First things first, a HUGE thanks for doing these tests. It requires a lot of time, patience and planning on your side, but believe me, it is invaluable to us. Your work guys is massively appreciated, please know that. Now, as for the results, I come away with three conclusions. First, I have been right all along, Acros is such a great simulation, and you can tell this in almost every image. Secondly, I really like Leica Monochrom's results, but I know I will never be able to afford one- but it's ok, because there is Acros. Third, film is and remains something so truly special, there's just something about its results that digital has (still) not been able to replicate
Dry interesting comparisons, I also chose the Leica Monochrome, BUT..... the M3 with the Delta did not really get a fair shot. The exposures looked under in most cases, especially the interior shots. The digital cameras could vary the iso of the “film” there were using, the M3 was stuck on 100. Delta 100 does not give its best in dim light anyway, and if I was stuck in the situation of having to shoot iso 100 of any brand indoors I would alter the development of the film accordingly. The M3 with Delta 100could have done a lot better, but I am not complaining. A very good test, please do more like this!
Thing is when you get to this level of cameras you hit the laws of diminshing returns. That is why I am sticking with my Fuji X-T1. The extra resolution of the X-T2/3 would be nice. But no way in hell I would be able to justify the cost. Apart from the film on E it was really hard to spot any diffrence. Although you can get B/W film that offers more contrast than my X-T1 one wich I love & stick in my Nikon FE2 50mm f1.8. Just take both cameras out & get the best of both, or pop the Nikon lens on the Fuji.
@@kurtx agreed! After recently watching videos on the new Q2 monochrome I really feel like it may be the best camera ever made…. Being able to shoot usable photos at 100,000 iso??? Incredible!
I'm really relieved. In the color comparison I mostly choose the Leica pictures. But this time it was Fuji all the way through. I'm very happy about that being a Fuji shooter myself.
thank you so much for putting this together; amazing work. I am happy that I passed and chose C & D as my favorite for half and half, which means Im ready to finally switched over to monochrom leica now haha. thank you again
C and D. The detail and sharpness of both is just amazing. However, I love my X-T2, shoot raw, choose Acros + Red filter and essentially get similar tonality as the Leica except the sharpness SOOC. Pretty happy with my Fujifilm setup!
Hey I'm new to photography in general and have a x-h1. Wanted to ask you what exactly do you mean by red filter and how do you apply it in order to get that effect you mentioned ? Please if you could help thank you so much
My biggest takeaway from this was just how little there was in it between the Fujis and the Leicas. Maybe the Leicas edge it out side by side, and if that's worth it to some people then that's OK, but the Acros profile on the Fuji looks incredible to me and I'm more than happy with it on mine (though I might need to look at that 23mm lens...)
For those who say they can not tell a difference look at 9:04 and compare to 9:14. The Leica monochromatic renders a ton more detail and tonality. I would love it if Fuji made a monochromatic camera that was actually affordable. It would be hands down the best price for performance camera on the market. Thanks for taking the time to make this video comparison. Love my Fuji xt2 but it does not even come close to a true monochromatic camera.
The diffrence is truly meaningless to the art, only a hardware geek pixle peeper would care. Not saying being a pixl peeper is bad but you can hardly tell side by side, a photo by itself would be impossible to tell. Howeve low light is going to be much better on the Type 246.
@@ConnorRoss Actually the new technology in the processor has improved iso performance on the new 40mp M10. It performed better in low light than the previous 24mp model. The information comparing them is out there if you look. Meaningless to the art is your subjective opinion. Fact is a true monochromatic camera gathers more detail and tonality than a color sensor. It also gathers more light and will be cleaner at higher iso vs a color sensor.
@@paulthomas8986 I had the ISO improvements in my original comment but re-posted and forgot to add it back in, the low light is indeed incredible. The "tonality" though just seems light a flashy buzz word, I cannot for the life of me see any meaningful diffrence. I cannot see any more detail or range in the photos. If one is to understand what "tonality" is; which is a 100% made up word when it comes to imaging, people need to start using more verbs. Otherwise its just a buzz word aimed to add justification beyond low light performance. When people start using fictitious language with no explanation it only tells me there is nothing there.
D (Monochrome classic) was consistently my favorite, with the newer Monochrom and the Acros profile as second and third. The classic Monochrom has really nice tones and the sky renders differently.
When I saw the images, it was woohoo, I can save some money; I can stop lusting after an M3. But once I saw the results, it was darn, now I want a Type 246. Thanks for the video.
This is a powerful test and insight, nice to see some clear sense and thought process behind this. It's probably worth noting that Acros came with ever FujiFilm X mount camera, even the ones that didn't feature the Acros Film simulation. Like the XT1 and XT20 etc etc. Across was just a defined preset by mixing the right contrast, highlight and tones which anyone can do in the Fuji menus. I typed This only to help those that rant and get upset because they want across in thier fujifilm. Gotta be honest, the results had me fooled, I got the wrong results but this also pleased me because I realised there wasn't much in it besides cleaner iso on the TV screens and darker contrasts in D or E. Too me it's a brilliant comparison idea, and should make everyone realise its always going to be about the user not the gear hype and price tags or trends. Great video, thanks for sharing.
For my untrained eye, all of them almost looked the same except the film camera. I like the result of the Type 246 most but I also like the film grain from the delta 100.
I'm stunned by how wrong I was. My guess, in order of general preference, was: B and D: The Monochroms A: Acros C: Fuji Mono. So my jaw dropped when I learned I'd picked the Acros and classic Monochrom as nearly tied for favorite and the newer Monochrom in last. I'm a Fuji shooter but mostly use vintage Leica lenses, and I'm generally not that impressed with my own Fuji BWs and tend to prefer the Leica look, so I didn't see this coming.
What you only get with the Leica M is the special workflow. You won’t understand it unless you have shot with an M. I sold my M6 and went with several models of Fuji and Nikon, but none could replicate the feeling of creating images that only an M can provide. It really is night and day. But a used one if you can’t, or won’t, afford a new M - there’s nothing like it. Fuji doesn’t come close.
I've shot with plenty of Leicas and it is a wonderful experience. I certainly can agree. But I'm also super lazy and sometimes really I just want the camera to do the autofocus work :) Otherwise, I'd be totally with you.
