[Michael Piziak]

Are there any photos taken from this, or another Pentax monochrome, of such photos side by side with color photos converted to b&w/monochrome from the same Pentax camera (that was converted to b&w in camera or converted to b&w with Photoshop/Gimp (?)

[JPT]

Are there any photos taken from this, or another Pentax monochrome, of such photos side by side with color photos converted to b&w/monochrome from the same Pentax camera (that was converted to b&w in camera or converted to b&w with Photoshop/Gimp (?)

One good image on Pentax's own product page.
Feature | PENTAX K-3 Mark III Monochrome | RICOH IMAGING

And a couple more on this page.
848:????????????????PENTAX K-3 Mark III Monochrome? | KASYAPA

I believe the K-3 III images are converted to B&W in camera.

[Michael Piziak]

Wow, maybe it's not a gimick !
Unless, of course, post processing software can do better...

Addendum: Are both k3iii the same price ?

[JPT]

At ISO 512.800

K-3 III Monochrome


K-3 III


Taken from the Twitter of Yaotomi Camera
https://twitter.com/yaotomicamera?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtim...Ctwcon%5Es1_c1

Not sure this thread is in the right place at all, though.

[Michael Piziak]

At ISO 512.800

K-3 III Monochrome


K-3 III


Taken from the Twitter of Yaotomi Camera
https://twitter.com/yaotomicamera?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtim...Ctwcon%5Es1_c1

Not sure this thread is in the right place at all, though.

Great comparison showing the sharpness/contrast of the monochrome!

I too am not sure I put the thread in the right place, perhaps a moderator will move it. I did see in the site suggestion forum and some want a new sub forum just for monochrome cameras... But this thread of mine, perhaps, could also be in a better place as of how the forum is currently set up....

[ismaelg]

Hello,

A monochrome sensor is superior in light gathering ability and a sharpness monster. A converted to b/w image from color will not touch it. It is like removing a restricting air filter and opening headers on a sports car.

Thanks,
Ismael

[zapp]

There is a huge user group totally aware of the advantages of monochrome cameras, probably since the late 1950s. Color is just a great sales argument. With pixels getting ever smaller, Bayer RGB is not the best solution anymore. At the same time an older FF camera is good enough, sensors cost less and it is time to re-investigate fun things like monochrome sensors in DSLRs.
We should call them colorless sensors, just like mirrorless cameras - totally ignoring that colors and mirrors were never required.

[PenPusher]

Not sure if this is in the correct space.

I grew up in a world where black and white film was King, OK colour film was lurking in the background but it was much too expensive for most of us, in a two week holiday I had to get buy with at most 3 black and white films Adox KB 15 (yes that’s ISO 15) for preference and a single roll of Perutz colour reversal, I think it was really fast at 60 ISO because I thought its colours were better than Kodak, with a 35mm Werra 1 the green one with 2.8 Tessa and top speed of 1/250th, I later acquired an EXA IIb with 2.8 Domiplan and a top shutter speed of 1/250th because I preferred the pentaprism viewfinder

Of course cameras have changed a bit since then but in the film era I acquired a Pentax S1a with several Takumar and M series lenses plus an FA F1.7, a wow of a lens.

Digital came along and while I was still working I got a Pentax K200D with in my opinion the best sensor ever and later a K7 and more recently a K70 all used with the DA 20, 40 and 70 because of the tiny profile it gives to a camera making it less noticeable and then a Pentax S10 used almost exclusively set to B & W with the 01 lens, a great camera apart from its more or less useless viewfinder in sunlight.

I looked at the K3 Mk iii when it came out and I decided that there was no reason to upgrade to it as the K70 did everything I wanted. I stayed away from the K-1 because of its size and weight.

I have noticed recently that some commentators (can’t remember who) have referred to Pentax as a niche brand which of course put me in mind of the Leica which is the ultimate niche brand, yes I do have a IIIf screw mount with a Russian 50mm F2.0 Jupiter lens being the only Leica set up I could afford. The other thing that compares Pentax and Leica is their treatment of their customers, when Leica changed from screw mount to their M mount in 1954 they made certain that their old lenses could be used on the new mount with a simple adapter as did Pentax when they changed from M42 screw to K bayonet in 1976, I don’t think anybody else did.

