Monochrome Saturday.

I’m enjoying my new (used) Leica M10 Monochrome!
More for the results from the BW sensor, than for it’s practicality, because the M system is not the friendliest…
I can use only the 50mm lens, I’m not framing accurately, and sometimes I ignore the rangefinder altogether and use the back screen instead: that is like using a glorified smartphone, instead of one of the most expensive cameras on the market!

For my nudes I’d rather have an SL body with a BW sensor, or the new Leica M EV1 for that matter, but Leica still does not make these 2 cameras in the Monochrome version.
Speaking of the just announced Leica M EV1, it is really an interesting camera on the modern digital market, and would solve most of the issues the previous M have been suffering from.

On the other hand, the Leica M10 Monochrome is the last traditional M, as far as I can see, because the M11 is making already too many concessions to modernity, and is diluting the founding M principles.
I would have kept those kind of innovations directly for the EV1 version Leica is launching in this period.

In the future lineup from Leica I would like to see these 3 families with a Monochrome version:

• A traditional M rangefinder camera, let’s call it the M10-2, exactly the same look and functionality of my M10 Monochrome with the comeback of the brass top and detachable bottom plate, for the diehard Leica fan.

• A new range of M EV cameras to bring in young people or to get back the old farts with eye problems like myself in a very short time.

• A SL line of cameras for heavy duty pro work and for handling longer or bulkier focal lengths.

Not that I would have the money to buy them, but it would be reassuring to know they exist, just in case.

Having said that, the Leica M experience has never been about precision or perfection, and all the issues of this camera are contributing to make the process of shooting a photo more involving, a mental as well as a physical process.
I doesn’t matter if focus is not spot on or if the composition is guessed at best, if you shoot people like I’m doing, it is all about authenticity, flaws, and casual real life.

We can leave perfect representations to AI images, but to reveal the souls and bodies of my models a Leica M Monochrome is probably the best tool available, after all, thanks to all its limitations and quirks.

On the M10 Monochrome I shot 326 photos of Julia, on a total of 1,042.
2 of these photos are going to appear today, one on Patreon, and one on my regular social media feed.
I hope you like this new Apple also in BW, but don’t worry, there are plenty of color pictures too!

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or Archives, or DA subscriptions, ask me on bramleyapple@yahoo.com