Leica has a rich history in photography and while their cameras are polarizing based purely on price, their pedigree isn't up for dispute. In this video, Mattias Burling discusses why the original Leica M Monochrom is a great purchase in 2022.
It has been a while since I discussed my feelings on Leica. When I started photography, I revered the brand because others I respected did. Then, over the next few years, I pulled a complete 180 and decided they were unjustifiably overpriced. Finally, I was invited to their office in London to test out some of their bodies and I changed again. Yes, they're expensive — you may even be able to argue they're overpriced — but they're excellent.
Incidentally, one of the cameras I tried was the Leica M Monochrom, which did feel like flypaper for Leica-critics; it's expensive, it only shoots black and white, it misses many of the mod cons from more familiar cameras, and so on. Nevertheless, it was a bizarre and enchanting experience. The feel of the camera, the experience of shooting with, and the files that resulted were all just so pleasing.
It feels as if every person who thinks Leica cameras aren't for them, is right. But, before you write them off based on someone else's opinion or because they're expensive, see if you can try one — you might be surprised.
Agreed that you must try a Leica before you can understand its appeal. I would add that you need to play with it for a few hours. Leica needs to have a system where you can borrow the camera for a few hours. The Sony store and the Fuji store in NYC both allowed for full day, no cost camera loans.
I think a used M246 Monochrom is the smart buy. The M9 Monochrom has a small buffer and isn't amazing in low light. The M10 Monochrom is excellent in every way but the price is hard to justify.
What do you mean isn’t amazing in low light? This was the first digital Leica that truly is amazing in low light, and while it won’t go beyond ISO 10,000, images captured in near darkness at that ISO look amazing. Sure, ISO has noise, but it is of the beautiful “looks like nice film grain” variety rather than the ugly color splotches of most other digital cameras pushed to their maximum. In fact, I’d argue it looks much like Tri-X pushed to 800 or 1600, which many film photographers do on purpose whether the sensitivity is needed or not.
$2000 oh please!
Horse shoes!!
The image from the sony a7riv, when transformed by Camera Raw, will far surpass that of the monoleica
Wrong.
Not for that price…!
I would add a a 6th reason: if you want a cracked sensor.
The M9 series has been plagued with cracked sensors (I had a M9-P and a MM1 cracked sensors).
Leica makes beautiful cameras but certainly not reliable ones.
Leica replaced most of the faulty sensors (they corroded, not cracked, and only the cover glass as opposed to the actual sensor) under a free recall, and there are companies like Kolari vision that still do it.
When buying an M9 or original M Monochrom just make sure it had the sensor upgraded by Leica and it is as reliable as any other digital camera of its age (or better).
Now that batteries are a legitimate problem, as are SD cards, which have to be slow, older, lower capacity ones to work well. OEM batteries are no longer made and many 3rd party batteries won’t charge in the Leica charger.