Leica Announces Monopan 50, the First True Leica 35mm Film

Jun 18, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A Leica M6 film camera sits on a red surface next to a roll of Leica Monochrom 400 black and white 35mm film, with a dark, moody background.

Leica has announced Monopan 50, a new high-resolution black-and-white film with enhanced spectral sensitivity. It is the first true Leica 35mm film the company has released.

Leica says its new film honors a century of 35mm photography, which was kicked off in 1925 with the release of the Leica I, the first mass-produced 35mm camera. While photographers of the era referred to 35mm film as “Leica film,” Leica Camera AG notes that the 35mm packs used with the Leica I were made by other manufacturers, including Kodak, Agfa, and Perutz.

A black Leica MONOPAN 50 black and white film canister with a strip of film extended, shown next to a black film container with a red lid.

A person wearing black gloves uses scissors to cut a strip of photographic film negatives on a light table, with a magnifying tool nearby. The scene is in black and white.

Black-and-white photo showing several strips of photographic film negatives hanging vertically. The image focuses on one strip while others are blurred in the background, creating a sense of depth.

“To celebrate the Leica I’s centenary and pay homage to 35mm photography, Leica Camera AG is unveiling its first true Leica 35mm film: Monopan 50 black-and-white film, offering 36 exposures,” Leica writes.

The “Monopan 50” name is derived from its component features. The film is monochromatic, has a speed of 50, and includes panchromatic capabilities, meaning that it is sensitive to wavelengths up to 780 nanometers. Leica notes that “mono” also refers to the company’s Monochrom series of digital cameras, introduced in 2012.

A man wearing gloves holds up a black and white photo print in a darkroom. A Leica logo is illuminated in red on the wall above him, with photographic tools and trays visible on the table.

A person with gray hair and wearing gloves examines a large black-and-white photograph under red lighting, likely in a darkroom. They hold the photo upright and appear to be using a tool on its surface.

Leica Monopan 50 delivers ultra-fine grain, resolution up to 280 line pairs per millimeter, and “exceptional tonal range.” The company adds that its new film “encapsulates Oskar Barnack’s vision of ‘small negative — big picture,’ the very principle that gave rise to the original Leica.”

Unsurprisingly, Leica says that the new Monopan 50 film is a perfect pairing for Leica’s cameras and lenses, but of course, it can be used in any 35mm film camera. It is worth noting that the relatively slow ISO of 50 means that photographers will likely need to shoot with bright lenses, like Leica’s Noctilux primes, or at least in very bright conditions.

Thanks to its enhanced spectral sensitivity, the black-and-white film can also work for infrared photography and pairs nicely with Leica’s various color filters.

A stack of Leica film boxes in red, beige, and gray colors surrounds a Leica Monochrome 50 black and white film canister with film unspooled, displaying the Leica logo on the packaging.

“Produced in Germany, Monopan 50 is particularly perfect for landscape, architectural, cityscape, and travel photography,” Leica says. “The film is compatible with all black-and-white developers. It guarantees complete control over black-and-white photography, ensuring the highest degree of detail.” It is worth noting that Leica does not go out of its way to say that the company itself has manufactured the film, leaving the door open for it to be a Leica-branded product from another company. As DPReview speculates, it could be repackaged Adox HR-50 film, which B&H lists as discontinued. It is available elsewhere for $7.50 a roll, however.

Sample Photos

A group of men play basketball on an outdoor urban court, surrounded by tall brick apartment buildings with fire escapes. Two players jump beneath the hoop, reaching for the ball, while others watch or run nearby.

Two people stand close together outside in front of a brick building with barred windows, looking upward. The scene is in black and white, and a wire fence is visible behind them. — Crop to demonstrate detail

Black and white photo of a classic Ford Bronco parked on a city street, partially in sunlight, with a tree, glass building, and another vehicle in the background.

Close-up black and white photo of the front of a classic Ford truck, showing the round headlight, front grille with “FORD” lettering, and a “302” badge on the side. — Crop to demonstrate detail

A black and white photo of a church tower with a dome-shaped roof rising above nearby buildings with sloped roofs and windows. The sky is overcast.

Black and white photo of the corner of a modern, multi-story building with large rectangular windows, viewed from below against a cloudy sky.

Black and white photo of a tall building with ivy climbing its facade, arched passageway at the base, and people walking underneath. Signs on nearby buildings are visible, one reads "APOTHEKE IM VESTEN.

Black and white photo of houses perched on rocky cliffs overlooking a calm sea, with jagged rocks jutting out and steep hills rising in the background under a lightly clouded sky.

Black and white photo of a Mediterranean-style building with curved stairs, white stucco walls, and lush tropical plants and flowers in the foreground.

Black and white photo of old apartment buildings with balconies and arched windows. The sunlight casts sharp shadows, highlighting the textured walls and architectural details.

A black and white photo shows suburban houses under a cloudy sky, with a faint rainbow visible. Trees line the background, and cars are parked near the houses, creating a calm, quiet neighborhood scene.

A black-and-white photo of a bustling city street at night, featuring glowing neon signs in Japanese, paper lanterns, and silhouettes of people walking along crowded sidewalks.

A white sedan is parked on the side of a street next to a fence, with industrial buildings and trees in the background. The image is in black and white.

A beam of sunlight streams through a window, casting shadows and patterns on the wooden walls, a bench, and a table in a quiet, empty room with traditional Japanese architecture.

A black and white photo of a Japanese street scene, featuring a sign with Japanese text behind a fence, surrounded by plants and partially obscured by shadows, with poles and a patterned board in the foreground.

Black-and-white photo of a boarded-up building with a worn sign reading "HOTEL LONDON." Notices are posted on the doors, plants and a traffic cone sit in front, and the exterior is tiled.

A black-and-white photo shows the hood of a Porsche with reflections of buildings and clouds. A Japanese license plate and part of the street are visible beside the car.

A narrow road curves through frosty fields, flanked by leafless trees covered in frost, under a dark, overcast sky. The landscape appears cold and quiet, with a sense of isolation.

Black and white photo of a dense forest with tall, jagged rock formations rising among the trees, creating a dramatic natural landscape.

A man wearing sunglasses, a helmet, and a climbing harness stands outdoors near large rocks. The photo is in black and white. Trees are visible in the background.

Black and white photo of a young girl with light hair, smiling as she pulls her hair back with both hands. She is wearing a light shirt and a bracelet, standing near a bright window.

A winding road curves through dense trees, leading toward a distant hilltop castle partially hidden by foliage, under a bright sky. The image is in black and white.

A young child stands on a sidewalk, holding a stuffed animal. The scene is in black and white, with a fence on one side and plants on the other. The child looks toward the camera with a neutral expression.

Black and white photo of people rowing a boat on a calm river, surrounded by dense forest, with tall rocky cliffs rising in the background under a bright sky.

Pricing and Availability

The Leica Monopan 50 film will be available worldwide at all Leica Stores and through authorized retailers starting August 21 for $10 per roll. The film will ship in four different vintage-style packaging designs that Leica says “evoke the pioneering era of 35mm photography.”

Image credits: Leica