I loved this comparison, it was so fun! Took it as a challenge and paused to really look. I was nervous about the results but guessed them all correctly. So close the average person wouldn't notice most definitely, aside from the film shots of course. Lovely video just subscribed.
I picked C and D. In the first photos you can see the extra tones in the tar and the street. Also the truck photos you can see the extra tones when looking at the rust on the door.
I expected Fuji to prevail given their color science etc., but then I reran the clip a few times and my old eyes thought all good! I shoot Delta 100 and still think in analog. *sigh* Thx for the show; thx to KEH; subbed!
CCD vs CMOS. Panchro vs Mono sensor. Fuji vs Leica color science. The differences are only found in specific scenarios. Therefore, in most applications, there is little discernable difference. e.g. extremes of lighting; the monochrome sensor is superior in extremely low light.
For me D won by a long shot followed by C. I saw A got second place for me in the portrait but it was still beaten by D. Not surprised that Leica dominated this thing.
The 246 is definitely the sharpest, especially on the portraits. But unless you are looking at 100%, they are all very compatible (except the film, which I don’t think was scanned properly in the first place)
Scored all of the different cameras in the test 1. B Fuji XT3 Acros (picked first everytime) 2. D Leica Monochrom Classic 3. A Fuji XT3 Monochrome 4. C Leica Monochrome 246 5. E Leica M3 Thanks for setting up this test! was really fun seeing which I gravitated to the most. Im an X Shooter so it worked out hahaha
My favorite was the Lecia M3 by far and away, but knowing it was the film camera I decided to pick a favorite digital image as well and as a Fuji shooter I was really happy to discover that my second place pick was the Fuji with the Acros which has become a staple of my photography recently
For me, what I picked depended on what I was looking for. If I was measuring the amount of detail, I would pick the Leica - it was easy when I put the screen to my face :). But for feeling, I found myself liking the Fuji a lot of the times. I thought I would have been an Across purist, but I liked some of the standard monochrome. Now there is one other option you could do, try everything out with a GFX 50r 😈. So for me, in this test, I think my takeaway is the same as your lesson on Bokeh - clients are not going to notice. Like, maybe they would notice a side-by-side - but not if you just put it in from of them and asked "is this good?".
When I shot film, in the last few years (1998-2005) it was exclusively Delta 100 with just a little Delta 400 in 35mm. What a startling contrast between the film and the digital shots. For me and what I do now, the Fuji simulations are just perfect! But I always have wondered what my Leica friends were seeing when they were shooting with their Monochroms... What a great comparison!!! Thank you, Andrew!
Loved it! I picked the Fuji Across 4 of the groups and Leica Mono 246 for the other 2. Very happy with my XT3 and I can't wait for the new XPro3 photocentric camera to arrive.
Great video. I picked mostly C & D... First time purchasing from KEH and ordered a 23mm f1.4 for my x-t2. Your promo discount code still works and I was able to save $36!! I’m glad I read the description. I’m just hoping the lens is not damaged or in bad shape and I can continue to buy from them in the future. Thank you.
Both Leica and Fuji results were excellent IMO, the M3, well, it just shows how far we’ve come. But both Fuji and Leica have a signature, I think Fuji feels more natural and Leica hyper detailed. I like them both... I think the best combo would be a Leica M lens on a Fuji body if you can live without autofocus. PS: all my observations were based on what I could perceive on my iPhone 12 screen. Thank you for taking the time to put those together.
As a XPro2 user and M240 user I have always been jealous of the quality and lack of ISO noise on a Typ246. Bit I definitely can't justify the cost of another camera body! M240 is a great shooting experience that tickles my fancy. Fuji gets the job done fast, efficiently and with great results. I like shooting both. :)
I was totally blown away by D, with B coming close in some shots, especially indoors with the lady as your subject, where to me B stood out. Overall I was absolutely blown away that I legitimately preferred the results of D by a wide margin once you revealed them! Great video concept and execution, I like it. Keep it up!
I kept picking D, preferring the slightly boosted mids/shadows. Until we got to the portrait. To me, the skin on A and B had a more organic feel than D and C. Very nice little comparison, and interesting to see what other people in the comments prefer as well
i have been shooting Monochrome on my fuji xe3 for a while, in this test i prefered the Across over all of the images. Looks like im going to be switching my camera film profile! Thank you for doing this.
Oh man, guess I need to save up for a Type 246. I'm surprised, I normally shoot with Fuji Acros with an R filter, but I found myself like the regular monochrome simulation in some of these images. I guess I need to shoot with that more.
Acros adds in more contrast and some grain. Easily done in post, and not something one always wants for every photo. But Acros does look very good with no editing, straight from camera.
I was really hoping I wouldn't pick Leica, but C was my first choice in all but one image (My second choice for almost every image was B). Maybe one day, when I retire.
I picked B, E (loved the film look on the car), then C,C,C,C. The 246 seemed to leap out for detail and toning. I loved the fall off in light on the portrait shot on the 246 - from clean detail on the sweater to the deep shadows in her hair on the right of frame.
I would be interested to know how exposure was determined. Were the digitals set to ISO 100 to match the film? How closely did their meters agree? Was one camera chosen as the reference standard and all others shot at the same shutter speed and aperture (where the lenses were capable of it)? etc.
FWIW, I pretty consistently chose D, B, C, in that order; but it was always close. I love Fuji and its Acros simulation, but not its normal Monochrome setting. And as another person noted, I don't think you had your best outing with the M3 and Delta 100, so that wasn't much of a comparison. -- Thanks for doing this comparison!
For me, there wasn't enough difference to justify spending almost $7,000.00 for that difference. I actually thought there would be a significant visible difference
I was consistently picking A/B, with a couple c’s and d’s thrown in. Overall, I think fuji is killing it with their image quality output. The 23mm 1.4 definitely helps, since it’s an exquisite lens.
@@dfgsdfhgdhggdffgfhds If i was buying this $1000+ lens, I'll be shooting at wide open or else that would defeat the purpose. Otherwise I would just get the 2x cheaper 23mm f2 lens, which by the way is actually sharper from f4-f8, compared to f1.4.
