Poll: Who would purchase a B&W ONLY digital M?

[jrgeoffrion]

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Given, primarily, that Leica offers "niche" products rather than "mass market" products, Leica doesn't necessarily need the same volume as C and N to make a product viable. As such, acceptance of certain products doesn't need to be as high.

 

Now that the M8 will most likely be corrected, I am curious as to who would put down their own money to purchase an EXCLUSIVELY BLACK-AND-WHITE DIGITAL M? Because of the lack of Bayer pattern CFA, the camera would have the following characteristics:

 

- higher base sensitivity by roughly 1 full stop - this means that the current 160 ISO would because 320 ISO without any increased noise;

- same number of pixels as the M8 with higher resolution (since there is no color interpolation);

- higher DR;

- potential to use B&W filters and have the same effects as with B&W films; and

- no WB to be performed.

 

I have to say that, for my wedding photography, I would certainly put the money down tomorrow if such a camera was available.

 

Color is nice... but black-and-white is timeless.

 

Would you purchase one? If so, would it be "in addition" to your M8 or "instead" of your M8?

[Guest stnami]

I will take :1 black one and 1 white one please

[carstenw]

I would not purchase one. I *will* accept the flaws in the current model, with an IR filter and an improved firmware. The camera as it is is not what I was hoping for, but it is enough.

[Vivek Iyer]

If RGB (10mp each) layers are removed, potentially one could have a 30mp B&W camera or

a 10mp camera with higher D-range (cf: 6mp or 12mp Fuji S3Pro).

 

I will consider it seriously if it will come without the IR cut filter.

[gumshoecamus]

without a doubt I would snap one up, in addition to the colour M8 I have on order

I am rather peverse, even though I am of the post-internet generation, and find that the more restrictions I have the better my work is. this is why I have never taken to autofocus or autoexposure cameras, even in the digital era. a camera that was only b/w would be thrilling because I wouldn't have to decide, either when making the image or processing it.

gilbert and george say they always wear the same suits every day so they don't have to waste time and energy choosing, and can concentrate on what really interests them.

dave

[jrgeoffrion]

If RGB (10mp each) layers are removed, potentially one could have a 30mp B&W camera or

a 10mp camera with higher D-range (cf: 6mp or 12mp Fuji S3Pro).

 

I will consider it seriously if it will come without the IR cut filter.

 

This is correct, the bit-depth (shades of grey) could be the full bit-depth of the camera -- a lot more than with color.

[grober]

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Practically speaking, we all have -- until Leica gets things sorted out.

 

-g

[devils-advocate]

Absolutely. I would much prefer a dedicated B&W Digital M.

[Dan States]

Would it take that old black and white Polaroid film with the seperate sqeege for the fixer?

 

I would only buy it if it had a lever advance, and ran off the methane produced by cow pies.

[chrism]

Where do I sign up for this beast? Me wants one.

 

Chris

[jrgeoffrion]

Practically speaking, we all have -- until Leica gets things sorted out.

 

-g

 

ROTFL. Not exactly... but...

[blado]

I don't know, but I am kind of blown away by the jpegs with the black and white setting. It isn't like 'no colour' or desaturated. I don't know if it's the lens (older 35 I have) or the sensor, but it's unlike any other digital I've had. I used to think a dedicated bw would be cool, but I can only (not) afford one M8. May I ask, how does one exploit the infrared possibilities with this camera in black and white?

[sdai]

If they could get it right then I will - even at a premium - would that be an à la carte option?

[J_Brittenson]

Depends on what its spectral sensitivity is. If it's panchromatic with about twice the sensitivity towards the blue end vs red, then I'd find it potentially interesting. If it's grossly red sensitive and poorly IR filtered I'd pass.

[devils-advocate]

If they could get it right then I will - even at a premium - would that be an à la carte option?

 

Kodak has made, and still makes, monochrome sensors. There's no reason in principle that I can think of why one of these could not be adapted for RF use in the same way the current sensor has.

 

They really would sell a ton of them! Every collector would buy one, and a LOT of users, too.

[sdai]

There's no reason in principle that I can think of why one of these could not be adapted for RF use in the same way the current sensor has.

 

Perhaps there are technical hurdles like the ones we're seeing right now - like Jan already pointed out, if it's only grossly red sensitive and also has the IR issues then it won't be too interesting, but I do agree if Kodak could make the 760m in 2001 then I don't see many reasons why they couldn't rock again 5 years later ... in fact, DALSA also makes monochrome sensors up to 33MP - don't know who are buying those though.

[scho]

Yes, I'd love to have a digital B&W only M.

[jrgeoffrion]

I'll set-up a PayPal account this afternoon and will take a deposit and forward it to Leica.

[strick]

Yes, I'd be very glad to have it, and it would be not instead of, but in addition to my color M9 or M10

 

Greg

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[cjago]

Kodak has made, and still makes, monochrome sensors. There's no reason in principle that I can think of why one of these could not be adapted for RF use in the same way the current sensor has.

 

They really would sell a ton of them! Every collector would buy one, and a LOT of users, too.

 

Definitely a "buy" from where I stand.

 

I've toyed with the idea of dedicated mono digital lots of times, but none of the cameras that it has been put into have been up to it. Not the fault of the sensor, but the camera.

 

M8mono. Definitely.