Like black & white? Are you Rolling in money? Buy the new Leica!
- Thread starter Balto
- Start date
Balto
Active member
"As the sensor does not "see" colours, every pixel records true luminance values. As a result, it delivers true black-and-white images that are significantly sharper than comparable exposures from a camera with a colour-sensitive sensor. "
more here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/leica-camera/the-future-of-black-and-white-photography-leica-m-monochrom/10150848384812888
more here: https://www.facebook.com/notes/leica-camera/the-future-of-black-and-white-photography-leica-m-monochrom/10150848384812888
Balto
Active member
most hipsters can't afford 10 grand for a camera
http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m_monochrom/
http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m_monochrom/
.Max.
Active member
Enlighten me.
If you're so invested in recording accurate luminance values, why not just shoot film. Spending 10,000 to shoot with this camera seems outrageous.
The way I see it a photographer who's invested enough to spend that kind of money on a monochromatic sensor camera would be okay with the extra work involved with developing and printing film.
I guess what I'm asking is what makes this Leica worth so much?
If you're so invested in recording accurate luminance values, why not just shoot film. Spending 10,000 to shoot with this camera seems outrageous.
The way I see it a photographer who's invested enough to spend that kind of money on a monochromatic sensor camera would be okay with the extra work involved with developing and printing film.
I guess what I'm asking is what makes this Leica worth so much?
zbphoto
Active member
Fuck me, but I did post a ton in the OP so whatever:
https://www.newschoolers.com/ns/forums/readthread/thread_id/693373/
This camera is 100% targeted at the old guy who used to shoot B&W on a leica M back when they were film and wants to still have that feel with the convenience of digital. Leica gets away with charging absurd amounts of money for their gear because of their reputation, they have an EXTREMELY loyal fan base, they are the rich man's toy.
For a lot less you could get an M3, decent prime, and a few 50 role packs of HP5+ from B&H.
https://www.newschoolers.com/ns/forums/readthread/thread_id/693373/
This camera is 100% targeted at the old guy who used to shoot B&W on a leica M back when they were film and wants to still have that feel with the convenience of digital. Leica gets away with charging absurd amounts of money for their gear because of their reputation, they have an EXTREMELY loyal fan base, they are the rich man's toy.
For a lot less you could get an M3, decent prime, and a few 50 role packs of HP5+ from B&H.
zbphoto
Active member
That was my point with they're target market. The digital M's are targeted at the old Film M customers who have all this expensive glass but want the convenience of film. I'd be interested to know if the exposure latitude is any better than a colour sensor, and how it compares to film.
MatRich
Active member
it will definately increase the sharpness and the performance, heres how it works in basics.
an 18 megapixel sensor is filled with three different photosensitive diodes placed in a pattern. a red pixel, a green pixel and a blue pixel. On visible pixel in your image needs to be a mix of these three (RGB) plus a lumminance. so basicaly to have a color, you are using minimum 3 pixels instead of 1, and they are bunched with different lumminance to give the specific color.
Now if every pixel was either black or white, every single pixel would need only 1 pixel to create the right result.
Each pixel on those 18 million pixels has the possibility of being black or white, it doesnt need to be combined with 2 or three other pixels to display what is needed.
So basicaly take 18mpx color its 18 devided by rgb so in reality you get 6 million pixels of information.
whereas in the leica, no pixel needs to be combined to deliver accurate information. this results in a true 18mpx
now for the sharpness, same deal. a line, instead of being formed by 3 pixels can now be formed by 1. which is insane
These are over simplifications, I know the groupings are very rarely 1 for 1 but this is just for an example.
Sorry the camera geek inside me is amazed by this camera
an 18 megapixel sensor is filled with three different photosensitive diodes placed in a pattern. a red pixel, a green pixel and a blue pixel. On visible pixel in your image needs to be a mix of these three (RGB) plus a lumminance. so basicaly to have a color, you are using minimum 3 pixels instead of 1, and they are bunched with different lumminance to give the specific color.
Now if every pixel was either black or white, every single pixel would need only 1 pixel to create the right result.
Each pixel on those 18 million pixels has the possibility of being black or white, it doesnt need to be combined with 2 or three other pixels to display what is needed.
So basicaly take 18mpx color its 18 devided by rgb so in reality you get 6 million pixels of information.
whereas in the leica, no pixel needs to be combined to deliver accurate information. this results in a true 18mpx
now for the sharpness, same deal. a line, instead of being formed by 3 pixels can now be formed by 1. which is insane
These are over simplifications, I know the groupings are very rarely 1 for 1 but this is just for an example.
Sorry the camera geek inside me is amazed by this camera
Strobe
Member
Wrong, its 4. Two green, a red, and blue. Well at least on 90% of all current cameras out there which use a bayer pattern
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_filter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_filter
screw digital, screw sensors, screw that camera, I want this:
http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/special_editions/m9_edition_hermes/
only 50 grand.
anyways, I've used three of leica's lenses now and I didn't like any of them. I'm sure there's some great ones out there, but whatever 35, 90 and 135 I used I was not impressed with. Pretty surprised based on the leica hype. I'd rather spend money on more nikon gear or a hassy.
http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/special_editions/m9_edition_hermes/
only 50 grand.
anyways, I've used three of leica's lenses now and I didn't like any of them. I'm sure there's some great ones out there, but whatever 35, 90 and 135 I used I was not impressed with. Pretty surprised based on the leica hype. I'd rather spend money on more nikon gear or a hassy.
.Ian.
Active member
Honestly I think the all black and white sensor thing is pretty cool. I mean, it sucks that it's 10,000 dollars but I find myself converting images to black and white a lot. I think it's because colors to me, are never "poppy" enough, and when you introduce a lot of contrast into a color photo it ends up looking like shit, but when you introduce a lot of contrast in a B&W photo you get really deep blacks and white highlights, without losing a shit ton of shadow/ highlight detail.
It's really all about the subject that you're shooting though. If I'm shooting any type of action sports, I don't go black and white that much. If I'm shooting nature/wildlife, I don't go black and white that much either. Any street stuff, or city stuff, or architecture, I'm always switching stuff to black and white.
Maybe that's just me though. I think I'll go buy some black and white film now. Haha
It's really all about the subject that you're shooting though. If I'm shooting any type of action sports, I don't go black and white that much. If I'm shooting nature/wildlife, I don't go black and white that much either. Any street stuff, or city stuff, or architecture, I'm always switching stuff to black and white.
Maybe that's just me though. I think I'll go buy some black and white film now. Haha
