Pentax Monochrome

I think my favorite thing about this camera is how the images don't feel "digital" somehow. I think it's a combination of the lack of interpolation between pixels/tones/colors, the way there's a smooth gradation of grain from invisible to very visible as ISO ramps up, and the gentler tone curve with so many gray values.

It's not identical to film, of course. In fact sometimes the results almost feel like a graphite pencil sketch in out-of-focus or motion-blurred areas. I just like it, a lot.
 
agentlossing said:
I think my favorite thing about this camera is how the images don't feel "digital" somehow. I think it's a combination of the lack of interpolation between pixels/tones/colors, the way there's a smooth gradation of grain from invisible to very visible as ISO ramps up, and the gentler tone curve with so many gray values.

It's not identical to film, of course. In fact sometimes the results almost feel like a graphite pencil sketch in out-of-focus or motion-blurred areas. I just like it, a lot.
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The big difference in the tone curve, with much more open shadows and a more gradual transition from light grey to pure white really makes working with the files a pleasure. All digital cameras do some weird things - like all films did some weird things.

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I am seriously thinking of selling my Leica Q, which I am totally fed up with sending off to get the sensor cleaned (4 times) and putting the funds towards a K3 Mono and a 21mm. I have plenty of 28mm lenses for my M240 so won't miss the Q.
I never actually went with a Leica Monochrom solely because of the banding on the M246 and can't afford any of the later ones. I really like some of these images from the Pentax.
Being an SLR doesn't bother me and I like the built in stabilisation. Always had a soft spot for Pentax.
 
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shawn said:
Sigma Quattros use Linear DNG too. I have a number of programs that can handle it.

I found a review site that had test photos taken with a K3 Mark III Monochrome and the same shot taken on a K3 Mark III. Interesting to compare them side by side. Unfortunately nothing really high ISO.
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These files turned up a couple of bugs in Iridient Developer but now that they are squared away was curious comparing the color vs monochrome when the color camera is directly converted to monochrome without demosaicing.

Noise reduction and sharpening turned off for both files. For the color file Raw Process was set to V3 Monochrome Detail +. Everything else default. These are all 100% crops.

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Marty: I very much like the images you have posted from your converted Pentax but could use a little insight into how working with them differs from a working with a B&W converted file. I have a Pentax K-1, that I am considering having converted to B&W, but I have to say that the converted files from the Nikon Z8 are pretty nice. Are you seeing a longer tonal scale, or a more film-like result on your monitor?
 
Benjamin Marks said:
Marty: I very much like the images you have posted from your converted Pentax but could use a little insight into how working with them differs from a working with a B&W converted file. I have a Pentax K-1, that I am considering having converted to B&W, but I have to say that the converted files from the Nikon Z8 are pretty nice. Are you seeing a longer tonal scale, or a more film-like result on your monitor?
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Thanks, I’m glad you like the photos.

My Pentax is not converted. It is the Pentax built K-3 iii Monochrome with a dedicated monochrome sensor without a Bayer array. Converted cameras lose the microlenses, and this decreases the per-pixel sensitivity relative to a monochrome sensor with microlenses and also sometimes does some odd things at the edges in images, especially where there are sharp tonal transitions. So this is why I don’t favour converted cameras.

I use a monochrome digital camera because I am not very good, psychologically and practically, at working in colour to obtain a monochrome output. So I don’t. For me, the difference is mainly that I start with a monochrome output, and I don’t ever have to think about colour.

If you are good at converting colour images to B&W images, the difference is maybe 30% better resolution/‘sharpness’ and 2-5 stops of ISO sensitivity from a dedicated monochrome camera. But I am not good at converting, and really, really tried with that process over the years, but it frustrated me enough that I ditched any thought of it as soon as the MM was released for photographic work, and as soon as Zeiss made the Monochrome Axiocams for work photomicroscopy.

Marty
 
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