Sunday, May 20, 2012

MONOCHROME SENSOR - WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE


A lot has been said about the new Leica M Monochrom and, as usual, opinions differ.  However, one fact has emerged that cannot be argued.  The performance of the new camera is quite amazing.  Even though the sensor of the camera has the same 18 megapixel resolution as the M9 and M9-P, overall sharpness and tonal range is visibly better.  How is that possible?

The main difference lies in the fact that the Leica M Monochrom sensor is strictly black and white.  Just as with the M9 sensor, the manufacturer is Truesense, the former sensor division of Kodak.  Color sensors need to employ a lot of tricks and compromises in order to deliver a color image with full resolution.

In front the sensor requires the installation of a screen of color filters.  Each pixel is covered by either a red, green or blue filter.  Subsequently each pixel records only the color values of that particular filter.  In order for each pixel to generate all colors, the missing colors are transferred from the surrounding pixels by interpolation.  The image processor of the camera then has to find a compromise between resolution, noise and interpolation artifacts.  All these steps adversely affect resolution, sensitivity and indirectly, noise.


Since a monochrome sensor doesn’t have to deliver color values, the filter screen is unnecessary and image information is generated without interpolation and its subsequent compromises.  This enables the sensor to deliver full resolution.

Even though the sensor of the Leica M Monochrom has the same 18 megapixel resolution as the M9, it is capable of noticeably better performance.  Higher resolution and detail sharpness through the elimination of interpolation, higher sensitivity and less noise because no light is absorbed by the filters.

Additional advantages are no need to white balance.  Instead the image files can be directly recorded as toned black and white images in varying amounts.  Available are blue, selenium and sepia.

The entire range of ISO values has been shifted.  The maximum ISO value is 10,000, compared to 2,500 with the M9.  Minimum ISO value is 160.  However, that is considered a ‘pull value’ which results in lowered contrast.  For optimum results Leica recommends ISO 320.

Following are images taken with the Leica M Monochrom.

Test of resolution:

Click on picture to enlarge
Click on picture to enlarge
The detail of the wall is achieved without any further manipulation.

Click on picture to enlarge


 
Click on picture to enlarge
The point-like structures of the plant are resolved at individual pixel level.

Click on picture to enlarge

Click on picture to enlarge

Test of high ISO performance:

Taken at ISO 8,000.

Click on picture to enlarge
Click on picture to enlarge


Taken at ISO 3,200.

Click on picture to enlarge
Even the surface of the water shows no noise at all.

Click on picture to enlarge

Test of range of contrast and tonal range:

Click on picture to enlarge
Lightened to show the incredible amount of detail maintained in the shadows.

Click on picture to enlarge

All Pictures courtesy of Andreas Jürgensen of Systemkamera-Blog







4 comments:

  1. Everything posted made a bunch of sense. But, what about this?
    suppose you were to create a awesome headline? I mean, I don't wish to tell you how to run your website, but suppose you added a post title that grabbed a person's attention?
    I mean "MONOCHROME SENSOR - WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE" is a little
    plain. You ought to look at Yahoo's front page and watch how they write news headlines to grab people to click. You might add a video or a picture or two to get readers interested about what you've written.
    In my opinion, it might bring your website a little bit more
    interesting.
    Feel free to visit my web site : iphone 5 coverage

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your remarks clearly show that you have no clue what is being talked about here. It is obvious that the only reason fro your post here is to promote your own website. Any further posts of this kind will not be published in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Greetings, I do believe your blog could be having web browser compatibility problems.
    When I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however,
    if opening in I.E., it has some overlapping
    issues. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other than that, excellent website!


    Feel free to visit my website :: house

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fastidious response in return of this matter with firm arguments and describing everything on the topic of that.


    Feel free to visit my web blog :: www.propertywide.co.uk

    ReplyDelete