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Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

freaklikeme
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

It seems like there's enough M/Q Monochrom and converted camera shooters around to justify a dedicated thread.

Color conversions are welcome, but it would be interesting if you could give a brief explanation why you choose the conversion over a color image.

I'm shooting with an a7rII converted by Monochrome Imaging.

Mar 13, 2022 at 04:05 AM

peasant_slave
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

Tones of good content there

I hope to join the a7rii mono converted club in the near future. How are you liking yours? How long have you had it converted?

Mar 13, 2022 at 12:11 PM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

Sorry, so I jsut want to make sure if it is OK to post M Mono images here?

Mar 13, 2022 at 12:32 PM

theHUN
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

airfrogusmc wrote:
Sorry, so I jsut want to make sure if it is OK to post M Mono images here?

Given the title, I would say "Heck yes!"

For a PSA (not vendor bashing) about converting a camera to mono, have a look at this ad.

Mar 13, 2022 at 01:56 PM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

Leica M Mono (original)

M 10 Mono

Mar 13, 2022 at 02:31 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

peasant_slave wrote:
Tones of good content there

I hope to join the a7rii mono converted club in the near future. How are you liking yours? How long have you had it converted?

Thank you.

I received the camera back from Daniel in October 2020 and am still thrilled with it.

Mar 13, 2022 at 04:33 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

airfrogusmc wrote:
Sorry, so I jsut want to make sure if it is OK to post M Mono images here?

Absolutely. Lovely images. Thanks for sharing.

Mar 13, 2022 at 04:35 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

theHUN wrote:
Given the title, I would say "Heck yes!"

For a PSA (not vendor bashing) about converting a camera to mono, have a look at this ad.

It sounds like you had a rough experience from start to finish there.

Mar 13, 2022 at 04:56 PM

genji
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

Mar 13, 2022 at 09:56 PM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

M 10 Mono 35 Lux FLE

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:07 AM

chiron
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

freaklikeme wrote:
It seems like there's enough M/Q Monochrom and converted camera shooters around to justify a dedicated thread.

Color conversions are welcome, but it would be interesting if you could give a brief explanation why you choose the conversion over a color image.

I'm shooting with an a7rII converted by Monochrome Imaging.

I like your photos very much, and the image quality is excellent.

I have thought of doing a monochrome conversion of an a7riii, but I have so far shied away from actually doing it for four reasons, and I would be interested to hear your thoughts on these issues:
1. that it was not clear to me exactly what the monochrome-only conversion actually added to image quality or characteristics of the photo
2. that I would lose pdaf on the autofocus
3. that to go out with a monochrome only camera would limit me from the possibility of shooting color shots I might come across
4. that I would lose the ability to do post-processing of the monochrome image by using the color channels

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:45 AM

pmeheut
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

When I was using film, I use to have 2 M: a black for B&W and a silver chrome for color.
Since I switched to digital (I was "lucky enough" to get one of the very first M8 with banding, IR contamination and 2 failures), I've been using only one "color sensor M" and this is what I prefer: less weight, less precise exposure needed (I'm lazy), color filter in post-processing...
At first, converting in B&W was not easy but nowadays, I get what I want out of Silver Efex & Photoshop.

I compared the results with a friend who uses monochrom Ms and print with Piezo. I get something very close with a color Epson printer and QuadtoneRip.
Of course, your mileage may vary and if I had more time, even more GAS or was a B&W only photographer, I would make different choices.

Anyhow, here are 3 pictures shot with the M9, the M240 and the M10. I got nothing memorable out of the M8, at least in B&W and had no opportunity to really use the M11 yet (I do not shoot a lot and as I'm not a great photographer, I produce only a few "good pictures" a year).

Edited on Mar 14, 2022 at 09:54 AM · View previous versions

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:54 AM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

My opinion is B&W should not be an after thought. When one goes out to photograph in B&W that should mean seeing in B&W. It is a different approach and mindset to shooting color and maybe getting a B&W image. And I would argue it is the opposite of limiting but I would say instead it is liberating.

Another reason (just one of many reason) I shoot with a Leica M Monochrom is manual focus.

And the IQ from a mono camera is better than a conversion not to mention artifacts introduced in such conversions.
Interesting article on why a B&W sensor
https://www.red.com/red-101/color-monochrome-camera-sensors

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:54 AM

pmeheut
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

airfrogusmc wrote:
My opinion is B&W should not be an after thought. When one goes out to photograph in B&W that should mean seeing in B&W.
I would agree. I see in B&W when shooting, I dream in B&W but I still like having a color camera for the occasional snapshot picture and prefer the flexibility.
As I do not review my pictures on the screen, using a color camera and converting later suits me well.

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:57 AM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

A piece the Leica did on my work a few years back. It explains why I shoot with M Monochrom cameras. It is the only digital B&W I warmed up to. As it states in the piece, I am an old darkroom rat.
https://www.leica-camera.blog/2016/12/15/spontaneous-relationships/

Mar 14, 2022 at 09:59 AM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

It's like putting B&W film in your camera. You are committed to B&W. And the benefits of shooting with a monochrome sensor is enough for me to choose that over conversions.

Mar 14, 2022 at 10:12 AM

theHUN
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

In addition to the arguments mentioned above, I'll add a technical argument. If you have a subject that is predominantly one color (a freckled redhead in a red outfit for example), and if you shoot it with a Bayer matrix (CFA) in front of the sensor, then a large fraction of the pixels (the blue and green ones, in this example) will not be making significant contributions to the final image. The hair especially will be much better resolved in a monochrome sensor.

Mar 14, 2022 at 10:57 AM

airfrogusmc
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

M 10 Mono 50,000 ISO

12,500 ISO

12,500

Edited on Mar 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM · View previous versions

Mar 14, 2022 at 11:39 AM

theHUN
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

Some astro work, where mono is the way to go as many nebulae have very narrow emission spectra, and so it makes more sense to use a mono sensor along with a filter.

Mar 14, 2022 at 12:11 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Leica & Alt Monochrom(e) Images

chiron wrote:
I like your photos very much, and the image quality is excellent.

I have thought of doing a monochrome conversion of an a7riii, but I have so far shied away from actually doing it for four reasons, and I would be interested to hear your thoughts on these issues:
1. that it was not clear to me exactly what the monochrome-only conversion actually added to image quality or characteristics of the photo
2. that I would lose pdaf on the autofocus
3. that to go out with a monochrome only camera would limit me from the possibility of shooting color shots I might come...Show more →

Thank you.

1. There's an exposure advantage of about a stop and you get a bit of a resolution bump. More impactful to me is the benefit of working entirely in mono. I can add filters to control the contrast and tonality and see the impact of those filters in ways that aren't available to me even with film.
2. Yep. CDAF still works. It's slow with Sony lenses, but accurate. It's slower with Sigma i-lenses, and not quite as accurate. I don't use AF on the rII, so it hasn't been an issue for me.
3. Yeah, that's a matter of how you the photographer sees the world. There are certainly times when I know color will be critical to compositons, and I will take a color camera with me, but, for the greater percentage of what I shoot, I view color as a distraction, at best.
4. Modern software is amazing and, if you're pleased with the results and happy with the experience, then I'd say there's little reason to invest in a mono camera.

Mar 14, 2022 at 08:01 PM

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