Joanne Maly: Leica M Monochrom ‘Stealth Edition’ is Matte Black and Glow-in-the-Dark

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Leica M Monochrom ‘Stealth Edition’ is Matte Black and Glow-in-the-Dark

Leica has just announced a new special edition of the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) called the “Stealth Edition.” If you’re a fan of minimalism and matte black, this may be a look that tickles your fancy.

The camera was designed by Marcus Wainwright, the founder and CEO of the fashion label Rag & Bone. A fan of black-and-white photography — the Leica M Monochrom is a B&W-only camera — Wainwright wanted to emphasize the stealthy nature of shooting Leica cameras.

The Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) “Stealth Edition” features a matte black look over its entire body — even most of the standard white lettering on the buttons have been darkened. It also comes with a matching Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH lens.

But take the camera into a dark environment and another unique design feature appears: the lettering and accents of the camera glow in the dark.

“For me the Leica M system personifies the pursuit of perfection in an object designed for a singular purpose,” Wainwright says. “Inspired by that, I was aiming to try and further refine and perfect the M Monochrom – an almost impossible task – by distilling it to its purest form and highlighting the stealth nature of the camera and lens.”

“The ‘Stealth Edition’ of the Leica M Monochrom is quite possibly the most discreet camera on the market today, with both camera and lens dressed in an unassuming black matte finish and minimal branding to eliminate any distractions from the purity and integrity of the design,” Leica says. “Only the most important engravings for photographic settings are highlighted on both the camera and lens, each crafted with a with a striking glow in dark fluorescent paint for optimal use in low-light situations.

“A jet-black, extremely smooth cowhide leather trim adds a layer of texture to the camera and excellent grip for the on-the-go photographer.”

If you’re excited about this camera so far, here’s the bad news: only 125 “Stealth Edition” sets will be available worldwide starting March 20, 2018, and each one costs $15,750.