Brian Holden: It's simple - just black and white

Feel the urge to treat yourself to a smart new camera and engage in some serious photography?

Leica has introduced a new model to their digital range - the Leica M Monochrom (that's right, without the e at the end) that takes only - would you believe - black-and-white photos.

Indeed, over the last couple of decades there has been a resurgence of the black-and-white image, which can produce a more pleasing result for many subjects. Even if just to remove the distracting colours of clothing and background, monochrome can transform something mediocre into something stunning.

No question, when it comes to black-and-white photography, the Leica Monochrom delivers second to none. But there's one wee trade-off. The camera does just that, capturing only in black and white - not colour. Indeed, the company has taken the bold - some would say reckless - leap, pushing back the diversity of photography 50 years.

I could forgive Leica if they gave us the choice of having a colour option as well. Surely even the most committed black-and-white photographer would just occasionally wish to capture a rainbow, flower or plate of food in its natural form - colour.

I'm sorry, but when it comes to photographic Louis Vuitton elitism, Leica has certainly taken this one way too far.

And being expected to pay a price of $11,000 for the privilege of having their black-and-white camera strapped around one's neck, is absolute madness.

Not quite as bizarre, but odd nevertheless is Marmite mania which has spread through the country despite it now being in plentiful supply.

Some fans seem to have nothing better to do than queue outside supermarkets in the early hours of darkness to get their hands on refreshed stocks, causing some places to be hit with a secondary wave of depletion of the product.

Many have resorted to a stockpiling mentality, buying several jars at a time. Why? Do they think another earthquake is going to hit, and if so, why don't they stock up on water - and loo paper while they're about it? And as to be expected there are the self-proclaimed connoisseurs who are "absolutely gutted" that the new batch tastes and even smells "different".

One person claims their dog who "used to love it", screws its nose up at the "new" Marmite. Oh come on - do you really believe that Sanitarium would be so reckless as to change the recipe on such a popular product?

Just put the wretched stuff on your toast and lettuce sandwiches and savour the experience that you've been denied for the last 12 months. Accept that your acquired taste over this stressful period has been temporarily dulled somewhat.

Of course, if still not happy, one could always resort to marmalade instead, although I wouldn't recommend that on your lettuce sandwiches.

I'm getting nervous about the weather - not here - overseas. In just over a week the And Another Thing team will be heading off to the other side of the world where it's near freezing.

Paris is waking up to a temperature of just above zero, which creeps up to about 10C in the afternoon. Still, we're thinking positive and, if a few extra winter woollies need to be stuffed into our luggage then so be it. Fair spring weather, hopefully, will greet us as we step off the plane in France.