Back in Black

The Leica M is a throwback to a time when cameras were uncomplicated. They’re built like tanks and have simple menus and controls. No autofocus here. The M is a photographer’s camera. It forces you to slow down and think about what you’re doing. You have to be careful with your settings and concentrate. If you get it right, you will be richly rewarded.

I’ve been selling and buying a ridiculous amount of cameras the last few years, trying to solve problems like “what’s the best camera for me to shoot events with?” I wanted to have a system of two identical cameras so I wouldn’t have to think too much when switching. But the M has always pulled me. Sancta Simplicitas. Sacred Simplicity.

The M Monochrom is a niche within a niche. It only shoots black and white. And the first one came out in 2012. It’s highly sought after within a very small community of M shooters. I wanted one since I first heard of it, before I even knew if I had what it takes to focus one of these things. Since it was first announced, I owned one of the color M’s, an M240P. That one taught me that I can focus an M. I even shot events with it, which is technically not what it’s designed to do.

Something came over me about a week ago. Leica announced a new Monochrom camera. $9000. Too rich for my blood. I started thinking about the original Monochrom. The one with the CCD sensor. That’s another throwback. Something special. They had a couple on the B&H used website. This one was condition 10, with original box. I loaded my Nikon gear onto eBay and ordered it. The camera and a 35mm Zeiss lens arrived today, and I was blown away. The camera still had the shrink wrap on the bottom plate. The camera was used, but not used. How could you sit on a camera like this? Where has it been all these years? Waiting for me, apparently.