. My little kid told me to use Flickr instead of Imageshack ("were have you been dad?" he says), I'm told they render much better, so I've re-uploaded some of the previous images. 

 

I also tried to delete and replace in the previous post, but that does not seem to be possible.

 

L1008766 by Steven Segal, on Flickr

 

L1008796 by Steven Segal, on Flickr

 

L1008806 by Steven Segal, on Flickr

 

That's better !! Bye, bye Imageshack

[tomlianza]

First, some background: My college degree is a Masters Degree in Photographic Science and Instrumentation from RIT and yes, I knew Les Stroebel.  Like the author of the blog, I have shot film for about 50 years and developed my first photographic image at age 11.  The moment I saw the image develop in the tray, I was hooked.  My own photographic experience centered around the Nikon F and a Leica M2 with a Sekonic Studio Deluxe meter.  As digital scanners became available, I shot a lot of color negative material because the dynamic range was tremendous and small errors in exposure were easily corrected.  As I look back on my personal history of photography, I can say that I DON'T THINK ANY camera made me a better photographer.  There have been a number of cameras that have made me a worse photographer, however.  When you have an understanding of the science, the craft becomes second nature.  Most digital cameras today can be likened to bicycles with training wheels.  Anyone can ride them, but sometimes, you just want to go faster, or over rough terrain.  For me, the Leica M9 and the Nikon d800e are cameras that let me do the work.  They don't get in the way.  I can manually focus, I can adjust exposure quickly when using the camera in full manual mode and overall, the camera doesn't get in the way.  I am in the process of selling my Fuji XT-1 and a number of lenses.  This camera DID get in the way and , by definition, it made me a worse photographer.  The digital viewfinder was too dim when used in bright sunlight.  The lag between bringing the camera to my eye and the camera going through it's auto-focus/auto-exposure cycle, was just too long.  Yes, I could set the camera to always use the EVF, but then if I had to make a menu adjustment, I had to hit another button to move the data to the back LCD.  Manual focus was chore and very slow with some of the lenses.  Some of the lenses had aperture rings, and others did not.  While the Fuji is a very good camera, it was a very bad camera for me.  I decided to replace the XT-1 with a Leica M240.  I am consciously taking a technical step backward from the automation, but I will be in a much more comfortable zone when I shoot.   So, I am taking a bit of a contrarian view: I believe that there are cameras that can make you a lesser photographer.   I still have my little Fuji x-30 which is, in my mind, the perfect point and shoot camera.  I almost never shoot with the iPhone, but it does take reasonable images.  I think that it is my age and experience that dictate what cameras I am comfortable with.  

[sls]

You make the point perfectly. Digital SLRs made me a worse photographer, I'm probably back where I was 20 years ago, using a single prime lens mostly, but with better kit.

 

I went to talk a few years back by a Canon UK in-house photographer. After 20 minutes my brain was about to explode with all the information.

[pico]

Pico--I think some can be more artistic by writing in the snow for immediate gratification on more than one front.

I am surprised that anyone remembers that post! You made my day.

[IWC Doppel]

The title was there to be provocative, I have no doubt. For me the Monochrom has yet to make me any better, but then I have only had my MM for 3 weeks, I'd say the experience of using my camera's over the last few years have, but that's true of a lot if not all cameras if you bother to look at your images and learn. One thing I always hated about smaller digital cameras was the shutter lag, those cameras made me a worse photographer !

 

I can say I have no feature on my Fuji X100S that I wish my MM or M9-P had 

[Manoleica]

Photographic skills evolve over time. Leica like many other camera/lens makers do not include a skllls pack within their packages.. Of course your Porsche makes you a better driver & your Rolex makes you a better time keeper!! Believe what you like.. Take away all the PP digital wizardry and what's left? You tell me!!

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[algrove]

Although there are less expensive ways to help one think in B&W while taking B&W images, the MM sure helps.  Or course shooting a color camera with DNG set to color and jpeg set to B&W and also the LCD set to view images taken in B&W sure helps a lot. In fact before deciding whether to buy the first MM, I used this technique a lot. 

[Peter H]

I know I'm getting very boring on this topic, (maybe "getting" is too optimistic!) but I've seen so many perfectly good photos that don't benefit at all from being in B&W, and may suffer for it, that I'm convinced more than ever that great cameras need great photographers, whereas the opposite isn't the case.