Perverse to take delivery of a new M10 before a long weekend in Berlin and then leave the new camera at home. The title of this article should and could have been “A weekend in Berlin with the new Leica M10”. The fact that it isn’t took a lot of willpower, I can tell you. But the main purpose of this visit to the German capital was already ordained; it is to celebrate in advance the introduction of two of Leica’s most iconic products of the 21st century — so far.
In May 2012 the city was host to the first of the now familiar “Das Wesentliche” events. The essentials in question were the Monochrom, the first modern black-and-white-only digital rangefinder, and the still-stunning 50mm Apo-Summicron-M ASPH lens. We are now approaching the fifth anniversary of this launch so I planned to bring my own Monochrom Mk.I and Apo-Summicron back to Berlin for a bit of photography in anticipation of the celebration.
Temptation
Sadly, therefore, I was compelled to leave the new M10 at home lest I be tempted by its undoubted charms. Better to have one camera, one lens in the form of the Monochrom and Apo. I just allowed myself one extra luxury — the tiny Ricoh GR that goes everywhere with me and weighs less than a feather. Churlish not to slip it in the bag, as Bill Palmer says.
So here I am in Berlin and the weather gods are smiling — the first taste of Spring as the sun shines down. I’ll just have to beware of those blown highlights, something that the Monochrom, especially the first version, does with aplomb. I’ll try -0.3EV for starters, as I remember well from my original ownership of this groundbreaking camera.
Back in 2012 the Monochrom body cost a breathtaking £6,000 — expensive even by today’s standards — and the lens, which Leica claimed to have designed especially to complement the costly shooter, was just a few hundred pounds cheaper. The combination cost more than a reasonably motor car and had to offer much. Significantly, though, this camera body has lost only 50 percent of its value in five years while the Apo-Summicron has lost barely 20 percent. Buyung them now guarantees relatively minor future depreciation. And you’ll have a lot of fun on the way.
This weekend I will be finding out whether the cost back in 2012 was worthwhile.
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I’ve returned to this image many times. It’s just a great capture and presentation. The smiles make me smile.
It’s this image that has surfaced my thoughts of the past several months. I’ve been trying to find my own mono "voice" and only with partial success. This is excellent and reminds me of when I finally found my Tri-X wet darkroom calibration.
However, beyond just getting it "right" is displaying it right. When I clicked on this image and it popped into my browser on a black background, it had a whole different life.
If any of this makes sense, perhaps sometime on a rainy day when you are all caught up (likely never), you could comment on presenting images on illuminated displays and in varying ambient conditions and the direction it can take the viewer.
Many thanks for posting this image,
Best Regards,
Roger
Thanks for your kind comment, Roger. There is something strangely attractive about a monochrome sensor and I still prefer the Mark I Monochrom with its CCD technology. Sure it is a slow camera and doesn’t have the higher sensitivity of the newer M246, but I think it is a classic and the one to buy if you really do warm to a black-and-white camera. It was a great camera when it was introduced and it is no less a camera today, despite advances in technology.
I hadn’t thought much about the background presentation of the pictures on Macfilos. This is just the standard black for the template. I think I have two or three options but I experimented and decided black was best.
Your mono pics rule!
Thanks John. I hope to get some usable stuff tomorrow. Have a good weekend.