It’s pretty amazing that the tonal range of a Bayer sensor to monochrome, even an APS-C one can hold its own against a pure monochrome sensor, but luminance is luminance, and the size difference in the sensor isn’t really THAT much difference unlike going from FF to 645. Interestingly The monochrom has a slight detail advantage over my M240, but not by much. All that being said, after everything I’ve shot for BW, the Foveon sensor in my Sigma DP2 Merrill is still the best for monochrome, hands down. If you can cope with the quirks of the Sigma, you’ll never go back to a monochrome or bayer sensor for BW
Great test and presentation! Now a suggestion: For the price of a Leica Type 246, you might want to do a short comparison with a Fuji GFX 50R with the 45mm lens. I would love Fuji to do a 50R Monochrome version. I think they would fly off the shelves for the fine art crowd. Thanks again for the great testing.
@@cl3826 Agreed if you are into Leica for the entire experience including image quality, then there is nothing to discuss. If, however, you are all about image quality, the GFX 50R is worth a look. The fixed focal length lenses offer renderings that play in the same ball park as the Leica/Otus lenses. My previous camera was a first generation Sony A7 with adapted old Leica glass. My personal new favorite lenses are the GFX 45mm, 110mm and 250 mm.
@@DigitalGrease Yeah, but I would expect the GFX to to outperform Leica. You don't buy Leica because it's the best dollar-for-dollar. You buy it because it's one of a kind, and that's the kind you love shooting.
@@cl3826 We are talking at cross purposes. I believe the larger sensor in the GFX combined with the Leica/Otus caliber lenses do outperform the full frame cameras. I did say earlier that if what you want is the complete Leica experience, then of course only a Leica will satisfy.
Nice comparison. I picked the M3 with each picture except for the cracked car window where they all look very similar. If I paused the video, I'm sure I'll see the differences but I wanted to choose by heart/feel so I let the video run. I haven't seen all your videos, but is there going to be a b&w M8 and b&w Ricoh GRiii comparison with Fuji and Leica Mono?
@andrew I have come back to this video so many times. I'm really impressed with the standard Fuji monochrome, especially for the portrait. The way it treated the skin tone &lightened up the blacks, I'm a fan of.
I consistently chose A and B and then found it was the XT3. No shock - I rented the old Leica Monochrom and compared it to my X-T3 and got the same result. At least now I know it wasn't bias on my part. Just plain old preference. Something about the Xtrans with black & white. Thanks for this!
This video really verifies why I never shoot normal Monochrome on my Fuji’s anymore. I only shoot ACROS. The normal monochrome seems too cold. ACROS has a warmth. The same warmth is very strong with the Leica Typ246 as well.
Yeah but with Fuji cameras, you can adjust the color temperature for B&W images and coupled with the increased shadow detail of monochrome, it sort of makes it a better profile than Acros
I was really surprised that A & B were the Fuji. Especially with the shots of Ron’s garage, A & B seem to have better highlight control. I felt sure they were the Leica. At the screen res I watched the video on I couldn’t tell any difference in detail.
During the "film" days did we not use R/Y/G filters to create effects to the Black and White film? Do we not still need those colors? if you remove color and only use an B/W sensor. I would think you lose an amount of creativity. Those things you can manipulate to achieve optional results.
I was so sure D and C were Fuji. They looked great, but a tad sharp and not quote as smooth as A, my favorite. PLEASANTLY surprised to find out A is the much cheaper Fuji. I've lusted over the Leica Monochrom for so long. Don't get me wrong, the Type 246 looked stellar but I genuinely liked the Fuji (mono) better.
I nailed B Acros every time, I also chose C every time too. I never shot with Fuji’s monochrome setting so I don’t know what it looks like, from what I’ve read it’s just the Provia film sim desaturated. I don’t know. But this was fun, please have more of these tests. Thanks for posting this. 👍🏻
Acros looks great straight form camera. It adds contrast and some grain. In some cases, I don't want this, so I will use the RAW file instead. I always shoot Fuji with RAW + Fine.
When I saw the E photos I thought: damn, that Acros film simulation can be noisy sometimes (some of my Acros photos turned out very noisy as well). So yeah, I was genuinely surprised. Thanks for this comparison.
Wow, Ilford Delta... that was my go-to film when I was a fine arts student a million years ago. Did I just get a whiff of fixative? I could pick out the film shots easily, but the others were a challenge!
My choices were equally split between the X-T3 with Acros, and the Type 246. I had expected that I would prefer the classic Monochrome, so that was a surprise. Thanks for a fun test!
After watching this video two years ago, I performed a similar comparison test with my Fuji X-Pro1, Fuji X-Pro2, Leica M6, Leica M10, and Fuji 6x7. I decided to shoot black & white with the Leica M6 35mm film rangefinder and the Fuji 6x7cm medium format film rangefinder.
I chose C quite easily. It’s obvious the lens is far better than the others. You can tell in the cropped shots. The image is also more “creamy”. Plus, the Leica Ms are not the best at out of the camera JPEGS - shoot in RAW and then see how much better the images are! Remember that you’re watching these on a relatively small screen - the differences become far easier to spot when you enlarge. But even if other cameras produce better results than an M, I would still choose an M, for the workflow and interaction with the camera.
I actually guessed all of them correctly. I have the advantage of having shot Fujifilm for several years, so my brain is pretty well trained to recognize Fuji files. Man, the detail that those monochrome sensors can resolve is really something. I've been drooling over the Q2 monochrome since it came out. I was hoping this video would put that to rest, but no dice! Haha. Maybe some day I'll make the totally emotional and irrational decision to buy a monochrome Leica.
I’ve owned and used the original CCD Monochrom since late 2012 and more than seven years later it remains my favorite camera. For what it is, Fuji Acros (I use an X-Pro2 and the Acros+yellow quite often) it is simply outstanding. I consider myself very fortunate to have both.
The cafe shot and the portrait is where I noticed the Leica advantage. The others were difficult to tell apart. Then again I'm viewing this on my 2013 iPad. It would be nice to see some large prints ( 2 to 3 feet ). Did you edit any of the RAW files from the Fuji? I wonder if the difference would be narrowed? Thanks.
