Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Sensor!

[agentlossing]

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome camera leaked pictures - Pentax & Ricoh Rumors

As I already reported, Rioch is expected to announce the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome camera tomorrow. Shipping will start on April 28th. Here are the first leaked pictures: Via Digicame-info No related posts.

pentaxrumors.com

Looks like it's real, when combined with the things Ricoh has actually said prior to this point.

The shot of the JPEG profile options is really interesting, as it's the first peek into what a Ricoh/Pentax approach to tuning monochrome files will be. The options look exactly the same as what's in the K-3 III now, which is copied over pretty exactly from the Ricoh GR III series. Minus a color filter, of course, since you can't do that digitally with a monochrome sensor.

What do you folks think? Hopefully we'll get real info tomorrow, and some more press over the next little while with indication of how the actual files look and feel.

 

[gryphon1911]

Great...a potentially new system that I may want to lust over......

 

[rayvonn]

Well to date the only monochrome camera I've really fancied has been the M9 v1, due to it's combination of its CCD sensor and tonal/ film like output, but I've always questioned the financial outlay for what is essentially a one trick pony given I already have a (colour sensor) rangefinder. So it'll be interesting to see how this Pentax renders. But apparently it's not about that is it, it's about "seeing" in B&W. Never done that so to be honest, it would at first seem a bit strange to me. The B&W files out of modern cameras are very good too.

 

[agentlossing]

Well to date the only monochrome camera I've really fancied has been the M9 v1, due to it's combination of its CCD sensor and tonal/ film like output, but I've always questioned the financial outlay for what is essentially a one trick pony given I already have a (colour sensor) rangefinder. So it'll be interesting to see how this Pentax renders. But apparently it's not about that is it, it's about "seeing" in B&W. Never done that so to be honest, it would at first seem a bit strange to me. The B&W files out of modern cameras are very good too.

I shoot and develop enough B&W film that seeing in monochrome is something I try to do; I've found that I can get "thrown out of" thinking that way by shooting color, and it can take a while to get back into that mode. Looking for good shapes, contrast, texture, etc. Having a mono only digital camera is tempting sometimes for really getting in the zone, although my film workflow is fast enough that it's not the end of the world to just shoot a roll or two and process it.

Part of what I'm curious about are the JPEG profiles. If hard B&W and hi-contrast make it into a monochrome only model, I'd be really interested to see what they look like.

 

[Brian]

Does everyone remember my story about how I called Kodak as soon as the M9 came out and asked for a Monochrome version of it?

This is why.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

chimney_m9_converted by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

M9, 35mm f1.7 Ultron, at F4- simulated Red filter.

and compare with:

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chimney_monochrom by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

M Monochrom (v1), 35mm F1.7 Ultron at F4, with Red filter. 100% crops.

If you cannot see the difference- then leave the new Pentax to others.

But if you can see the artifacts generated by the color mosaic filter, and shoot Pentax- YOU ARE SO LUCKY!

Straight DNG to JPEG export, LR4.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Mt_Vernon_Ultron_Red_filter_Monochrom by fiftyonepointsix, on Flickr

 

[William Lewis]

I can see a difference but I couldn't tell you why.

 

[agentlossing]

But if you can see the artifacts generated by the color mosaic filter, and shoot Pentax- YOU ARE SO LUCKY!

Where I see them is mainly the hard edges where there's a lot of contrast. Should I be looking elsewhere too?

The biggest appeal of the K3 III to me has been the ability to shoot it with Limited lenses, most of which are very compact. Honestly this camera plus the 15/21/40/70 limited lineup has all the gestalt of a Leica rangefinder in my opinion.

 

[Brian]

I can see a difference but I couldn't tell you why.

I know why- and that's why I called Kodak. They remembered me from the first time I called in 1992, wanting a full-spectrum version of the DCS200m.

But, I had sensor expert Jack Nicholson explain it on RFF years ago when I was told doing a Monochrome Leica would never happen. From 2010...

I'm bringing in Digital Sensor Fabrication Expert Jack Nicholson to explain the issues with fabricating a Monochrome Sensor.
Take it, Jack.

Well, I used to like my Digital cameras to be Monochrome and without that damned IR cut filter. I want it all back, and will filter when I want. Don't want some weenee cutting in on my light. It's just like a Tomato and Lettuce sandwich, no bacon. But today, nobody leaves off the Bacon. At first I got mad, but then took a peek-sy into the Kitchen. A whole line of cooks making that BLT- yumm, yumm. First guy takes a plate, next cook puts the first piece of bread, next cook puts on Bacon, next guy lettuce, next cook puts on the annealing Mayo, next cook pops a few slices of tomato so the annealing Mayo will not seep into the bread, next guy puts on the top piece of bread and pushes down. Finally the taste tester takes a bite, and if it ain't a BLT out it goes. I SAW what happened to the Lettuce and tomato sandwich- stopped after the slice of bread was put on the plate and had no way to get to the lettuce cook. Oh well, BLT for ME! Whenever I want monochrome images, I just learn to ignore the taste of bacon.

