Leica teams up with Lenny Kravitz to launch a $24K M Monochrom with faux python skin
May 24, 2019
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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Lenny Kravitz is well-known for his music, but he’s also an avid photographer and a fan of Leica cameras. So, Leica teamed up with the famous musician to bring you a stylish, limited edition version of Leica M Monochrom. It’s covered with faux python skin, and along with two lenses, it will set you back “only” $24,000.
This special edition of Leica M Monochrom is named “Drifter,” after Lenny who is a self-proclaimed drifter himself. In addition to the camera, there are also two “Drifter” lenses available: a Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH. and an APO-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH. Leica writes that the set was designed “with Kravitz’s vision of being a free spirit, always on the road and open to adventure.”
These are the notes on the design of the set:
- The body of the camera is adorned with a unique sepia-brown paint finish coupled with a vegan python leatherette, sourced by Kravitz’s personal friend and revered designer Stella McCartney
- The accompanying lenses feature the same brown paint finish as their counterpart, complete with impressive pure brass edges
- Additionally, the set includes a striking vegan python carrying strap, brown leather carry cases for each lens, and a brown weekender dubbed “The Drifter Traveler”
Specs-wise, the “Drifter” is a Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) in its core, so these are the key specs:
- 24MP Full-Frame B&W CMOS Sensor
- No Color Array or Low Pass Filter
- Leica Maestro Image Processor
- Rangefinder with Image Field Selector
- 68x Optical Viewfinder Magnification
- 0″ 921.6k-Dot LCD with Sapphire Glass
- Full HD 1080p Video at 24/25 fps
- ISO 320-25000, 3 fps with 2GB Buffer
- Magnesium-Alloy Body Construction
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Download
The Leica M Monochrom “Drifter” set is limited to only 125 sets worldwide, and it’s available at Leica Stores and Boutiques for $23,950, to be exact. Yeah, I know, it’s a lot.
But for comparison, the “basic” Leica M Monochrom costs $8,000. If you add the APO-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH. and the Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH. to the equation, you’d pay around $16,400. Add Lenny Kravitz’s name and the “limited edition” to this sum, and there you have it: $24K.
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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26 responses to “Leica teams up with Lenny Kravitz to launch a $24K M Monochrom with faux python skin”
It rhymes! :D
Toys for the rich and stuff to steal
i guess having a python skin on your 24K camera makes you take better shots too…..ahahahaha…..what a joke….!
No more than leather seats on a car make you drive better.
Gonna be the first to say this, but what a horrible looking camera!
Ugly, useless, so expensive are few of the words coming to my mind
It sure be good for wildlife shots.
Disgusting idea really when all said and done.
I mean what sort of dickhead is this gonna appeal to?
More money than talent.
Read somewhere that the Leica has become “a necklace for dentists and doctors”…good to know they’re expanding their necklace range…
Gee, is it because Lenny Kravitz has influenced so many photographers and Leica cameras aren’t expensive enough?
Does anyone else find it weird that half the photo community has to complain when something like this happens? The guy’s way more famous than the rest of us for being a muso, he’s a creative director, he’s had a Leica since he was a kid (though he didn’t really start using it for years) ….but why can’t we either celebrate this stuff or just move on? don’t you all get tired of the negativity? Maybe I’m having a falling down moment, but I’m so sick of seeing this creative industry that I love reacting like it does at someone else’s win…
Let’s chill out together! I’ve learnt to tune out the noise :D
Hey chill…it’s not about him – he’s okay. It’s about friggin’ Leica coming up with pointless expensive cameras for no friggin’ reason… I’m really fed up reading about their crap… What’s next, a camera with human skin and made out of unobtanium???????????
Simon Pollock for the same reason you wrote that … because they can
Like-Uhhh
Wait what, $24k and fake leather.
For that amount of money I want real leather, not fake
Joking aside, a dollar for 1000 pixels doesn’t sound bad :D
Even on nice and expansive film SLR, Leatherette seems to have been systematically preferred to actual leather. I guess this means actual leather is actually not that good for the job. Not sure why… maybe it gets slippery or loses the grippy textures we like too quick?
Oh, don’t be so harsh – he’s been a Leica man for many years and one of the first adopters of the S2 system…he’s not a bad photographer too…BUT, a fucking snakeskin gold camera????? This must be the most ridiculous (photography-related) thing I’ve EVER heard…
vegan python carrying strap, !!!!!
Hipster alert !!!!!
https://media3.giphy.com/media/BzxPg00u8EG9z9uMvK/giphy.gif
what a fucking ass hat.
vegan snake skin…..in other word…PLASTIC !!!
;)
What better camera for Rock’s top poser.
?
Why not just use real python skin, they are after all an invasive species that’s doing damage to Florida and are being hunted in mass.
So Klassy with a K.??