I would have thought that I would like the 246 the most but in this blind test I consistently chose A and D most of the time. Cool comparison. Thank you 👍🏻
hello I have a xt3 and I like to take black and white photos, I have tried various recipes but I can't find the right setting to emulate a good black and white, kindly would you have any suggestions? Thank you Andrew
All I shoot is the M9 version of the Monochrom for digital, and I have to say I was impressed with the Fuji. I picked D pretty consistently, but it was pretty close between that and A for me on a bunch of shots. I would love to hold a print out of the Fuji. Despite being 18mp, the lack of a Bayer/Xtrans sensor filter produces some ridiculously sharp prints with an incredible tonal range. I was also amused by your distaste for the M9 shooting experience. I too was underwhelmed to the point of thinking I had made a mistake when I first got it, but with now 4 years of shooting it I don't even notice the speed. It's so simple in its operation, it just becomes an extension of you. Thanks for the comparison videos!
I probably wouldn't mind the speed if I was doing the type of photography that lends itself to that. But as a dad, pet owner, and street photographer, it's just way to slow. Otherwise, beautiful device.
@@AndrewGoodCamera I hear your skepticism, but I too am a dad, pet owner and street photographer. It really isn't a problem once you get used to it. chrisduesing.com/street-photography (in case you think I'm fibbing :)
Beautiful shots. Did you change anyting like highlight tone, shadow tone etc in the fujifilm simulations or it was full natural (everything 0) ? Thank you 🤝🏾📸
My takeaway was just how identifiable, characteristic the M3 really is, just beautiful, other than that, all the images were impressive, and for most of us that are fiscally challenged, you can squeeze some amazingly comparative images out of the Fuji. Great Video!
I do like C very much for all the images. The shading is in the middle of all choices, in my opinion. It does look very natural for me. Thanks for this to prove that I have chosen the right camera :)
What would be better for black and white photography: a full-frame monochrome sensor in which each photosite gathers info on brightness or a 100 mp medium format panchromatic sensor? Or, in other words, what's better for B&W: a Leica Monochrome or a Hasselblad X2D?
What was the noise settings in the Fujis? Looks like you had noise suppression on by way of slight waxy skin in the portrait, and soft edges in the details. Turn it all the way down and the details will pop. Interesting upload, thanks!
My preferences were the older Leica Monochrom clearly out front, the 246 a little ahead of the two Fuji simulations, and Delta 100 dead last for each picture. While I know that film will always be showing grain this also looked very flat. I suspect that with different scanning or perhaps emulsion film would have made a better showing than it did.
I have the original "classic" m Monochrom and find it does best about 2/3 stop underexposed to help preserve the highlights and then you can adjust the shadows in post to recover them
Daniel Bunting I can’t believe y’all say that, A and B were a close second but C was consistently the best to my eye. and I’ve never owned a camera in my life and know nothing about photography.
I'm glad I chose A most of the time. I no longer wonder about the hype about Leica Monochrome and Fujifilm Acros simulation. Resolution and noise do not matter that much to me.
I found A being the strongest of the group. This test tells me that you can probably improve your black and white images more with a great low element, high micro-contrast lens than you can with a dedicated monochrome sensor. Sad to see that the film shots were last in almost all sets.
Doing the blind test I was convinced that my favourite would be a Leica monochrome, but the fact that it turned out to be acros fills me with joy. I use it all the time, but thought maybe the Leica monochrome would be far superior. Just love acros then. Confirmed
It was fairly clear to me C=D > A=B > E. I'm a bit shocked at E film coming in last place. Was exposure ok? Film is usually great and contrasty in B&W. The shots here had NO dynamic range. Weird. Great video though!
Really love how you record this video, did you use Fuji and what film simulation was this? Love the tonality and clarity of the video, really beautifully made. Please tell me I really love it! Too beautiful
Thank you! I record these videos on the x-t3, 4k 100mb, 30p with Classic Chrome preset. No color correction. Daylight balanced with a falconeyes LED panel in softbox camera right and a smaller tungsten balanced LEF panel behind me, camera left.
@@AndrewGoodCamera thank you so much for the clear explanation, it is really neat and beautiful, very pleasing to the eyes. Keep up the great, work man it is awesome!
First things first, a HUGE thanks for doing these tests. It requires a lot of time, patience and planning on your side, but believe me, it is invaluable to us. Your work guys is massively appreciated, please know that.
Now, as for the results, I come away with three conclusions. First, I have been right all along, Acros is such a great simulation, and you can tell this in almost every image. Secondly, I really like Leica Monochrom's results, but I know I will never be able to afford one- but it's ok, because there is Acros. Third, film is and remains something so truly special, there's just something about its results that digital has (still) not been able to replicate
I picked B every time.
To my eyes, D picks up the most details than the rest
I was impressed with how well Fuji did relative to the Leica.
Dry interesting comparisons, I also chose the Leica Monochrome, BUT..... the M3 with the Delta did not really get a fair shot. The exposures looked under in most cases, especially the interior shots. The digital cameras could vary the iso of the “film” there were using, the M3 was stuck on 100. Delta 100 does not give its best in dim light anyway, and if I was stuck in the situation of having to shoot iso 100 of any brand indoors I would alter the development of the film accordingly. The M3 with Delta 100could have done a lot better, but I am not complaining. A very good test, please do more like this!
I chose A and B, consistently. I shoot Canon, but really like the Fuji.
I chose C consistently with A and B close behind and I know nothing about photography.
I’m an X-T3 user and surprised how close they were. The Leicas were sharper but were they really $5000 sharper??
My thoughts exactly, they were definite winners but not $5000 winners lol!
Thing is when you get to this level of cameras you hit the laws of diminshing returns. That is why I am sticking with my Fuji X-T1. The extra resolution of the X-T2/3 would be nice. But no way in hell I would be able to justify the cost. Apart from the film on E it was really hard to spot any diffrence. Although you can get B/W film that offers more contrast than my X-T1 one wich I love & stick in my Nikon FE2 50mm f1.8. Just take both cameras out & get the best of both, or pop the Nikon lens on the Fuji.
Blinded, I chose the Fuji every time. LOL I guess I don't have $5k vision. 👁 👁
After you shoot 10k shots, the question becomes: The Leicas were sharper but were they really $.5 sharper??
@@kurtx agreed! After recently watching videos on the new Q2 monochrome I really feel like it may be the best camera ever made…. Being able to shoot usable photos at 100,000 iso??? Incredible!
