Leica M11 Monochrom Camera Review

[SECTION]INTRODUCTION[/SECTION]

Leica is out there with their new M11 Monochrom, so time to reset the photographic brain into monochrome mode and step out into the world with the new camera and its equally new Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH lens. This could be an exciting journey, so let’s see how it goes.

Leica M11Monochrom Features

The camera body is compact but heavy weighing in at 461g without battery and 542g with. It measures just 139mm x 38.5mm x 80mm.

Looking at the front of the camera, there is a small flattened lens release lever and what appears to be a self-timer lever but which actually is a selector for various viewfinder bright lines for different focal lengths. The Summilux-M automatically sets the correct bright lines when it is fitted. The viewfinder is optical but the bright lines are only activated when the camera is switched on. The lines approximately define the picture area and are parallax corrected so they move inwards and downwards as we focus closer. Viewfinder magnification is 0.73x. Additional small windows along the top rim are the rangefinder window and the light sensor. The Monochrom version is discretion itself and does not display the usual Leica red dot.

The top plate is simple and uncluttered and has the ISO dial (lift and then rotate) offering values from ISO 125 to ISO 6400, auto setting and an M setting where we set a wider range of values in the camera menu, from ISO 125 right up to ISO 200000. The shutter speed dial offers A, 8s to 1/4000s and B, so there is aperture priority available as well as manual setting. The shutter release button is light and predictable and is surrounded by the on/off switch, probably the best place ergonomically. Finally on the top plate is a small function button. Press to access the function, press and hold to choose to allocate a different function. Various items are available, such as exposure compensation, ISO settings, Live View and file format.

The back of the camera is dominated by the 2.95-inch TFT LCD with Sapphire glass and touch sensitivity. It has a resolution of 2,332,800 dots. There are buttons for Play, FN and Menu and a four-way controller. There is also a small control wheel top right. Functions can be customised as required. The viewfinder window top left has no dioptre correction built in.

The CMOS sensor offers a full resolution of 60MP. Alternative resolutions maintain the full frame but reduce the pixel counts via downsizing to 36MP or 18MP. This could be useful for situations where full resolution is not needed and storage space is at a premium.

The baseplate contains the release lever for the battery and this has a failsafe that prevents the battery from just falling straight out. The switch is operated and then the battery given a light push to release it fully. It is necessary to remove the battery to gain access to the single SD card slot. The battery can be slotted straight into the top of the charger, which is simple and efficient, or the USB-C connection can also be used to charge the camera.

There is an internal memory of 256GB that can be used in various ways and also connectivity to iPad and iPhone via the Leica FOTOS cable. There is a USB-C socket in the baseplate for cable connection. The FOTOS App is available in the App store and enables control of the camera and updates. There is also WiFi and Bluetooth connection.

The Visoflex 2 electronic viewfinder is an optional extra that fits into the accessory shoe on top of the camera. This could be very useful for those who are not happy with the rangefinder focusing and optical viewfinder.

Key Features

• 60MP full frame CMOS monochrome sensor
• Options of downsampled 36MP and 18MP resolutions
• No low pass filter
• Shutter speeds 1/4000s to 60s (mechanical)
• Shutter speeds 1/16000s to 60min (electronic)
• ISO range 125-200000
• Metering spot, centre weighted, multi-field
• SD Memory Cards: UHS-II, UHS-I, SD/SDHC/SDXC up to 2TB
• Built in memory 256GB
• DNG and JPEG formats
• Rangefinder focusing
• Live View
• 2.95” Active Matrix TFT with Sapphire glass and touch control
• WiFi 2.4 and 5GHz
• Bluetooth v4.2
• USB-C connection for Leica FOTOS cable
• USB charging
• FOTOS App for connectivity and camera control by iPhone and iPad
• Apple Mfi support
• Updates via FOTOS App

Leica M11Monochrom Handling

Handling for those who are dedicated to rangefinder focusing and general Leica handling will be delighted to find this digital, stripped-back camera that gets straight to the photography without any features getting in the way. The obvious targets are the street/documentary and the travel/landscape photographers. In the case of the M11 Monochrom, the features set is even more stripped back than the colour M11 as we have black and white images only.

There are some niggles, largely stemming from the basic design that will also be exactly what others like and this reviewer will have to confess that the niggles are steadily reducing with increased familiarity. The rangefinder is still not the easiest of focusing methods to use quickly and using Live View could be the better option for many. It is a matter of practice and familiarity up to a point, but there are those who simply prefer the eye-level viewfinder, be it an optical pentaprism or an EVF. The latter can be satisfied by adding the optional Visolux 2.

The base plate is an improvement in that it does not all need to be removed to get at the battery, but the battery still needs to be removed to access the SD card. It is also not possible to remove the battery with the camera on a tripod. However, the USB-C connection is readily accessible and can be used to charge the camera.

A major step forward is the new closer focusing of the Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, bringing that close focus point down to the traditional SLR 0.45m, or 1.5 feet.

