Leica has created yet another insanely gorgeous limited edition camera with it’s new M Monochrom “Signature” and at an equally “wow” price of $14,995. Collectors i’m sure won’t mind in the slightest though, as this piece blends the love of music and photography together pretty well with the help of Andy Summers. I could ramble on about this for a while but instead let’s dive into the details from Leica below.
A flawless union of supreme craftsmanship, rock & roll and photography comes to life with Leica’s latest limited-edition camera. Created in collaboration with Andy Summers, a former member of the rock band The Police and one of the greatest guitarists in the world, the LEICA M MONOCHROM “Signature” represents a striking synergy of music and photography.
A true virtuoso of his craft, Summers’s latest album, Triboluminescence, showcases his versatile abilities to perform remarkably with an array of instruments including the guitar, bass drums, banjo, keyboards and more. Summers, a renaissance man, can stay in-tune with not only musical instruments, but photographic instruments as well. A world class Leica photographer, Summers has worked with photography for 36 years, even developing a number of books and exhibitions to showcase his work.
Mirroring Leica’s dedication to unparalleled craftsmanship, well-known manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, Fender, has a long tradition in building Signature Guitars as a tribute to some of the world’s greatest musicians. Fender will also launch a special Signature Guitar in collaboration with legendary guitarist Andy Summers.
To honor Summers’s work and as a complement to the guitar, Leica created the LEICA M MONOCHROM “Signature.” The limited-edition camera features intricate design elements from the aforementioned Fender Signature Guitar, such as a leatherette that matches a collage from Summers’s legendary photo collection that also appears on the Fender guitar and a thin red line engraving. On the other hand, the guitar includes features of the camera, including the silver operation elements. The finished products are a true reflection of the epitome of thoughtful design expertise.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have the opportunity to work with two leading producers of two fundamental instruments I hold close to my heart, Leica Camera and Fender,” noted Summers. “I’ve always thought of my photographic experience as tearing pages from a book and then reshuffling the results into a new visual syntax, and the collage-forward design of the LEICA M MONOCHROM “Signature” is the physical embodiment of just that.”
The photo collage that appears on both the camera and Fender guitar highlights stunning photographs from Summers’s collection including a man walking his horse into the ocean captured from a small boat in Montserrat, a striking photo of hooded individuals captured amongst rain and mist on Yellow Mountain in China, as well as an image of celebratory balloons that landed before Summers’s encore at a concert. Coupled with a glossy paint finish, silver chrome operational elements and a gorgeous red line engraving of Summers’s signature, the camera is truly a sight to behold.
The set is complete with a Leica Summicron-M f/2 35mm ASPH. lens adorned with a vintage round lens hood, a Fender guitar-inspired camera strap and an OBERWERTH leather black system bag.
The LEICA M MONOCHROM “Signature,” limited to 50 sets worldwide, is on sale now at Leica Stores and Boutiques for $14,995. So Leica shooters and fans, what do you think of their latest collaboration? Are you excited for it? Will you be ordering one? Have you picked one up in the past? I’d love to hear your feedback on this so let me know in the comments.
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