I'm really relieved. In the color comparison I mostly choose the Leica pictures. But this time it was Fuji all the way through. I'm very happy about that being a Fuji shooter myself.
thank you so much for putting this together; amazing work. I am happy that I passed and chose C & D as my favorite for half and half, which means Im ready to finally switched over to monochrom leica now haha. thank you again
C and D. The detail and sharpness of both is just amazing. However, I love my X-T2, shoot raw, choose Acros + Red filter and essentially get similar tonality as the Leica except the sharpness SOOC. Pretty happy with my Fujifilm setup!
Hey I'm new to photography in general and have a x-h1. Wanted to ask you what exactly do you mean by red filter and how do you apply it in order to get that effect you mentioned ? Please if you could help thank you so much
Holy crap! I thought Leica would do better, but I only picked one Leica shot. Everything else was X-T3 + Acros.
very interesting!
Abdon Phir'athon weird because the X-T30 wasn’t even used in this comparison.
Rediscover Film It was a typo, I meant the X-T3. I'll edit it now.
Look at prints. Different story
My biggest takeaway from this was just how little there was in it between the Fujis and the Leicas. Maybe the Leicas edge it out side by side, and if that's worth it to some people then that's OK, but the Acros profile on the Fuji looks incredible to me and I'm more than happy with it on mine (though I might need to look at that 23mm lens...)
For those who say they can not tell a difference look at 9:04 and compare to 9:14. The Leica monochromatic renders a ton more detail and tonality. I would love it if Fuji made a monochromatic camera that was actually affordable. It would be hands down the best price for performance camera on the market. Thanks for taking the time to make this video comparison. Love my Fuji xt2 but it does not even come close to a true monochromatic camera.
The diffrence is truly meaningless to the art, only a hardware geek pixle peeper would care. Not saying being a pixl peeper is bad but you can hardly tell side by side, a photo by itself would be impossible to tell. Howeve low light is going to be much better on the Type 246.
@@ConnorRoss Actually the new technology in the processor has improved iso performance on the new 40mp M10. It performed better in low light than the previous 24mp model. The information comparing them is out there if you look. Meaningless to the art is your subjective opinion. Fact is a true monochromatic camera gathers more detail and tonality than a color sensor. It also gathers more light and will be cleaner at higher iso vs a color sensor.
@@paulthomas8986
I had the ISO improvements in my original comment but re-posted and forgot to add it back in, the low light is indeed incredible.
The "tonality" though just seems light a flashy buzz word, I cannot for the life of me see any meaningful diffrence. I cannot see any more detail or range in the photos. If one is to understand what "tonality" is; which is a 100% made up word when it comes to imaging, people need to start using more verbs. Otherwise its just a buzz word aimed to add justification beyond low light performance. When people start using fictitious language with no explanation it only tells me there is nothing there.
D (Monochrome classic) was consistently my favorite, with the newer Monochrom and the Acros profile as second and third. The classic Monochrom has really nice tones and the sky renders differently.
I picked images a and b, and I've been planning to buy that camera. This sealed the deal.
When I saw the images, it was woohoo, I can save some money; I can stop lusting after an M3. But once I saw the results, it was darn, now I want a Type 246. Thanks for the video.
Haha. Yup
Don't worry, go for the M3. Nothing beats black and white film.
This is a powerful test and insight, nice to see some clear sense and thought process behind this. It's probably worth noting that Acros came with ever FujiFilm X mount camera, even the ones that didn't feature the Acros Film simulation. Like the XT1 and XT20 etc etc. Across was just a defined preset by mixing the right contrast, highlight and tones which anyone can do in the Fuji menus. I typed This only to help those that rant and get upset because they want across in thier fujifilm.
Gotta be honest, the results had me fooled, I got the wrong results but this also pleased me because I realised there wasn't much in it besides cleaner iso on the TV screens and darker contrasts in D or E. Too me it's a brilliant comparison idea, and should make everyone realise its always going to be about the user not the gear hype and price tags or trends.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
I picked D every time. That beautiful film like result from CCD sensor is unbeatable in the digital field!
You guys and KEH are killing it with these videos. Thank you!!
:) Thanks man
For my untrained eye, all of them almost looked the same except the film camera. I like the result of the Type 246 most but I also like the film grain from the delta 100.
Of course you could edit the jpeg profile in the Fuji and add grain to the film simulation but I agree the real film grain always looks more pleasing!
Im gonna stick with my tri-x 400
Good man!
I'm stunned by how wrong I was.
My guess, in order of general preference, was:
B and D: The Monochroms
A: Acros
C: Fuji Mono.
So my jaw dropped when I learned I'd picked the Acros and classic Monochrom as nearly tied for favorite and the newer Monochrom in last. I'm a Fuji shooter but mostly use vintage Leica lenses, and I'm generally not that impressed with my own Fuji BWs and tend to prefer the Leica look, so I didn't see this coming.
What you only get with the Leica M is the special workflow. You won’t understand it unless you have shot with an M. I sold my M6 and went with several models of Fuji and Nikon, but none could replicate the feeling of creating images that only an M can provide. It really is night and day. But a used one if you can’t, or won’t, afford a new M - there’s nothing like it. Fuji doesn’t come close.
I've shot with plenty of Leicas and it is a wonderful experience. I certainly can agree. But I'm also super lazy and sometimes really I just want the camera to do the autofocus work :) Otherwise, I'd be totally with you.
I loved this comparison, it was so fun! Took it as a challenge and paused to really look. I was nervous about the results but guessed them all correctly. So close the average person wouldn't notice most definitely, aside from the film shots of course. Lovely video just subscribed.
Preferred D every time. Better contrast and very analog feeling. Thought it's 246.
I picked C and D. In the first photos you can see the extra tones in the tar and the street. Also the truck photos you can see the extra tones when looking at the rust on the door.
I expected Fuji to prevail given their color science etc., but then I reran the clip a few times and my old eyes thought all good! I shoot Delta 100 and still think in analog. *sigh* Thx for the show; thx to KEH; subbed!
CCD vs CMOS. Panchro vs Mono sensor. Fuji vs Leica color science. The differences are only found in specific scenarios. Therefore, in most applications, there is little discernable difference. e.g. extremes of lighting; the monochrome sensor is superior in extremely low light.
