Last Updated on 11/13/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
Slated to launch in 2020, the new Leica M10 Monochrom should delight cult followers.
As we know, Leica cameras have a cult following for a good reason. Leica cameras set the standard in the days of film with their gorgeous builds, ease of use, and the stunning images that could be created with them. Leica has continued this tradition as they have transitioned into the world of digital cameras. The original Leica M10 Monochrom was launched in 2015, and it sported an 18 Megapixel sensor that deliberately had the color filter array removed. The new Leica M10 Monochrom slated to hit shelves in 2020 is shaping up to be a megapixel monster that could end up being the best JPEG camera ever. Let’s talk about this after the break.
A recent article on Leica Rumors shed some light on the new Leica M10 Monochrom. There were hopes that it would sport a beefy sensor, and it looks like that may well be the case. The article states the new M10 Monochrom will sport a massive 41 Megapixel sensor, which is quite the jump over the sensor found in the previous version.
While the new M10 Monochrom may get a new sensor, it will apparently look like the current M10. This is no bad thing because the M10 is simply gorgeous. While the Leica M10 Monochrom may not be for everyone, there is no doubt the camera has a set of very enthusiastic followers and fans. The previous M10 Monochrome became an instant hit with street photographers thanks to the gorgeous Rangefinder design and the incredible black and white images it produces.
The M10 Monochrom may have had gorgeous looks, but it also produced beautiful pictures. The dreamy black and white images created with the M10 Monochrom had tones that were simply unmatched, and also had extra sharpness to them. In the past, Leica stated there is 100% greater sharpness with the black and white images produced with the M10 Monochrom compared to images created with a regular color sensor with the same Megapixel count. This has to do with how the photos can be manipulated with tone effects and because there’s no need for demosaicing thanks to there being no color filter array. This leads us to believe that the new Leica M10 Monochrom, with its 41 Megapixel sensor, should be able to produce some of the best black and white images around.
The JPEGs Leica cameras produce now are some of the best in the business, and so we can’t help but think the JPEGS from the new M10 Monochrom will be something extraordinary. Of course, the proof will be in the pudding, but Leica’s track record of making cameras that produce gorgeous images photographers dream about is flawless. If Leica gets the M10 Monochrom right, and the JPEGS are as good as we think they will be, the new Leica M10 Monochrom could be the best JPEG camera ever made. It would surely become another cult classic. What do you think about the Leica M10 Monochrom? Let us know in the comment section below.