Now the K3 Mk iii monochrome has arrived and I can feal excitement welling up inside me for the first time in years, the Leica M11 rangefinder monochrome’s price and lenses are astronomical and definitely out of the range of many of us certainly me and I’m not that keen on rangefinders either, even the Leica Q Monochrome is very expensive and limited with only admittedly a very fine 28mm fixed lens but to have a Pentax with its vast range of modern and old lenses taking B & W which doesn’t have to be converted from colour I think is wonderful indeed.

I have two problems though firstly there is no Pentax presence where I live, no photography shop seems to even admit the presence of Pentax so I will have to go on line and figure out what German and French shops are actually saying, buying anything from outside the EU will attract both Import duties and Vat, the second problem is that after 54 years of wedded blisters I don’t know how I’m going to get it past herself, two of my daughters are also accountants and that presents a fairly formidable trio.

I expect I shall be told to stick with film don’t ya know.

[biz-engineer]

We should call them colorless sensors, just like mirrorless cameras - totally ignoring that colors and mirrors were never required.

It's known as CILC (Colorless Interchangeable Lens Camera). If you want a WWII look to your pictures, you can add colors in post, using color Guesstimator AI software.

[btnapa]

At ISO 512.800

I am sold. Sign me up for one! I shoot with a Sony 60MP for my everyday work but kept six of my AF Pentax lenses, including my Three Amigos just in case. I am glad I did. I can think of lots of applications for the monochrome K3. I can use my Takumars, Pentax A and M lenses and other M42 lenses as well.

[UncleVanya]

I am sold. Sign me up for one! I shoot with a Sony 60MP for my everyday work but kept six of my AF Pentax lenses, including my Three Amigos just in case. I am glad I did. I can think of lots of applications for the monochrome K3. I can use my Takumars, Pentax A and M lenses and other M42 lenses as well.

The other option is a forum member who converts cameras to monochrome…

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Doing a color pixel shift shot generally requires a still subject and a tripod. I'm curious if a pixel shift color shot converted to B&W can compare in sharpness and ISO to the monochrome.

[photoptimist]

Doing a color pixel shift shot generally requires a still subject and a tripod. I'm curious if a pixel shift color shot converted to B&W can compare in sharpness and ISO to the monochrome.

The short answer is that a pixel shift color shot converted to B&W (for a perfectly stationary subject and solid tripod setup) would be virtually indistinguishable from a monochrome sensor shot on both sharpness and ISO.

The longer answer is that because of the slight attenuation of light for in-band color (e.g., the Bayer filter does not transmit 100% of any color), a painstaking statistical analysis might find a small fraction of stop ISO advantage for the monochrome sensor with red or blue subjects. However, due to double sampling of the green pixels, the pixel-shifted Bayer sensor image might show a small fraction of stop ISO advantage with green subjects. The effect would probably only be about 1/4 of a stop at the max - can one really see a difference between images shot at ISO 1000 versus ISO 1200??

[zapp]

The short answer is that a pixel shift color shot converted to B&W (for a perfectly stationary subject and solid tripod setup) would be virtually indistinguishable from a monochrome sensor shot on both sharpness and ISO.

The longer answer is that the slight attenuation of light for in-band color (e.g., the Bayer filter does not transmit 100% of any color), a painstaking statistical analysis might find a small fraction of stop ISO advantage for the monochrome sensor with red or blue subjects. However, due to double sampling of the green pixels, the pixel-shifted Bayer sensor might show a small fraction of stop ISO advantage with green subjects. The effect would probably only be about 1/4 of a stop at the max - can one really see a difference between images shot at ISO 1000 versus ISO 1200??

If you employ pixel shift with four images on a monochrome sensor, you cut noise in half or re-gain a full stop.
These little rgb filter really influence results. That said, I would not buy a monochrome camera only to shoot super high ISO with pixel shift.
It is all about clean images right from the sensor, the ability to use color filters to separate bands and stack composites and some extra fun, like faster base ISO, easier processing.

[morepower]

Instead of scoring touchdowns, Pentax has been in a decades-old struggle of punting its way to the finish line. Even Leica, the ultimate niche player, enjoys support from third parties with lenses, cases and all matter of accessories. This is critical to maintaining and growing a customer base. Pentax has no such following and now they're punting the football in every direction except the goal posts. Sure, the Monochrome will appeal to the low hanging fruit and no doubt it is an appealing camera for fans of B&W photography. But also recognize the speed in which post processing software is advancing to potentially erase any advantages that a B&W sensor provides. Until we see Sony, Canon and Nikon follow suit, I don't see the Monochrome doing much for growing the Pentax brand nor expanding the market for dedicated B&W cameras.