Black and White is coming back. Leica's latest addition to the M Series of cameras is going to be different. The M Monochrom will only shoot pictures in black and white. The $8000 full-frame camera is fully intended for enthusiasts and/or those with a bottomless bank account, and aims to explore the benefits of having a dedicated monochrome sensor.

The M Monochrom is a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera, complete with an 18-megapixel, full-frame CCD sensor, ISO range up to 10,000, SD-based storage, and a 2.5-inch display. A dedicated B&W sensor could allow for sharper, more detailed imaging thanks to the lack of need for a color filter.

The camera itself is signature Leica design, with an all-black color scheme to go with the rounded edges of the body. A 50mm f2 Summicron lens also appeared alongside the M Monochrom today, which, at $7200, costs nearly as much as the camera itself.


On top of that, Leica also announced the Leica X2 with a 16-megapixel APS-C sensor and 24mm f2.8 lens. The compact camera will shoot photos in 3:2 or 16:9 aspect ratios, save to SD card, and display your shots on a 2.5-inch screen, in your choice of all black or black/silver, for $2000.

In addition to that, there's also the Leica V-Lux 40, which packs a 16-megapixel sensor, 24-480mm superzoom lens, GPS and 3-inch touchscreen into the body of a point-and-shoot. It should be out later this year. [DP Review, 2, 3, 4]