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LEICA CAMERA AG
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05 04
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LEICA CAMERA AG
L E I C A CAMERA AG
The future of black-and-white photography.
Henri Cartier-Bresson photographed by his Magnum colleague Dennis Stock on the roof
of the Magnum building in Manhattan, 1961. Copyright Dennis Stock, Magnum Photos.
‘Only black and white reveals emotion’ – so said Henri Cartier-Bresson, perhaps the greatest black-and-white
photographer of the 20th century. He certainly counts as one of the most important in the history of photography.
With his Leica M, the co-founder of the legendary Magnum Photos independent photographic cooperative was
always looking for the one ‘decisive moment’ that expresses the inner truth of a scene. It is no accident that he
made an M-Camera his preferred tool. With the introduction of the rangefinder in 1954, many reportage photog-
raphers and artists discovered the merits of the fast, discreet cameras of the Leica M-System, which are ideal
for capturing vibrant, authentic shots of life as it happens. Benefits that win the appreciation of many Magnum
photographers, now as in the past. The Leica M-System is not the only photographic legend to have survived to
the present day. The fascination of black-and-white photography, so often invoked by Cartier-Bresson, is as alive
as ever. It is evident in the monochrome works of many young photographers – including members of Magnum
Photos – and in the dominance of black and white in art photography. With an authenticity that surpasses colour
photography, it enables the artist to ‘paint with light’. Light, and nothing else. So the time is right for a camera that
builds on the rich tradition of analogue black-and-white photography and brings authentic monochrome photo g-
raphy into the digital era: the Leica M Monochrom. It is the world’s first digital black-and-white camera in 35 mm
format. With the M Monochrom, photographers have a camera that combines state-of-the-art rangefinder and
digital technologies to deliver black-and-white images of incomparable quality. The results rival those of medium-
format cameras and effortlessly meet the demands of fine-art photography.