A comparism to the monochrome mode of the Olympus Pen F would be interesting ...
For me D won by a long shot followed by C. I saw A got second place for me in the portrait but it was still beaten by D. Not surprised that Leica dominated this thing.
How to upset a Leica user: Compare with Fujifilm. How to thrill a Fuji user: Compare with Leica. I understand why you are very careful here.
😂
Yeah, right after watching this video, i warched one comparing the sony a 7 lll. There are more cameras to compare.
I own a leic m10 and a x-pro3 and i like the leica B&W better, but fuji is 4 times cheaper and way better value for money
as a non-judgemental photographer who has used both, I am babyraging 😤😤😤
The 246 is definitely the sharpest, especially on the portraits. But unless you are looking at 100%, they are all very compatible (except the film, which I don’t think was scanned properly in the first place)
Scored all of the different cameras in the test
1. B Fuji XT3 Acros (picked first everytime)
2. D Leica Monochrom Classic
3. A Fuji XT3 Monochrome
4. C Leica Monochrome 246
5. E Leica M3
Thanks for setting up this test! was really fun seeing which I gravitated to the most. Im an X Shooter so it worked out hahaha
I'm extremely upset! Apparently I liked the type 246 the most and that's just way outside of my budget! XD
me too! :)
I'm crazy about the M Monochrom it's a unique and outstanding camera. Still I think Fuji does better cameras overall
That’s the one I chose too.
My favorite was the Lecia M3 by far and away, but knowing it was the film camera I decided to pick a favorite digital image as well and as a Fuji shooter I was really happy to discover that my second place pick was the Fuji with the Acros which has become a staple of my photography recently
For me, what I picked depended on what I was looking for. If I was measuring the amount of detail, I would pick the Leica - it was easy when I put the screen to my face :). But for feeling, I found myself liking the Fuji a lot of the times. I thought I would have been an Across purist, but I liked some of the standard monochrome. Now there is one other option you could do, try everything out with a GFX 50r 😈.
So for me, in this test, I think my takeaway is the same as your lesson on Bokeh - clients are not going to notice. Like, maybe they would notice a side-by-side - but not if you just put it in from of them and asked "is this good?".
Great video! Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce this. 👏👏Monochrome is fun and challenging
Hahahah.. i was all in to A and B, and what do you know? I’m a X shooter.
🤓
Thanks for sharing. //freddie
When I shot film, in the last few years (1998-2005) it was exclusively Delta 100 with just a little Delta 400 in 35mm. What a startling contrast between the film and the digital shots. For me and what I do now, the Fuji simulations are just perfect! But I always have wondered what my Leica friends were seeing when they were shooting with their Monochroms... What a great comparison!!! Thank you, Andrew!
I love Delta 100 when I get it right. But it sure is a lot less flexible than FP4.
Loved it! I picked the Fuji Across 4 of the groups and Leica Mono 246 for the other 2. Very happy with my XT3 and I can't wait for the new XPro3 photocentric camera to arrive.
Great video. I picked mostly C & D...
First time purchasing from KEH and ordered a 23mm f1.4 for my x-t2. Your promo discount code still works and I was able to save $36!! I’m glad I read the description. I’m just hoping the lens is not damaged or in bad shape and I can continue to buy from them in the future. Thank you.
Both Leica and Fuji results were excellent IMO, the M3, well, it just shows how far we’ve come. But both Fuji and Leica have a signature, I think Fuji feels more natural and Leica hyper detailed. I like them both... I think the best combo would be a Leica M lens on a Fuji body if you can live without autofocus. PS: all my observations were based on what I could perceive on my iPhone 12 screen. Thank you for taking the time to put those together.
As a XPro2 user and M240 user I have always been jealous of the quality and lack of ISO noise on a Typ246. Bit I definitely can't justify the cost of another camera body!
M240 is a great shooting experience that tickles my fancy.
Fuji gets the job done fast, efficiently and with great results.
I like shooting both. :)
I was totally blown away by D, with B coming close in some shots, especially indoors with the lady as your subject, where to me B stood out. Overall I was absolutely blown away that I legitimately preferred the results of D by a wide margin once you revealed them! Great video concept and execution, I like it. Keep it up!
I felt exactly the same 😂
I kept picking D, preferring the slightly boosted mids/shadows. Until we got to the portrait. To me, the skin on A and B had a more organic feel than D and C. Very nice little comparison, and interesting to see what other people in the comments prefer as well
Same! Probably just too much details, and on the other hand Fuji by default applies NR, which probably smoothed out the skin.
i have been shooting Monochrome on my fuji xe3 for a while, in this test i prefered the Across over all of the images. Looks like im going to be switching my camera film profile! Thank you for doing this.
Oh man, guess I need to save up for a Type 246. I'm surprised, I normally shoot with Fuji Acros with an R filter, but I found myself like the regular monochrome simulation in some of these images. I guess I need to shoot with that more.
Acros adds in more contrast and some grain. Easily done in post, and not something one always wants for every photo. But Acros does look very good with no editing, straight from camera.
I was really hoping I wouldn't pick Leica, but C was my first choice in all but one image (My second choice for almost every image was B). Maybe one day, when I retire.
I picked B, E (loved the film look on the car), then C,C,C,C. The 246 seemed to leap out for detail and toning. I loved the fall off in light on the portrait shot on the 246 - from clean detail on the sweater to the deep shadows in her hair on the right of frame.
thanks for this nice comparison delivered in your own calm way
I would be interested to know how exposure was determined. Were the digitals set to ISO 100 to match the film? How closely did their meters agree? Was one camera chosen as the reference standard and all others shot at the same shutter speed and aperture (where the lenses were capable of it)? etc.
FWIW, I pretty consistently chose D, B, C, in that order; but it was always close. I love Fuji and its Acros simulation, but not its normal Monochrome setting. And as another person noted, I don't think you had your best outing with the M3 and Delta 100, so that wasn't much of a comparison. -- Thanks for doing this comparison!
For me, there wasn't enough difference to justify spending almost $7,000.00 for that difference. I actually thought there would be a significant visible difference
I was consistently picking A/B, with a couple c’s and d’s thrown in. Overall, I think fuji is killing it with their image quality output. The 23mm 1.4 definitely helps, since it’s an exquisite lens.
