LEICA M MONOCHROM
Today Leica Camera AG introduced the  Leica M Monochrom for full-frame, 35 mm black-and-white still photography.
The 18 Megapixel CCD sensor of the M Monochrom is interesting. Basically, sensors “see” the world in analog black and white anyway. For a sensor to “see” in color, you have to add red, green or blue filters to adjacent photosites. Since the Leica M Monocrom doesn’t have to interpolate, combine or cogitate, it can provide black-and-white images that are sharper.
The iconic Leica M camera design is continued.  The body is milled from a single high-strength magnesium alloy block; the top deck and bottom plate are machined from solid brass. An engraved script on the accessory shoe reveals the product name. The camera has soft leather trim and includes a  leather carrying strap.
The Leica M Monochrom accepts the M-Lens line, with focal lengths from 16 to 135 mm. Almost all M lenses built since 1954 can be used on the M Monochrom.
The Leica M Monochrom in black chrome will be available from authorised Leica dealers beginning the end of July 2012.
Specs
- Digital rangefinder system camera with a dedicated black-and -white image sensor
- Lens mount: Leica M bayonet
- Lens system: Leica M lenses from 16 to 135 mm
- Image sensor: Active area approx. 23.9 x 35.8 mm, 5212 x 3468 pixels (18 megapixels). Infrared blocking filter for wavelengths longer than 700 nm, no low-pass filter
- Resolution: Optional resolution, DNG: 5212 x 3468 (18 megapixels), JPEG: 5216 x 3472 (18 megapixels), 3840 x 2592 (10 megapixels), 2592 x 1728 (4.5 megapixels), 1728 x 1152 (2 megapixels), 1280 x 864 (1 megapixel)
- Image file formats: DNG (RAW), uncompressed, JPEG with
- quality-preserving compression
- File sizes: DNG: 18 MB (compressed), 36 MB (uncompressed), JPEG: approx. 2–10 MB
- Storage media: SD-cards from 2 GB, SDHC-cards up to 32 GB
- Exposure metering: Exposure metering through the lens (TTL), center-weighted at working aperture
- ISO sensitivity range: ISO 320 to ISO 10,000
- Exposure modes: Aperture priority (A) / Manual (M)
- Viewfinder principle: Large size, combined bright-line viewfinder / rangefinder with automatic parallax compensation
- Eyepiece: Adjusted to -0.5 diopters. Correction lenses for –3 to +3 dptr. available
- Magnification: 0.68x (for all lenses)
- 2.5″ monitor (color TFT-LCD) with 230,000 pixels
- Shutter speeds: In aperture priority mode (A) continuous from 32 s to 1/4000 s. In manual setting mode, 8 s to 1/4000 s in half-speed increments, B for time exposures up to max. 240 s, shortest shutter speed for flash sync, 1/180 s
- Continuous shooting: approx. 2 fps, ≥ 8 frames in sequence
- Camera power on / power off Main switch located on the top deck, optional sleep mode for camera electronics after 2 / 5 / 10 minutes, reactivation by slight pressure to shutter release button
- Power supply: 1 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, nominal voltage 3.7V, capacity 1900 mAh. Charge level displayed on monitor screen, when shutter locked in open position (for sensor cleaning), additional acoustic warning signal for insufficient battery charge
- Tripod thread: 1/4 – 20 stainless steel, integrated in base plate
- (length × depth × height): approx. 139 × 37 × 80 mm
- Weight: 600 g (including battery)
- Software licences supplied
- with the camera: Adobe Lightroom, Nik Silver Efex Pro, both as download options
- Compatibility: Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP2, Mac OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or higher
- Package includes: Battery charger 100 – 240 V with two power cords (EU, USA. May differ in other markets) and one car charging cable, lithium-ion battery, USB-cable, real leather carrying strap, original Leica Monochrom print of a campaign photo, instruction manual, information leaflets on registration and software downloads