 

[Brian]

Where I see them is mainly the hard edges where there's a lot of contrast. Should I be looking elsewhere too?

The biggest appeal of the K3 III to me has been the ability to shoot it with Limited lenses, most of which are very compact. Honestly this camera plus the 15/21/40/70 limited lineup has all the gestalt of a Leica rangefinder in my opinion.

The edges are the problem- the mosaic filter is a 2x2 square,
rg
gb

Start to filter out part of the spectrum- get a hard edge from the interpolation scheme. With the Monochrome camera- use a color contrast filter just like B&W film, all pixels contribute to the image. Simulated color filters- "holes" from the pixels that are filtered out.

 

[Iron]

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome camera leaked pictures - Pentax & Ricoh Rumors

As I already reported, Rioch is expected to announce the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome camera tomorrow. Shipping will start on April 28th. Here are the first leaked pictures: Via Digicame-info No related posts.

pentaxrumors.com

Looks like it's real, when combined with the things Ricoh has actually said prior to this point.

The shot of the JPEG profile options is really interesting, as it's the first peek into what a Ricoh/Pentax approach to tuning monochrome files will be. The options look exactly the same as what's in the K-3 III now, which is copied over pretty exactly from the Ricoh GR III series. Minus a color filter, of course, since you can't do that digitally with a monochrome sensor.

What do you folks think? Hopefully we'll get real info tomorrow, and some more press over the next little while with indication of how the actual files look and feel.

Yes, the announcement later is just a short one, so it isn't probably the K-1 III. I am just speculating, just like in PF. The K-3 III monochrome project was agreed to in the general meeting in November 2022 and they already had a prototype back then. The Jet Black K-3 III was announced around the same time last year, if I am not wrong.

Both are community requests, by the way.

Start to filter out part of the spectrum- get a hard edge from the interpolation scheme. With the Monochrome camera- use a color contrast filter just like B&W film, all pixels contribute to the image. Simulated color filters- "holes" from the pixels that are filtered out.

That's probably the most efficient explanation! I think it just cuts a lot of intended drama we are expecting from many B&W shots with filters. The drama from prints from monochrome sensors is a whole different story, as well.

 

[Brian]

Nikon did a prototype Df-M, using the 16MPixel CMOS sensor in production for their Microscope camera, but did not bring it to market. I would have bought it immediately.

Pentax- WOW!

 

[DM Larson]

This sounds pretty cool. I'd love a dedicated B&W system. I've thought about getting my X-Pro2 converted by MaxMax, but it seems prohibitively expensive.

If Pentax makes a convincing BW camera, maybe I'll wait a year or so and get one used.

 

[gordo]

YES!

 

[gryphon1911]

This sounds pretty cool. I'd love a dedicated B&W system. I've thought about getting my X-Pro2 converted by MaxMax, but it seems prohibitively expensive.

If Pentax makes a convincing BW camera, maybe I'll wait a year or so and get one used.

If it’s not Leica monochrome money and I can get some lenses with it, I’d be interested as well.

For me it might be a matter of when not if, as you say they come down in price sufficiently on the used market after a time.

 

[Brian]

It will be a lot less than Leica Monochrom money- mine was $8K over 10 years ago.
But my Kodak 1.6MPixel monochrome camera was $12K over 30 years ago.
So the Leica was not Kodak money.

 

[mpeterson]

I heard about this the other day, but didn't realize the official announcement was going to be so soon. The price is on the US Ricoh Imaging site now: US$2199.

Nikon did a prototype Df-M, using the 16MPixel CMOS sensor in production for their Microscope camera, but did not bring it to market. I would have bought it immediately.

Pentax- WOW!

Same!

 

[Brian]

$2200.

Ricoh announces Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome DSLR

Ricoh has announced a black and white variant of its Pentax K-3 III enthusiast DSLR.

www.dpreview.com

Wow.

 

[John King]

The edges are the problem- the mosaic filter is a 2x2 square,
rg
gb

Start to filter out part of the spectrum- get a hard edge from the interpolation scheme. With the Monochrome camera- use a color contrast filter just like B&W film, all pixels contribute to the image. Simulated color filters- "holes" from the pixels that are filtered out.

Rather interestingly, my Nikon Coolpix E5000 had a monochrome mode with TIFF output.

It also used a rather unusual c-y-m-g Bayer filter.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 handles its output a lot better than CS4/5/6 ever did.

 

[DM Larson]

That looks really cool.

 

[Brian]

Rather interestingly, my Nikon Coolpix E5000 had a monochrome mode with TIFF output.

It also used a rather unusual c-y-m-g Bayer filter.

Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 handles its output a lot better than CS4/5/6 ever did.

I had the Coolpix 950 with the same mosaic filter: I converted mine to full-spectrum. With a deep IR filter, it became monochrome IR. I gave it to one of my student interns, had him doing multi-spectral analysis on material for the Summer.