I thought 23mm f1.4 was known as a sharp lens, but in this video it fails miserably especially on the portrait
@@dablaire89Fair enough. Your mileage may vary, but for me at least, the 23mm 1.4 from f4-f8 has been brilliantly sharp with amazing rendition.
@@dfgsdfhgdhggdffgfhds If i was buying this $1000+ lens, I'll be shooting at wide open or else that would defeat the purpose. Otherwise I would just get the 2x cheaper 23mm f2 lens, which by the way is actually sharper from f4-f8, compared to f1.4.
It’s pretty amazing that the tonal range of a Bayer sensor to monochrome, even an APS-C one can hold its own against a pure monochrome sensor, but luminance is luminance, and the size difference in the sensor isn’t really THAT much difference unlike going from FF to 645. Interestingly The monochrom has a slight detail advantage over my M240, but not by much.
All that being said, after everything I’ve shot for BW, the Foveon sensor in my Sigma DP2 Merrill is still the best for monochrome, hands down. If you can cope with the quirks of the Sigma, you’ll never go back to a monochrome or bayer sensor for BW
Great test and presentation! Now a suggestion: For the price of a Leica Type 246, you might want to do a short comparison with a Fuji GFX 50R with the 45mm lens. I would love Fuji to do a 50R Monochrome version. I think they would fly off the shelves for the fine art crowd. Thanks again for the great testing.
DigitalGrease with Leica it’s not about price
@@cl3826 Agreed if you are into Leica for the entire experience including image quality, then there is nothing to discuss. If, however, you are all about image quality, the GFX 50R is worth a look. The fixed focal length lenses offer renderings that play in the same ball park as the Leica/Otus lenses. My previous camera was a first generation Sony A7 with adapted old Leica glass. My personal new favorite lenses are the GFX 45mm, 110mm and 250 mm.
@@DigitalGrease Yeah, but I would expect the GFX to to outperform Leica. You don't buy Leica because it's the best dollar-for-dollar. You buy it because it's one of a kind, and that's the kind you love shooting.
@@cl3826 We are talking at cross purposes. I believe the larger sensor in the GFX combined with the Leica/Otus caliber lenses do outperform the full frame cameras. I did say earlier that if what you want is the complete Leica experience, then of course only a Leica will satisfy.
@@DigitalGrease Yeah, makes sense
Nice comparison. I picked the M3 with each picture except for the cracked car window where they all look very similar. If I paused the video, I'm sure I'll see the differences but I wanted to choose by heart/feel so I let the video run. I haven't seen all your videos, but is there going to be a b&w M8 and b&w Ricoh GRiii comparison with Fuji and Leica Mono?
It gets expensive to make these. If I had a good way to get my hands on a GRiii I would. Not sure though
@@AndrewGoodCamera attention Pentax/Ricoh! Give this channel a chance, pretty please with sugar on top. 👍👍
@andrew I have come back to this video so many times. I'm really impressed with the standard Fuji monochrome, especially for the portrait. The way it treated the skin tone &lightened up the blacks, I'm a fan of.
i like the B and D profile. Now i'm curious if all Fuji has Across profile....?
I consistently chose A and B and then found it was the XT3. No shock - I rented the old Leica Monochrom and compared it to my X-T3 and got the same result. At least now I know it wasn't bias on my part. Just plain old preference. Something about the Xtrans with black & white. Thanks for this!
This video really verifies why I never shoot normal Monochrome on my Fuji’s anymore. I only shoot ACROS. The normal monochrome seems too cold. ACROS has a warmth. The same warmth is very strong with the Leica Typ246 as well.
Yeah but with Fuji cameras, you can adjust the color temperature for B&W images and coupled with the increased shadow detail of monochrome, it sort of makes it a better profile than Acros
I was really surprised that A & B were the Fuji. Especially with the shots of Ron’s garage, A & B seem to have better highlight control. I felt sure they were the Leica. At the screen res I watched the video on I couldn’t tell any difference in detail.
This may be because Fuji's light meters underexpose images by 1/3-2/3 of a stop on purpose to protect highlights
I actually picked the Fuji each time for my fav, haha. Wow, I thought the Lecia would have had it hands down. Great video!
During the "film" days did we not use R/Y/G filters to create effects to the Black and White film?
Do we not still need those colors? if you remove color and only use an B/W sensor. I would think you lose an amount of creativity.
Those things you can manipulate to achieve optional results.
I was so sure D and C were Fuji. They looked great, but a tad sharp and not quote as smooth as A, my favorite. PLEASANTLY surprised to find out A is the much cheaper Fuji. I've lusted over the Leica Monochrom for so long. Don't get me wrong, the Type 246 looked stellar but I genuinely liked the Fuji (mono) better.
I nailed B Acros every time, I also chose C every time too. I never shot with Fuji’s monochrome setting so I don’t know what it looks like, from what I’ve read it’s just the Provia film sim desaturated. I don’t know. But this was fun, please have more of these tests. Thanks for posting this. 👍🏻
Acros looks great straight form camera. It adds contrast and some grain. In some cases, I don't want this, so I will use the RAW file instead. I always shoot Fuji with RAW + Fine.
When I saw the E photos I thought: damn, that Acros film simulation can be noisy sometimes (some of my Acros photos turned out very noisy as well). So yeah, I was genuinely surprised. Thanks for this comparison.
From the best downwards I prefer : D - A - C - B - E
Wow, Ilford Delta... that was my go-to film when I was a fine arts student a million years ago. Did I just get a whiff of fixative? I could pick out the film shots easily, but the others were a challenge!
My choices were equally split between the X-T3 with Acros, and the Type 246. I had expected that I would prefer the classic Monochrome, so that was a surprise. Thanks for a fun test!
wow, can't believe I got them all right. A great test man
Could you add a section to your video descriptions with what the video was shot? Thanks!
After watching this video two years ago, I performed a similar comparison test with my Fuji X-Pro1, Fuji X-Pro2, Leica M6, Leica M10, and Fuji 6x7. I decided to shoot black & white with the Leica M6 35mm film rangefinder and the Fuji 6x7cm medium format film rangefinder.
