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Like black & white? Are you Rolling in money? Buy the new Leica!

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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
Price is for body only

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May 10 2012 2:38PM
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michelle
Posts: 6290 - Karma: 428
why just black and white?
May 10 2012 3:00PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
"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
May 10 2012 3:39PM
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Eggbert
Posts: 329 - Karma: 46
hipsters think its 'artsy'
May 10 2012 3:40PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
most hipsters can't afford 10 grand for a camera

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m_monochrom/
May 10 2012 3:44PM
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.Max.
Posts: 2930 - Karma: 701
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?
May 10 2012 3:58PM
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Strobe
Posts: 279 - Karma: 8
FWIW, monochrome sensors are also cheaper, there is no debayering so less in cam processing hardware, so leica is making MORE off of this than it would with a color sensor equivalent camera.
May 10 2012 6:39PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
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.
May 10 2012 6:52PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
This is a custom sensor, built in low quantities, do don't expect it to be very cheap. And ZB you are paying for the convenience of digital, yes you could get an m3 but you really can't compare the 2 since 1 is digital and 1 is film. This should only be compared to an m9
May 10 2012 7:27PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
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.
May 10 2012 7:30PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Lol. *Digital.
May 10 2012 7:31PM
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Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,332
There has got to be cheaper monochromatic sensor camera's out there...

It seems to me that if you buy Leica body, you will are paying primarily for the brand, hence "rolling in money" (which made me lol).
May 10 2012 8:22PM
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MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,813
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
May 10 2012 8:40PM
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Strobe
Posts: 279 - Karma: 8
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
May 10 2012 8:59PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,386
screw digital, screw sensors, screw that camera, I want this:

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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.
May 10 2012 9:02PM
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Brock.
Posts: 5698 - Karma: 1,332

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Ejaculation.
May 10 2012 9:09PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,386
holy shit.......
May 10 2012 9:19PM
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MatRich
Posts: 4789 - Karma: 1,813
lol, I know, I said that I over simplified. I spared the details for people. and even then, there are different patterns with different sensors some times. like fuji has diagonal pattern crystal censor
May 10 2012 9:23PM
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Obie.
Posts: 1741 - Karma: 3,646
i would probably have sex with that camera, after buying it dinner of course
May 10 2012 11:34PM
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edai
Posts: 4991 - Karma: 4,677
Imagine the looks you'd get walking down the street with that. That thing makes a 5D MIII with L glass look like a tinker toy.
May 11 2012 12:21AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
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
May 11 2012 8:33AM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
^to be fair, you can shoot one for around 8.5k, but if you are dropping that much why not spend a bit extra for a better lens
May 11 2012 7:13PM
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Bill.Nye
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 2,109
Everything Leica makes is aimed at a very small target market that will buy the camera primarily because it says "Leica" on top of a red dot. This is nothing new.
May 11 2012 8:22PM
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