[jogiba]

A couple of months ago I told you that I got rumors about Sony working on a Black and White Full Frame sensor. Recently I got a rumor from an anonymous source about a new B&W camera:

“Sony has understand that niche markets are profitable and is developing a FF CMOS black and white sensor for his flag ship RX-1. I was told that the sensor has a higher frame rate, +6db S/N gain compared to the color version and resolution of 24MP. My source said also that this will probably be available end of 2014, start of 2015. It look like Sony is really a nightmare not only for Leica but also for NIKANON.“

I pray to all gods that this will become true! This could become the sharpest, purest and highest dynamic range FF camera ever made! There is currently one such camera and it is the Leica Monochrome ($8000 here at Amazon). But I am sure the Sony camera will have a superior Image Quality and I guess price will be under $3000 just like the current RX1/RX1R series.

(SR3) Surprise: New RX Full Frame camera with Black and White sensor coming late 2014? | sonyalpharumors

[DeadJohn]

If this rumor comes to pass it could be an interesting option for narrow-band astrophotography. Time will tell.

[alexcox]

I already have a monochrome Pentax camera. It cost me approx. $500.

It's a K-01 body (which cost less than $300) with a 720 nm IR filter (installed for $200). This produces monochrome images (with an occasional tinge of colour in the sky or with certain light sources). Of course, they are infrared and so the leaves are white, not green. But the image is extremely sharp and - given that the Monochrom costs $8000 - the camera is something of a bargain.

[RyanW]

Interesting. I'm one of those nuts that would buy a monochrome camera.

---------- Post added 07-01-14 at 11:22 ----------

I already have a monochrome Pentax camera. It cost me approx. $500.

It's a K-01 body (which cost less than $300) with a 720 nm IR filter (installed for $200). This produces monochrome images (with an occasional tinge of colour in the sky or with certain light sources). Of course, they are infrared and so the leaves are white, not green. But the image is extremely sharp and - given that the Monochrom costs $8000 - the camera is something of a bargain.

That's good and well, but correct me if I'm wrong, you still have the same issue called out in the color/monochrome sensor comparison, just that your limiting what light hits the sensor. The pixel combining still takes place, whereas in a true monochrome sensor it doesn't.

[Mr Bassie]

I already have a monochrome camera and it cost me about $50. It is a Pentax MX and I can shoot a lot of B&W film for $3000

[ElJamoquio]

I don't think you can stack astrophotography shots though.

[RyanW]

I already have a monochrome camera and it cost me about $50. It is a Pentax MX and I can shoot a lot of B&W film for $3000

That works out to 150 rolls for me after buying film, paying to have it developed and scanned. No interest in starting my own dark room. That would not get me through a year of shooting. I'm better off buying the camera. Definitely a YMMV type of thing though depending on if you have you're own dark room and so on.

[Mr Bassie]

More like 300 rolls for me, which is almost 6 per week

[rawr]

It's hard to keep up with Sony's release schedule. A new camera just about every week. And PhotoKina is just around the corner. Probably see another 5 cameras announced then too.

[tuco]

That works out to 150 rolls for me after buying film, paying to have it developed and scanned. No interest in starting my own dark room. That would not get me through a year of shooting. I'm better off buying the camera. Definitely a YMMV type of thing though depending on if you have you're own dark room and so on.

You don't need a darkroom for a figital workflow. You can do it at the kitchen sink with a daylight tank. Develop your own BW and you can get huge dynamic range because you can do special things with some highlight compressing developers. More DR than a digital. And you get real BW when everyone else is shooting imitation. So things are not all bad for those who roll their own.

[alexcox]

Interesting. I'm one of those nuts that would buy a monochrome camera.

---------- Post added 07-01-14 at 11:22 ----------



That's good and well, but correct me if I'm wrong, you still have the same issue called out in the color/monochrome sensor comparison, just that your limiting what light hits the sensor. The pixel combining still takes place, whereas in a true monochrome sensor it doesn't.

Ryan W, yes that's right -- the filter sits on top of the original sensor, and you need to do some post production (I use Nik Silver FX) to make the monochrome image nice. I believe the Monochrom ships with a copy of Nik Silver FX as well.