I've lately reverted to shooting more and more of my work in black and white. Or, if using a camera for general purposes, selecting frames that I want to see in black and white and converting them from color raw files. There are a number of used M 246 cameras on the market. Some are very well cared for and come with valuable accessories such as multiple batteries. I'd like to hear what your opinions of the camera are and how to best use one.
If you just want to chime in and bitch about Leica being "Veblen" goods that no rational human should ever purchase please refrain. And yes, I know about the monochrome Pentax but am NOT interested in investing in yet another system of lenses --- although I am sure the Pentax is a worthy product.
For the most part I am happy with my conversions from color sensors but am curious if I could do better. Most of the ones I've found that are well preserved or even just back from a Leica CLA are in the $3600 to $4000 range and might make some photographer a wonderful Christmas present. It would certainly have a place in the Leica camera Christmas wreath I plan to make hang on the front door.
Images added because I liked them the first time....
Leica M 240 with 35mm Zeiss ZM lens.
6 comments:
I shoot with both the M240 and M246. No issues with either. The increase in detail in the M246 images is noticeable. Love its images, but don't shoot with it as much as I should since my bride much prefers color. I think you will prefer its images over than B&W conversion from the M240.
I can only speak to using the predecessor, the Monochrom/M9 model, which I've owned for ten years and love shooting with. With any monochrome sensor, you really have to avoid overexposure as there isn't any recovery of blown highlights like there is with a Bayer array. But if decently exposed the raw file is really easy to work with. I use Lightroom and/or Silver Efex Pro for processing, mostly with an eye towards printing.
I had the M9M in the past, and used an M246 for a time, preferring the latter. It was just wonderful, with better high iso, great looking, malleable files. Eventually, I got rid of it, but that was mainly to explore other gear, in this case a Q2M that I still love and use, now supplemented with an M10M. The M246 is a great camera that uses M lenses I’ve owned for a long time. Also, the Monochrom cameras do punch above their weight in terms of resolution. Is it worth the asking price? I think it can be, considered as a tool with a specific purpose (rangefinder camera capable of producing high quality B&W files). As for the price, I tend not to think of my cameras as investments–not think about resale–but consider them in terms of their utility–for me. Highlight headroom can be a problem, but that’s what built in exposure meters are for, along with histograms.
I wonder if anyone is thinking about designing a dual-sensor body. Might work on a large platform, medium format or larger. The body could house 2 permanent sensors, one B&W only while the other a Bayer, with a mirror-like device between the two diverting the light to whichever is chosen in the menu. Or both.
Or interchangeable sensor backs? It might be expensive but you'd think there'd be a market. They used to have interchangeable film backs in medium format.
What we really need is a colour sensor where the filtering elements are changeable solid state devices that can be turned on/off, not a permanent Bayer array.
Dreaming is free.
I’ve got a M10M. Compared to RGB sensors: finer detail and better noise. Seems more important a few generations ago, now maybe not. You lose out on the ability to play with filters in post. Not a big deal for those comfortable with traditional filters. Except once I got the camera, I found red and orange filters just aren’t as dramatic as they were on film. I have to play more in post to get dark skies.
The main reason I got it is that it plays much nicer with lenses that weren’t designed for digital. Like the Zeiss ZM 21/4.5. No weird color casts to deal with.
In many respects, I like the B&W images from my Sony A7rII about the same.
If I were to do it over, I would rent an M11 and see how it went with my lenses. If it was workable with the color casts, I’d probably get that instead of the Monochrom version.
It is a great camera though and do not regret the purchase. Just that sensor technology keeps advancing and the choices might be different now.
The main reason you should get it is that you have the system already, and you will finally satisfy your curiosity, and we will enjoy watching you check it out. Plus, from what I gather, if it's not for you, they seem easy enough to sell.
I checked Lensrentals, but they only have the most recent Monochrome: https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/leica-m11-monochrom
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