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04-14-2018, 08:06 AM   #1
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K-1 Monochrome

In attempting to shoot the K-1 in monochrome mode, both the images taken in RAW and JPEG mode viewed with in-camera display appear as monochrome; only the JPEG and not the RAW images appear as monochrome on my monitor using Adobe CC 2017. The RAW image appears on my monitor in full colour. What am I doing wrong?

Thank you for any ideas.

04-14-2018, 08:17 AM - 1 Like   #2
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RAW is by definition all of the data from the sensor readout. So all color info is included. The monochrome 'mode' is merely a jpeg representation of that data. No different than developing your RAW on the computer to a monochrome profile.

What software are you using?
04-14-2018, 09:01 AM - 1 Like   #3
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The monochrome setting on the camera is a "Custom Image Preset", and this relates to the JPEG output only. What happens is that the RAW data (as jatrax said this includes all the colours too) is taken and processed by the cameras computer, being converted into a mono image and saved as a JPEG. You can make adjustments to the preset with the Custom Image sliders, which is the equivalent of 'editing' a photo with sliders in computer software. Indeed, if using camera JPEGs as your chosen photo editing workflow, then it makes sense to optimise things by making your own tweaks to taste.


The RAW file remains as it was from the start , a full colour 'original'. The only software that will apply the monochrome preset saved by the camera in the metadata, and convert the image into black & white automatically is the Pentax Digital Camera Utility.


If you want to carry out a conversion to mono from your RAW files using other software, then you must use that software's options for doing so.

Last edited by mcgregni; 04-14-2018 at 09:11 AM.
04-14-2018, 10:09 AM   #4
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Did you have the CFA removed from the sensor?

04-14-2018, 10:21 AM - 1 Like   #5
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I've used in-camera B&W conversion (with the K-1) to visualize a B&W scene, but to actually produce a B&W file or print, I usually go ahead and shoot in color and then convert it to B&W in my older version of Photoshop which allows color sliders to be used to adjust tonality relative to the RGB values. I'm more comfortable working with a large screen presentation and can use all the other software resources rather than getting a "fixed" B&W file to use from the camera (which I may not like or decide to change later on). There really are no advantages to having the K-1 spit out a B&W file other than having it quickly available should you want to send or post it.

Having the feature in the K-1 is certainly valuable in some cases and I appreciate it being there, but it's a bit of a carryover from point&shoot cameras and phones where users can instantly enjoy the art-form of a B&W shot. A bit of a change from the film world where one shot on B&W or color film and the decision was irreversible when B&W was chosen (other than hand coloring), digital photography allows the choice to move to post processing where either can be chosen, and "digital filters" can be applied that simulate many film era lens filters fairly well.

Last edited by Bob 256; 04-14-2018 at 10:30 AM.
04-14-2018, 11:09 AM   #6
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As noted above, in-camera monochrome is the result of processing to JPEG.* The same goes for many (almost all) image manipulation settings available in-camera. It is a bit confusing, however, that the camera shows monochrome on review when the actual RAW is full-color. The reason is that the RAW file has embedded JPEG renderings (using the current custom image settings) that are used for review on the rear LCD as well as thumbnail/preview purposes by some operating systems and image viewer software. All these views say "monochrome" except the one that counts.

As noted above, you have several options to get a Pentax-made monochrome image from your RAW capture...
  • Capture as Raw+ to write both RAW and JPEG files to card
  • Do an in-camera RAW conversion to monochrome JPEG or TIFF
  • Use Pentax Digital Photo Utility (PDCU) to process the RAW file. It will automatically apply image customization settings from the camera.
  • Use available utility software to extract the full-size monochrome preview JPEG from the DNG or PEF file
I shoot almost exclusively RAW and as a result, seldom use some of the cool features on Pentax dSLRs (in-camera HDR, in-camera lens correction, custom image, etc.) that are not available to RAW processing outside of PDCU. Sad, but part of the price to pay for flexibility in post-processing. BTW, I do a lot of monochrome conversion from RAW and can usually do a better job than what the camera is capable of.


Steve

* Unfortunately, your K-1 does not support true monochrome capture to RAW in the same manner as the Leica M Monochrom.
04-14-2018, 11:32 AM   #7
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Thanks to all for the clarification. I now understand what is going on and will forgo the in-camera monochrome unless I just want to get a general idea of how the image might appear.

I, too, shoot 99% of the time in RAW and do have Adobe CC and Nik Collection for monochrome post-processing, both of which I have had very satisfactory results with.

Thanks again for taking the time to set me straight.

04-21-2018, 12:01 PM   #8
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Has someone actually modified K-1 to make it monochrome camera?
04-21-2018, 02:35 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by MJKoski Quote
Has someone actually modified K-1 to make it monochrome camera?
No, not that I am aware of, though I have wondered if it may be possible to leverage pixel shift (full color resolution) as the base to blend the RAW RGB to high quality monochrome.


Steve
04-22-2018, 09:28 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
No, not that I am aware of, though I have wondered if it may be possible to leverage pixel shift (full color resolution) as the base to blend the RAW RGB to high quality monochrome.


Steve
Pixel-Shift images already do leverage into high quality monochrome images. The Accelerator Unit should enhance this even further by making shadow areas have more uniform tone. Even without Pixel-Shift the Accelerator Unit should make for better B&W conversion.
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