Leica M10 Monochrom (2020)
A digital rangefinder camera with a dedicated black-and-white sensor, released in January 2020 as the monochrome version of the M10-P.
Overview
The Leica M10 Monochrom is a digital rangefinder camera designed exclusively for black-and-white photography. Announced on January 17, 2020, it is Leica's first monochrom variant of the M10-P and represents the brand’s highest-resolution digital M camera at the time of release. Built around a newly developed full-frame sensor without a color filter array, it captures only grayscale images, delivering enhanced light sensitivity and effective resolution compared to color sensors converted to black-and-white. The camera is hand-made in Wetzlar, Germany, and features a slimmer body than previous models, a dedicated ISO dial, and a fixed touchscreen LCD. It supports JPG and DNG raw file formats, with continuous shooting at 4.5 frames per second in black-and-white mode. Designed for purists, it lacks a red dot on the front, enabling discreet photography, and omits features like image stabilization, a built-in flash, and an intervalometer.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Leica |
| Product type | digital rangefinder camera |
| Type designation | 6376 |
| Release date | January 17, 2020 |
| Original price | $8,295 (also reported as $8,300) |
| Sensor resolution | 41 MP |
| Sensor size | 24 × 36 mm |
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 |
| Crop factor | 1.0× |
| Native resolution | 7,864 × 5,200 pixels (40.89 MP) |
| ISO range | ISO 160 ～ 100,000 (also reported as ISO 100~100,000) |
| Image formats | JPG and/or DNG raw |
| Continuous shooting speed | 4½ FPS B&W |
| Auto exposure duration | up to 16 minutes |
| Dimensions | 139 × 38.5 × 80 mm |
| Weight | 662g (with battery and card; also reported as 660g) |
| Storage media | SD / SDHC / SDXC card (up to 2TB) |
| Memory card slot | 1 slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Lens compatibility | all Leica M lenses since 1954; all Leica screw-mount lenses since 1925 with passive adapter |
| Viewfinder | optical with parallax correction, no magnification correction for distance |
| LCD | fixed touchscreen, non-articulating |
| Body features | slimmer body, dedicated ISO dial, no red dot on front |
| Shooting controls | advance mode (Continuous/Single/Self-Timer) controlled via menu |
| Flash | no built-in flash |
| Intervalometer | not available |
| Delete button | no rear DELETE button |
Design
The Leica M10 Monochrom uses a full-frame CMOS sensor developed exclusively for grayscale imaging, with no color filter array—meaning each photosite captures maximum luminance data. Removing the Bayer filter increases light sensitivity by over three times and effective resolution by approximately double compared to color sensors processed into black-and-white. The camera is hand-assembled in Wetzlar, Germany, and features a slimmer body profile than earlier M-series models. It includes a dedicated physical ISO dial for quick exposure adjustments and a fixed, non-articulating touchscreen LCD. The absence of a red dot on the front enhances discretion during use.
Context
The M10 Monochrom is the third generation of Leica’s dedicated monochrome digital cameras, following the M9-based Monochrom and the Typ 246 Monochrom. It occupies a specialized position within the Leica M-System as the first monochrom version of the M10-P. Designed for photographers committed to black-and-white imagery, it emphasizes purity of form and function, continuing Leica’s legacy of purpose-built tools for artistic and technical excellence.
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