Although most current cameras can be set to shoot JPEGs in monochrome, the mindset is totally different to using a monochrome-only camera. With a colour camera, we have an opt-out and that does change our approach. If the photographer was using black and white film then there would be no opt-out, and the idea of carrying a second camera with colour film in it never really worked as it divides our attention. If we are thinking in mono, then a mono camera makes a lot of good sense.

[SECTION]PERFORMANCE[/SECTION]

Leica M11Monochrom Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Leica M11 Monochrom Sample Photos

Sample Photos & Lens Performance – The new Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 focuses from 0.7m to infinity in the usual rangefinder way, but down to 0.45m beyond a slight click-stop. Live View then has to be used for focusing, but the close focusing is a real boon. Optical construction is 8 elements in 5 groups, including one aspheric and a floating group to maintain close-up sharpness. Maximum magnification is 1:6.4. The diaphragm has 11 blades for very nicely rounded bokeh. The lens is tiny in the way that rangefinder lenses can be, weighing in at just 337g and measuring 59.3mm x 58.6mm. There is a nifty built-in lens hood that rotates as it is extended and clicks firmly into its open position.

Running some technical tests revealed that central sharpness is excellent from f/1.4 to f/8, rising to outstanding at f/2.8. It is still very good at f/11 and f/16. The edges start off fair at f/1.4 and f/2, giving a very attractive softer focus that could be ideal for portraiture. Sharpness at the edges becomes good at f/2.8, very good at f/4, excellent at f/5.6, very good at f/8 and f/11 and good at f/16. Needless to say, there was no chromatic aberration, nor would we expect any with a monochrome sensor. Distortion is a very modest +0.10% pincushion. Vignetting starts off as quite visible, measuring -1.5 stops at f/1.4 and -0.8 stops at f/2. We then settle down to only slight vignetting of -0.5 stops at f/2.8 and a steady -0.4 stops beyond that, all the way down to f/16.

Of course, figures do not tell the whole story and the pictorial result is an incredible lens that seems perfectly matched to the needs of the Leica M11 Monochrom. Lovely.

Lens MTF50 Graph

Leica M11 Monochrom ISO test images

ISO Noise Performance – With no chromatic noise to contend with, noise levels do look a little different. Up to ISO 400, there is effectively no noise. At ISO 1600 the first real signs of noise begin to kick in, but images are still very acceptable at this point and even at ISO 3200. ISO 6400 and 12500 show deterioration, ISO 25000 a definite shift into lower quality levels and this continues to ISO 50000. By ISO 100000 the detail that has been lost in the darkest areas now spreads to the mid-greys and by ISO 200000 is totally lost, with some banding also appearing in the image. This is a very good performance but little different to that found in the best DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Leica M11 Monochrom Digital filters

Digital Filters – Ironically perhaps, there are a handful of colour filters. In weak and strong versions, we have Sepia, Blue and Selenium toning effects.  

Optical Filters – If this had been a film camera, the traditionally black and white film, being panchromatic, would sometimes benefit from the use of coloured filters to alter the tonal values. Yellow to correct the tonal balance and bring out blue skies, orange for a stronger effect and red for a really dramatic effect. Green might be used to lighten foliage, blue to replicate the appearance of very early film that was only sensitive to blue light. With colour sensors, most of these can be replicated in Photoshop so actual glass filters have fallen out of use. However, with a monochrome sensor it is worth another look, and sure enough all these filters change the tonal balance, maybe not in an identical way to film, but there are still creative possibilities. Examples are included of all the ones we still had in stock, plus an R72 Infra-red filter which gives very encouraging results for IR photography. Many modern lenses do not have an IR correction mark for adjusting the focus point for IR light, but this was estimated and may show an improved sharpness. There is plenty to experiment with using screw-in filters or any other filter system. However, 46mm filters maintain the compactness of the kit and can be carried easily.

[SECTION]VERDICT[/SECTION]

Value For Money

The [AMUK]Leica M11 Monochrom|Leica+Monochrom[/AMUK] is priced at £8300. Adding the new [AMUK]Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH|Summilux-M+50mm+f/1.4+ASPH[/AMUK] adds another £4000.

That is expensive, no two ways about it, but there will be plenty of buyers. Already interest is buzzing and there is a huge revival of interest in monochrome photography. There are currently two alternatives:

The Leica Q2 Monochrom is priced at £5200 and the “new kid on the block” the [AMUK]Pentax K-3 III Monochrome|Pentax+K-3+III +Monochrome[/AMUK] DSLR just £2249.

These are selling well and the usual concept of value for money can be somewhat discarded. They are no doubt expensive, specialist cameras but for those who want what they offer, the cost is unavoidable.

To see more of our camera recommendations, have a look at our digital camera top lists that feature everything from mirrorless and DSLRs to tough cameras. 

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Leica M11Monochrom Verdict

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[SECTION]SPECIFICATIONS[/SECTION]

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