In the digital photography age, it is hard to believe any camera maker will build a black-and-white camera. But Leica did it. The famous camera company has introduced its new M MONOCHROM, a digital camera exclusively for full-frame, 35mm black-and-white photography. The camera is the latest addition to Leica’s M System. It is equipped with 18 Megapixel a black-and-white sensor, and according to Leica, “as the sensor does not ‘see’ colors, every pixel records true luminance values, thus it delivers ‘true’ black-and-white images that are significantly sharper than comparable exposures from a camera with a color-sensitive sensor.”
The M MONOCHROM offers ISO sensitivity up to 10,000. It sports a 2.5-inch color LCD and a rangefinder-type optical viewfinder. It offers a complete image control. With a raw data histogram display to exhibit original, unprocessed and unmodified raw data, the camera allows precise control of tonal value. Combing this with a configurable clipping display, users can have precise correction or optimization of exposures. At the touch of a button, images captured by the M Monochrom can be converted with characteristic toning effects from black-and-white film photography (sepia, cold or selenium toning).
The Leica M MONOCHROm comes with a iconic classic design and as an one-piece, full-metal housing made from magnesium alloy, with top deck and bottom plate machined from solid brass blanks. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and ilver Efex Pro 2 full version are included with the camera. Also announced is the Leica APO-SUMMICRON-M 50 MM F/2 ASPH lens.