I chose C quite easily. It’s obvious the lens is far better than the others. You can tell in the cropped shots. The image is also more “creamy”. Plus, the Leica Ms are not the best at out of the camera JPEGS - shoot in RAW and then see how much better the images are! Remember that you’re watching these on a relatively small screen - the differences become far easier to spot when you enlarge. But even if other cameras produce better results than an M, I would still choose an M, for the workflow and interaction with the camera.
I actually guessed all of them correctly. I have the advantage of having shot Fujifilm for several years, so my brain is pretty well trained to recognize Fuji files. Man, the detail that those monochrome sensors can resolve is really something. I've been drooling over the Q2 monochrome since it came out. I was hoping this video would put that to rest, but no dice! Haha. Maybe some day I'll make the totally emotional and irrational decision to buy a monochrome Leica.
I’ve owned and used the original CCD Monochrom since late 2012 and more than seven years later it remains my favorite camera. For what it is, Fuji Acros (I use an X-Pro2 and the Acros+yellow quite often) it is simply outstanding.
I consider myself very fortunate to have both.
The cafe shot and the portrait is where I noticed the Leica advantage. The others were difficult to tell apart. Then again I'm viewing this on my 2013 iPad. It would be nice to see some large prints ( 2 to 3 feet ).
Did you edit any of the RAW files from the Fuji? I wonder if the difference would be narrowed?
Thanks.
For me, I always love Fujifilm Acros black and white most. Definitely B!!!
I would have thought that I would like the 246 the most but in this blind test I consistently chose A and D most of the time. Cool comparison. Thank you 👍🏻
Thanks! Been enjoying your videos as well
@@AndrewGoodCamera thanks a lot. Glad you like them as well. I truly enjoy your channel.
hello I have a xt3 and I like to take black and white photos, I have tried various recipes but I can't find the right setting to emulate a good black and white, kindly would you have any suggestions?
Thank you
Andrew
All I shoot is the M9 version of the Monochrom for digital, and I have to say I was impressed with the Fuji. I picked D pretty consistently, but it was pretty close between that and A for me on a bunch of shots. I would love to hold a print out of the Fuji. Despite being 18mp, the lack of a Bayer/Xtrans sensor filter produces some ridiculously sharp prints with an incredible tonal range. I was also amused by your distaste for the M9 shooting experience. I too was underwhelmed to the point of thinking I had made a mistake when I first got it, but with now 4 years of shooting it I don't even notice the speed. It's so simple in its operation, it just becomes an extension of you. Thanks for the comparison videos!
I probably wouldn't mind the speed if I was doing the type of photography that lends itself to that. But as a dad, pet owner, and street photographer, it's just way to slow. Otherwise, beautiful device.
@@AndrewGoodCamera I hear your skepticism, but I too am a dad, pet owner and street photographer. It really isn't a problem once you get used to it.
chrisduesing.com/street-photography (in case you think I'm fibbing :)
Beautiful shots. Did you change anyting like highlight tone, shadow tone etc in the fujifilm simulations or it was full natural (everything 0) ? Thank you 🤝🏾📸
My takeaway was just how identifiable, characteristic the M3 really is, just beautiful, other than that, all the images were impressive, and for most of us that are fiscally challenged, you can squeeze some amazingly comparative images out of the Fuji. Great Video!
My best for every set: A,B,C,B,E,B. I'm impressed how Fuji won.
I do like C very much for all the images. The shading is in the middle of all choices, in my opinion. It does look very natural for me. Thanks for this to prove that I have chosen the right camera :)
What would be better for black and white photography: a full-frame monochrome sensor in which each photosite gathers info on brightness or a 100 mp medium format panchromatic sensor? Or, in other words, what's better for B&W: a Leica Monochrome or a Hasselblad X2D?
I liked B and C the most B edging it out. Were the film shots just underexposed?
What was the noise settings in the Fujis? Looks like you had noise suppression on by way of slight waxy skin in the portrait, and soft edges in the details. Turn it all the way down and the details will pop. Interesting upload, thanks!
My preferences were the older Leica Monochrom clearly out front, the 246 a little ahead of the two Fuji simulations, and Delta 100 dead last for each picture. While I know that film will always be showing grain this also looked very flat. I suspect that with different scanning or perhaps emulsion film would have made a better showing than it did.
I have the original "classic" m Monochrom and find it does best about 2/3 stop underexposed to help preserve the highlights and then you can adjust the shadows in post to recover them
This was great! My two faves ended up being the X-T3 Monochrom and the Leica M3.
I wonder what the result would have been had you included a conventional B&W converted image from a DSLR/mirrorless.
Chose A and B, absolutely expecting to be choosing a Leica. D was close for me in a number of photos. Totally surprised I went with fuji
Daniel Bunting I can’t believe y’all say that, A and B were a close second but C was consistently the best to my eye. and I’ve never owned a camera in my life and know nothing about photography.
I'm glad I chose A most of the time. I no longer wonder about the hype about Leica Monochrome and Fujifilm Acros simulation. Resolution and noise do not matter that much to me.
I found A being the strongest of the group. This test tells me that you can probably improve your black and white images more with a great low element, high micro-contrast lens than you can with a dedicated monochrome sensor. Sad to see that the film shots were last in almost all sets.
Doing the blind test I was convinced that my favourite would be a Leica monochrome, but the fact that it turned out to be acros fills me with joy. I use it all the time, but thought maybe the Leica monochrome would be far superior. Just love acros then. Confirmed
Liked B and then A consistently. The film shots were underexposed, a bit disapointed about the Leica results wich were not that great.
It was fairly clear to me C=D > A=B > E. I'm a bit shocked at E film coming in last place. Was exposure ok? Film is usually great and contrasty in B&W. The shots here had NO dynamic range. Weird. Great video though!
Film was underexposed
Really love how you record this video, did you use Fuji and what film simulation was this? Love the tonality and clarity of the video, really beautifully made. Please tell me I really love it! Too beautiful
Thank you! I record these videos on the x-t3, 4k 100mb, 30p with Classic Chrome preset. No color correction. Daylight balanced with a falconeyes LED panel in softbox camera right and a smaller tungsten balanced LEF panel behind me, camera left.
@@AndrewGoodCamera thank you so much for the clear explanation, it is really neat and beautiful, very pleasing to the eyes. Keep up the great, work man it is awesome!
How about throwing in Pentax k3 3 monochrome just for chucks and giggles?