david-mullin-photography — Leica M10 Monochrom

Leica camera owners are a curious bunch. On initial glance, you’d think all Leica enthusiasts also owned Ferraris, Rolex watches, and yachts docked in Monaco. Since I am one of those Leica fanatics, I can tell you that is far from the truth. I like a good name brand as well as the next guy. I generally can’t afford luxury items anyway, but I do appreciate the status of quality brands. And I do firmly believe that you get what you pay for.

Since most people in the world walk around with cameras in their pockets on a daily basis, the need for a “real” camera appeals to a small, dedicated few. Consider this, 90% of people have only taken photos on a camera phone. As a professional photographer, that astounds me. That means that only 10% of the world’s picture-taking population has ever touched a “real” camera. That statistic saddens me, but at the same time, I’m all for the democratization of photography. The more people taking pictures with whatever device, the better for all.

Isn’t this supposed to be a camera review? Yes, I’m getting to that, but let me caution you. I am not a techie when it comes to cameras. If you want to know all about each and every menu item, camera setting, or pixel peeping low light comparison, you’re going to need to look elsewhere. This is not that kind of review. Mine will be more of a holistic approach. Namely, have you thought about buying a Leica M10 Monochrom, and if so, is it really worth the almost $9K price tag? That is the question I will deign to answer.

This was not my first Leica. No, that honor belongs to the Leica M6, which I still own and use on occasion. However, film and film developing are expensive (if you don’t process the film yourself), so I tend to keep my film shooting on a once-in-a-while basis. I followed up by acquiring a Leica M10 later that same year. See, this is a stern word of warning. Once you start down the Leica path, there’s no going back. Your heart and creative drive will thank you, but your wallet will not.

Anyways, earlier this year, around February 2021, I finally just bit the bullet and ordered a Leica M10 Monochrom from the Leica store in San Francisco. This was the first brand new Leica that I’d ever purchased. I’m not ashamed to admit that I had tears in my eyes as I opened the package. I don’t know what it is about the Leica bug, but I have it big time. Opening a Leica camera is akin to buying a new iPhone or computer from Apple. Each company puts in a lot of effort into their packaging and it just adds to the mystique of their products.

My M6 came with a Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 lens that I had been very happy with. However, soon after I purchased the Leica M10, I broke down and got a used Summicron 35mm f/2. Don’t believe the reviewers and YouTubers who tell you that Voigtlander glass is almost as good as true Leica glass. It isn’t. The images that came out of my M10 after switching to the Summicron were incredible. Leica glass is worth every penny and I can honestly say that if you’re going to own a Leica camera, you need to have Leica glass on it as well.

So I took out my new Monochrom, slapped the Summicron onto it, and promptly walked downstairs and took some photos of one of our dogs. The camera is smooth and quiet, especially compared to the much louder M10. In my haste to take that first photo, I forgot to put on one of the color filters I had purchased for my Summicron (I like to use color filters when shooting BW film on my M6). I have a yellow, orange, and red filter and I chose to go with the yellow. To this day, that filter is on my lens most of the time.

In the early spring, I took out the camera on a cloudy day and put the red filter on so that I could get some nice contrast against the white clouds. It was a surreal experience walking around the floor of Lake Folsom during a drought (as detailed in a previous post). Being made of brass, the camera feels heavy in the hand but not by an unreasonable amount. The weight makes it feel solid and is something I don’t really notice anymore. Also, I have a thumb grip that I put on the camera as it can be a bit hard to grasp without one. I find that I don’t need the hand grip attachment as I feel the thumb grip is all that is needed.

In the ensuing months, I have taken my M10 Monochrom with me on many of our travels. It’s been to Disneyland, the California Coast, too many street fairs to count, the San Diego Zoo and many other local photo shoots and walks. After spending so much time with the camera I can honestly say that I do not regret buying it. What it has done is caused me to think about selling my M10 as it rarely leaves the house with me. The only time I take out the M10 is when I need color photos, such as during the Lupine Super Bloom we had last spring.

What about the photos themselves? What can I say? The range and depth of gray tones simply cannot be emulated with a color digital camera. The only other way to come close to matching the M10 Monochrom would be with a black and white film, such as Fujifilm Acros II. Even then, the limitation of post-processing with a film image is lacking next to the limitless potential of a high quality image shot with the Monochrom.

The biggest downside, and it is well known amongst Monochrom owners of any model, is that you have to take special care to preserve your highlights. This usually ends up not being too big a deal because the shadow details captured with this camera are remarkable. When I set the exposure for a high contrast scene so that the highlights are preserved, the resulting initial image looks as if the shadows have been completely lost. But upon bringing up the shadows in post-processing, it’s astonishing to see the detail retained by this camera.

I know this has been a 10,000 foot view kind of review, but I think the most important thing to know if you’re considering on buying this camera is that you should just pull the trigger and do it. Especially if you already have Leica glass. If this would be your first Leica purchase, then you might want to seriously consider the Leica Q2 Monochrom as well. You’ll get an excellent lens—although it is fixed—but the image quality is on par with the M10 Monochrom. Purchasing this camera was a big decision, but after using it for months I can safely say it was the correct decision.

Let me know if you have any specific questions about the camera and I would be happy to answer them!

Leica M10 Monochrom Review

Monochrome Awards Honorable Mentions

Photograph Received Honorable Mention in ND Awards