LEICA BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY
Black and white photography eliminates all distractions posed by colour elements, instead focusing the observer’s eye entirely on the essence of a scene. Monochrome images bring to mind the old masters of reportage and fine-art photography, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, Brassaï or Diane Arbus – whose aesthetically sophisticated documentations of everyday life and the significant events of their time both captured, and shaped the zeitgeist of an era. The boundaries between reportage and fine-art photography have remained fluid to this day. Regardless of genre, the conscious omission of colour evokes a heightened sense of intentionality, both in the photographer and the viewer.
Photography has changed fundamentally in more ways than one and Leica can lay claim to many of those ground-breaking changes. Developing a monochrome sensor is Leica's declaration of respect and admiration for those who dedicate themselves fully to the art of black-and-white photography.
Every detail matters: How the monochrome sensor redefines the intensity and depth of black and white images
Leica’s Monochrom variants are distinguished by their exceedingly sharp and detail-rich renditions, with the new M11 Monochrom in pole position. In terms of capability, a purely black and white camera is inherently superior. All image sensors – even those that will generate a colour image – merely record luminance information. In a standard camera, a red, green and blue filter array is p