[SrMi]

Except that is not entirely the case. I do have a debayered K3 and i do not use Monochrome2Dng. I use Silkypix 11pro and that handles the file just fine, actually Silkypix does not even read the filed converted by monochrome2dng. I used some testfiles from MG Leisure (he converted the camera) and got to the maximum technical possible “resolution” and that was even before I discovered that there is a slider for demosaicing which can be set between 0% and 100%. I suppose for the K3III monochrome there would be no difference at all.

Please note that I have no experience in debayered sensors.

Monochrome2DNG site says its purpose is also to avoid artifacts and loss of resolution caused by (now, unnecessary) demosaicking which would otherwise be applied.
Have you tried running your files through Monochrome2DNG? Do you see a difference?

MaxMax monochrome conversion company writes:
For optimal results from a monochrome camera, shoot in RAW and use a processor that understands that the camera sensor is monochrome debayered. One of the best current processors is Monochrome2DNG fro Iliah Borg who also wrote FastRawViewer and RawDigger.

[Digitalis]

Leica carries a unique cachet, unrelated to cutting-edge features.

Let us also not forget the optics that Leica has on offer, a compact set of apochromatic f/2 primes made for use on the Leica Monochrom...I hope Pentax comes out with a set of primes with modest apertures and a similar degree of optical correction*.

Leica M9 Monochrom Leica Sumilux-M 75mm f/1.4 ISO 10000 1/15th [exposure Pushed +2 stops]



Another thought occurred to me: the Pentax monochrome will be able to record aperture values used in image EXIF which is an ability Leica M bodies lack, which makes sorting out which images were taken with what lens particularly annoying.



Leica M10 Monochrom Leica APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ISO 160 1/500th

* IMO the DA primes, DA35, DA40, DA70 all offer decent image quality, but the DA21 and DA15 are going to need a redesign to meet the demands of a high resolution monochrome sensor. I noticed in some of the recent videos featuring the Pentax Monochrome most of them shooting wide angles spring for the DFA21 and not the DA21.

[Vaskebjorn]

Please note that I have no experience in debayered sensors.

Monochrome2DNG site says its purpose is also to avoid artifacts and loss of resolution caused by (now, unnecessary) demosaicking which would otherwise be applied.
Have you tried running your files through Monochrome2DNG? Do you see a difference?

MaxMax monochrome conversion company writes:
For optimal results from a monochrome camera, shoot in RAW and use a processor that understands that the camera sensor is monochrome debayered. One of the best current processors is Monochrome2DNG fro Iliah Borg who also wrote FastRawViewer and RawDigger.

I tried (and even bought) monochrome2dng but Silkypix will not read the generated files so I do not know if that would result in differences. That being said i did some tests with testcharts against other files that were processed using M2DNG and LR and there were no significant differences. I came to the same max possible “resolution”. A debayered sensor obviously still thinks it’s color but I do not think that would result in differences, but I could be wrong there. I am no expert so I can only judge what I see and process. As I do not use LR myself I do not know what the results would be loading the debayered files into Lr without M2DNG.

[gatorguy]

I tried (and even bought) monochrome2dng but Silkypix will not read the generated files so I do not know if that would result in differences. That being said i did some tests with testcharts against other files that were processed using M2DNG and LR and there were no significant differences. I came to the same max possible “resolution”. A debayered sensor obviously still thinks it’s color but I do not think that would result in differences, but I could be wrong there. I am no expert so I can only judge what I see and process. As I do not use LR myself I do not know what the results would be loading the debayered files into Lr without M2DNG.

DxO won't read the resultant DNG's either, but I've not seen issues from converting to TIFF's before further work with the files.

[Vaskebjorn]

DxO won't read the resultant DNG's either, but I've not seen issues from converting to TIFF's before further work with the files.

Maybe you should check without using M2DNG, it might be that DXO handles them just fine.
When I checked with MG Leisure when getting my debayered camera I/we found out that SP 11 pro does actually not need it as it handles the files perfectly fine.

[gatorguy]

Maybe you should check without using M2DNG, it might be that DXO handles them just fine.
When I checked with MG Leisure when getting my debayered camera I/we found out that SP 11 pro does actually not need it as it handles the files perfectly fine.

