INTRODUCING LEICA MONOPAN 50 The new black and white 35mm film from Leica.
The Leica I revolutionized photography with its introduction in 1925 and defined the 35mm format as the new standard. The compact format quickly gained popularity at the time – and although the 35mm film cassettes used with the Leica I came from manufacturers such as Kodak, Agfa, and Perutz, dealers and photographers colloquially referred to them simply as “Leica Film.” To mark the centenary of the Leica I and as a tribute to 35mm photography, Leica Camera AG is now introducing a genuine Leica 35mm film for the first time: the MONOPAN 50 black and white film for 36 exposuresLeica camera straps
Leica MONOPAN 50 Black-and-white 35mm film with ultra-fine grain and super-panchromatic sensitization. ISO 50 makes it suitable for shooting with wide-open apertures—even in daylight— when using Noctilux-M, Summilux-M, or Summicron-M
lenses.
p.1 #2 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
I had mentioned before Leica should provide a 'white glove' film processing service at its Leica Stores.
You drop your film, they send it wherever, in a week you get a nice white Leica signature box with 36 5x7 prints. $50.
I'm sure there is a market for this and it will encourage film M sales. At the moment a Leica Store will sell you a film camera, but cannot sell you film to go with it which frankly is weird!
p.1 #5 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
I'd guess it's one of the film's usually branded 'Rollei'. Invisicoat makes them, they're...not great. Could be Pan-F though, strange choice for a first film. Pan-F is nice but it must be shot fresh, and processed immediately. It's a very finicky film, and frankly Delta 100 or TMax 100 have finer grain.
p.1 #8 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
sirimiri wrote:
This doesn't resemble what Ilford provide with their 35mm film cassettes. Fuji, Kodak, Ilford all have/had their own style.
Ilford's factories make film for other brands (e.g., Rollei, which doesn't make any of its own films; Harman makes the RPX 100 and 400 films from what I've read) that have their own individual branding, canisters, and edge labeling, so I wouldn't be surprised if Leica contracted with Ilford to make this film and brand it as Leica. I think Harman makes at least one of the Ultrafine Extreme films too; I remember seeing on the box that it was "Made in England" and there aren't any other film manufacturers in England. But yes, it's all conjecture at this point and we'll see. I cannot imagine that Leica has built its own film production facility; they've got to be contracting with an existing manufacturer and since Ilford is already doing this for other brands and they already make an ISO 50 film it seems like the most likely scenario. They could make some changes to the emulsion or the base and rebrand it. We'll see!
p.1 #9 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
bjhurley wrote:
Presumably this is just rebranded Ilford Pan-F+, at a high markup?
Tried to find a price tag for the film but didn't see it yet. I also suspect it will be a "luxury" brand markup for this film. Having a film cassette and box with Leica on it might be a one-time nice-to-have though.....
p.1 #10 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
RustyRus wrote:
It says a genuine Leica film-
That doesn't sound like a re-brand but who knows-
Like the genuine Leica SL lenses made by Sigma?
This will be Fomapan 100 film rebranded as Leica 50 - as it actually is an ISO 50 film.
It however is also one of the cheapest films out there which is perfect for Leica's mark up profit margin.
What's the betting on how much a roll of Fomeica 50 will cost? I'm saying $25/roll 36 exp.
p.1 #14 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
Desmolicious wrote:
Like the genuine Leica SL lenses made by Sigma?
This will be Fomapan 100 film rebranded as Leica 50 - as it actually is an ISO 50 film.
It however is also one of the cheapest films out there which is perfect for Leica's mark up profit margin.
What's the betting on how much a roll of Fomeica 50 will cost? I'm saying $25/roll 36 exp.
p.1 #15 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
I dare say that those of you suspecting a rebrand are correct (Pan-F+, as @bjhurley suggested, was my first thought), although it would be rather fun if it’s genuinely new.
I wonder if it will come ready-scratched? I do like @Desmolicious ‘ “white glove” idea, although developing in as little as one week sounds a bit quick for Leica ….
p.1 #16 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
I see a white glove idea as a good idea, but I also think Leica just couldn’t do it. Scratched negs, poor processing and the inability to do a reliable short turnaround would only generate lots of negative feedback. I too cannot see this as a truly new film.
p.1 #18 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
When I read this, I just immediately thought, it's a marked up re-brand of something. Hope I am wrong. And here is a fun film for those seeking to user uber speed lenses in broad day light:
p.1 #19 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
Robin Smith wrote:
I see a white glove idea as a good idea, but I also think Leica just couldn’t do it. Scratched negs, poor processing and the inability to do a reliable short turnaround would only generate lots of negative feedback. I too cannot see this as a truly new film.
Leica obviously won’t be doing the processing. They’ll just send it to a two bit operation like TheDarkroom. But because it will be done via a LeicaStore, and returned in a fancy box it will have appeal.
Because right now it is weird IMO that the store will sell you a film camera, but you are on your own buying film or getting it developed.
p.1 #20 · Leica Monopan 50 – the new black and white 35mm film from Leica
Initially, Leica included a roll of Tri-X with the M-A. They could have done a limited rebranding run with Kodak celebrating seventy years of Leica and Tri-X, At least then we would know what kind of film it was.
