Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246)

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The Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) was introduced in April of 2015³¹⁸ and remained in production until 2020³⁵⁷. 

The Leica Monochrom (Typ 246) was built on the foundation of the Leica M-P (Typ 240) but featured a 24 MP CMOS sensor manufactured by CMOSIS, replacing the previous model's CCD sensor³⁰⁴. It maintained a similar stealthy appearance to its predecessor, complete with a sapphire crystal back and the absence of the iconic red dot³⁰⁴.

The Leica Monochrom (Typ 246) had several improvements over the original Leica M Monochrom of 2012³⁰⁴:

• A faster processor³⁰⁴
• A larger buffer³⁰⁴
• Longer battery life³⁰⁴
• A higher resolution LCD screen³⁰⁴
• A quieter shutter (without re-cock pause)³⁰⁴
• Reduced shutter lag³⁰⁴
• Enhanced performance at high ISO settings³⁰⁴
• Higher overall resolution³⁰⁴
• An integrated thumb grip³⁰⁴
• A thumb wheel for easier adjustments³⁰⁴
• Improved ergonomics for better handling³⁰⁴
• An upgraded rangefinder design³⁰⁴
• A focus assist/exposure compensation button³⁰⁴

The Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) was approximately 100 grams heavier and 0.6 mm thicker than the original Leica M Monochrom of 2012³⁰⁴.

New features of the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) included³⁰⁴:

• Live View³⁰⁴
• Optional Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)³⁰⁴
• Focus Peaking³⁰⁴
• Focus Assist (zoom focus)³⁰⁴
• Ability to shoot video³⁰⁴
• Matrix/centre weighted/spot metering modes³⁰⁴
• Weather sealing³⁰⁴

One of the criticisms of the original Leica M Monochrom from 2012 was that, despite its impressive resolution, it was difficult to accurately assess the sharpness of an image on the rear LCD due to its low resolution³⁰⁴. The new LCD, similar to that of the M (Typ 240), enabled users to accurately evaluate image sharpness before transferring the photos to a computer³⁰⁴.

As one would expect, at base ISO, the resolution improvement over the older camera reflected the difference between the 18 MP of the old CCD sensor and the 24 MP of the new CMOS sensor³⁰⁴. However, the higher ISO performance was a significant improvement³⁰⁴. The Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) offerred a "pushed" ISO of 25,000, whereas the previous camera had a maximum ISO of 10,000³⁰⁴.

At lower ISO values, the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) appeared to deliver a one-stop advantage over the original camera and a two-stop advantage over the Leica M (Typ 240)³⁰⁴. While banding was still a potential issue at very high ISO settings, Leica had made considerable improvements in this area compared to the Leica M (Typ 240)³⁰⁴. An ISO of 25,000 was certainly usable in many situations³⁰⁴.

Special Editions of Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246):

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Leica Historica 1975 - 2015" was produced in 2015³⁵⁷. This special series was produced on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Leica Historica³⁵⁷. The silver chrome-plated camera was covered with turquoise blue genuine leather and had a special engraving on the top plate³⁵⁷. A matching APO-Summicron-M 90 f/2 ASPH., also silver chrome-plated and with a special engraving, was offered separately³⁵⁷. Examples included:

• body number 4969032 (32-40), dated 2015, with lens 4969032

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Leica Store Oslo" was produced in 2017³⁵⁷. This special edition was commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Leica Store Oslo³⁵⁷. The black chrome camera had the special engraving "OSLO" and a special number engraved on the back of the top plate and on the front of the lens³⁵⁷. The lens was also a black chrome Summaron-M 28 f/5.6 with red engravings³⁵⁷. 

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Jim Marshall" was produced in 2017³⁵⁷. This special edition was produced in collaboration with the Jim Marshall Foundation³⁵⁷. The Leica camera, made of brass, was coated with a matt Laiton finish³⁵⁷. Marshall's signature was engraved on the top plate³⁵⁷. A Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH. with a classic knurled focusing ring and round lens hood came in the same look³⁵⁷. The set also included a print of Thelonious Monk at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival and a special edition of Jim Marshall's photo book³⁵⁷.

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Meister Edition Berlin" was produced in 2017³⁵⁷. This special series of 10 cameras was created to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Leica Store Berlin³⁵⁷. The camera body, along with all controls, and the matching Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 ASPH., were treated with blue stain³⁵⁷. Instead of lacquer, the blue stain was sealed twice³⁵⁷. The covering was made of black saddle leather³⁵⁷. The hot shoe featured a special numbering³⁵⁷. Examples included:

• body number 5180255 (5/10), dated 2015, with lens 4659004

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Stealth Edition" was produced in 2018³⁵⁷. This special series of 125 cameras was created together with the fashion label rag & bone³⁵⁷. The camera was coated with a special scratch-resistant, matt lacquer to make the surface as black as possible³⁵⁷. To match this, the leather covering of the camera was made from extremely smooth, non-slip full-grain cowhide in deep black³⁵⁷. The most important engravings on the camera and lens were highlighted with a special fluorescent colour that glowed in the dark³⁵⁷. The set was delivered with a correspondingly designed Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH³⁵⁷. Examples included:

• body number 5180740 (70/125), dated 2018, with lens 4722897

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Signature" was produced in 2019³⁵⁷. This edition was created together with Andy Summers, the former guitarist of The Police³⁵⁷. The camera, coated with black high-gloss paint, had a leather cover with a photo collage³⁵⁷. A signature engraved in red adorned the top plate³⁵⁷. The set included a Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. with a round lens hood, a strap inspired by the Fender guitar and a black leather bag by Oberwerth³⁵⁷. 

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Drifter" was produced in 2019³⁵⁷. This special edition was developed in collaboration with Lenny Kravitz³⁵⁷. The sepia-brown painted camera was covered in vegan leather with a snakeskin look³⁵⁷. The carrying strap was also made of the same material³⁵⁷. The controls were made of brass³⁵⁷. The set included two lenses, also in sepia brown: Summicron-M 28 f/2 ASPH. and APO-Summicron-M 75 f/2 ASPH³⁵⁷. 

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Your Mark" was produced in 2019³⁵⁷. This special edition was produced in collaboration with Horween Leather Company for the Leica Store San Francisco³⁵⁷. The camera and the accompanying Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. were painted in high-gloss black³⁵⁷. The camera leather was made by Horween in vintage black³⁵⁷. The set also included a carrying strap made of black Horween leather³⁵⁷. 

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Kyoto" was produced in 2019³⁵⁷. This special edition was produced to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Leica Store Kyoto³⁵⁷. The silver chrome-plated camera had a green leather cover and a special "Kyoto" engraving on the back of the top plate³⁵⁷. A carrying strap made from the same leather was included in the set³⁵⁷. 

Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) "Leitz Wetzlar" was produced in 2019³⁵⁷. This special edition was released to mark the 150th anniversary of the takeover of the Optical Institute in Wetzlar by Ernst Leitz I, and the founding of the Ernst Leitz Wetzlar company³⁵⁷. The black chrome-plated camera had the special engraving "Leitz Wetzlar" on the top plate³⁵⁷.