Some programs do. DxO is not one of them. They don't work with Leica files either, and reportedly they have no plans to make them compatible.

[Vaskebjorn]

Some programs do. DxO is not one of them. They don't work with Leica files either, and reportedly they have no plans to make them compatible.

Maybe a reason to try Silkypix. I really like the software even though it’s not native on the Apple M1’s yet. I hope the come with that in version 12. I used LR in the past but i like SP way more and it’s not on subscription basis either.

[Sjak]

Some programs do. DxO is not one of them. They don't work with Leica files either, and reportedly they have no plans to make them compatible.

DxO is nice, if you happen to own a camera they support. I won't use it, because most of my cameras are not supported (2 gens Leica Monochrom, Sigma Foveon, and in the past Fuji X)

Regarding the specific software to convert files from cameras that have been aftermarket-debayred: I don't think this will be necessary for the K3iiiM. Probably most raw-converters/editors will handle the files very soon. In case my software will not, then I will learn Rawtherapee or Darktable; these are usually pretty fast with new camera support, often faster than paid packages.

[gatorguy]

Maybe a reason to try Silkypix. I really like the software even though it’s not native on the Apple M1’s yet. I hope the come with that in version 12. I used LR in the past but i like SP way more and it’s not on subscription basis either.

I have programs that will directly open the files now, and I use 'em when it's not important that some of the very fine detail has been lost due to demosaicing. The more I work with the files the less often I find it necessary to use Monochrome2DNG. Then there are certain shoots and some individual images that look much better to me when using it, and are.

With the new K3IIIm it won't be needed, but with our debayered cameras it's definitely a valuable part of my workflow.

[Raffwal]

As one converts a color photograph to B&W, adding or reducing each color component individually affects the end results very much. With different weighing the results can look almost like completely different photographs. How does this work with dedicated monochrome cameras? I assume no weighing (since the sensor gathers no color information) and you're stuck with the actual relative exposure of the image content and can only adjust contrast, black level and such basic stuff?

[Green&White]

Got it!



My first impression: wow! the first look through the viewfinder was very impressive, I only knew my good old K5 as an APSC and that's quite a difference. Now I have to read the instructions and to learn the camera. I have already noticed two things:

1. sRGB and Adobe RGB can be selected as the color space, both are color spaces for color photos.

2. Pentax DCU 5 shows a PEF in the browser but not in the lab. The PEF can be edited with Affinity Photo, even a white balance is possible but pointless because it colors the B&W image. It can not be edited in CaptureOne 22pro, may be in a newer version.

[smrk]

As one converts a color photograph to B&W, adding or reducing each color component individually affects the end results very much. With different weighing the results can look almost like completely different photographs. How does this work with dedicated monichrome cameras? I assume no weighing (since the sensor gathers no color information) and you're stuck with the actual relative exposure of the image content and can only adjust contrast, black level and such basic stuff?

Rafwall,

My assumption (99%sure I’m right) is you would do it like we did back in the film days you will add a color filter to the lens at the time you take the picture.

Adding a red/green/yellow/blue filter does the same thing as desaturating the image and then selecting one of those color channels.

[Sjak]

Got it!
My first impression: wow! the first look through the viewfinder was very impressive, I only knew my good old K5 as an APSC and that's quite a difference.

Nice! I hope to receive mine next week!

1. sRGB and Adobe RGB can be selected as the color space, both are color spaces for color photos.

As I understood it, even for a B&W-pic, the colourspace-information is needed as the resulting jpg will be a colour-file displayed on a colour monitor. But people more versed into this can probably provide better information on this topic.

It can not be edited in CaptureOne 22pro, may be in a newer version.

Unfortunately, sometimes C1 is (very) slow with implementing camera-support. Could you test if the DNGs of the K3iiiM can be opened with C1?

[Green&White]

I was expecting a grayscale profile, so I was a bit surprised. And of course I will test C1 with a DNG file, but only tomorrow (in my time zone)

[Mikesul]

Yes. PEF is generally supported by fewer programs than DNG. PDCU almost always works from the camera release.