Disappointment in Leica M Monochrom Digital Camera

Skaperen · May 21, 2012

This is a kind of camera I would like to see. It's expensive, but, it's Leica. And they get to leave out the 'e' in the name. I'm sure some people will call it the "mono" and some might just call it "mo" or "mo pixels".

The disappointment is that it is limited to 32 GB per card using SDHC. The M9 and M9-P also are limited to SDHC though the specs at B&H don't actually say 32GB max in these cases.

32GB might be adequate for most users in 2012. But pros (I'm not one, so I'm guessing) need more. 2013 needs more. 2014 needs even more. Leica seriously needs to get an upgrade to SDXC rolling ASAP. If they are having filesystem issues on the card (I know FAT filesystems are cranky this large), then divide the card up into 4 partitions and cut over to the next partition when the previous one is done.

I'm curious what the exact pixel geometry is. Maybe 5184x3456 ?

rexbobcat · May 21, 2012

ಠ_ಠ
...that's why you're disappointed?

Why not buy several 32 GB cards? It's much more secure than having one ginormous card.

Sw1tchFX · May 21, 2012

Patriot · May 21, 2012

I dont think that that is somethjng to be disappointed about at all. Just carry more than one card.

gsgary · May 21, 2012

My friends are perfectly happy with their's one of them has m9 and m9p 32g is plenty i dont use cards bigger than 4g

Jaemie · May 21, 2012

I wish I could afford to buy a Mo.

Seriously, you're complaining about the name and the 32GB card capacity?

usayit · May 21, 2012

Skaperen said:
This is a kind of camera I would like to see. It's expensive, but, it's Leica.

Worst kinda of Leica ownership is one that was driven by price, brand, and posturing. Unfortunately, those are the types that come to mind when people think Leica.

And they get to leave out the 'e' in the name.

They are German.. translate it... Its an adjective spelled without the "e". Or do we expect VW owners to go around saying "I drive a people's car". "How do you like your people's car"? Or "Got a problem with your Folks Wagon?"

I'm sure some people will call it the "mono" and some might just call it "mo" or "mo pixels".

The disappointment is that it is limited to 32 GB per card using SDHC. The M9 and M9-P also are limited to SDHC though the specs at B&H don't actually say 32GB max in these cases.

Pssst.... Its pretty well known fact that the Leica Monochrome is an M9... the same released back in 2009 with a different sensor and firmware. Why would you expect differently? I still use 8GB cards... no issues. "mo pixels" would be inaccurate as its mpixel count is the same as the M9 of 2009.

They are a small (very small) company. R&D is probably got most of their resources developing the M10. Production is probably tied up trying to fill backorders on their perpetually out of stock items. Out fitting an of the shelf camera body with firmware and sensor to support the Monochrome was probably the best they could do. Despite what people say, there is a market for this camera... how big.. not sure but Leica's market is also a niche one.

belial · May 22, 2012

gsgary said:
My friends are perfectly happy with their's one of them has m9 and m9p 32g is plenty i dont use cards bigger than 4g

Same. All 4g for me. Doesn't take but a second to switch a card.

unpopular · May 22, 2012

And I thought it was great that I could shoot 24 images on 220, rather than just 12.

I also remember squeezing 40, 35mm frames into a canister... kids these days have no respect.

Skaperen · May 27, 2012

Patriot said:
I dont think that that is somethjng to be disappointed about at all. Just carry more than one card.

I use memory cards for many reasons and will be soon going above 64 GB. This limitation means I have to keep separate cards.

Skaperen · May 27, 2012

Jaemie said:
I wish I could afford to buy a Mo.

Seriously, you're complaining about the name and the 32GB card capacity?

Not complaining about the name.

Skaperen · May 27, 2012

usayit said:
And they get to leave out the 'e' in the name.

Click to expand...

They are German.. translate it... Its an adjective spelled without the "e". Or do we expect VW owners to go around saying "I drive a people's car". "How do you like your people's car"? Or "Got a problem with your Folks Wagon?"

I think I am misunderstood here ... this is not a complaint about the name. I'm saying they GET TO have the name they want because of their reputation. I'm fine with that. I'm saying other companies would be laughed at doing that ... Leica would not be (German or otherwise).

Garbz · May 27, 2012

Skaperen said:
2013 needs more. 2014 needs even more.

How is that relevant to a camera that exists now? 2013/14 will likely see a new camera released. If 32GB is adequate for most users in 2012 then those users of that camera should still be happy with 32GB even 10 years down.

Also at 36MB for a RAW file you can get 887 of them on a card. I'd hate to think what kind of a review you'd give a D800 especially given that 128MB CF cards are in the order of $800

Skaperen said:
If they are having filesystem issues on the card (I know FAT filesystems are cranky this large), then divide the card up into 4 partitions and cut over to the next partition when the previous one is done.

Great solution. Except you've now broken every image importing program that imports from devices which identify themselves as mass storage devices (all of them I think). An easier solution would be to pay the licence fees and implement FAT32.

usayit · May 27, 2012

Wow. what a english centric attitude.... It has nothing to do with their reputation but simply the name they chose according to their locale. Companies do it all the time....

The English language itself borrows and butchers words from all sorts of languages. A coworker of mine knows several languages (german, english, hindi that I recall) and has an interest in languages. She always said that English is one of the most confusing languages to learn as an adult because the numerous exceptions to the rules and fill the language with misspelling.

You seem to have hard on for Leica for some unknown reason.

Skaperen · May 28, 2012

usayit said:
Wow. what a english centric attitude.... It has nothing to do with their reputation but simply the name they chose according to their locale. Companies do it all the time....

Not that often in a world market. It is English centric. I'm not saying that's good. It just is. Would it be OK to call it the монохромный if it were made in Russia? I think the Russians would consider that to be just fine. But it would not play as well in the world market. However, had Leica been a Russian company, I think they would have the reputation to do it anyway and not have to worry. By contrast, I don't think a name like モノクロ could be pushed even by Nikon.

What I am saying is few companies really can push a non-English product name into a world market ... but Leica is one that can.

usayit said:
The English language itself borrows and butchers words from all sorts of languages. A coworker of mine knows several languages (german, english, hindi that I recall) and has an interest in languages. She always said that English is one of the most confusing languages to learn as an adult because the numerous exceptions to the rules and fill the language with misspelling.

Indeed English is a mess. Maybe we could replace it with another?