p.1 #4 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
I honestly haven't seen much about it, which both is and isn't surprising. Monochrome cameras are interesting and Pentax seemed to be the most likely company to bring one out (other than Leica of course). However it's a fairly expensive camera with an APS sensor. My personal feeling is that with this sort of gear you need to put yourself into a more affordable or more exclusive segment. A Ricoh GRIIIm for instance for say $1200-1300 would probably be a big seller. A full frame monochrome sensor with premium lenses available would possibly sell as well but at that point you'd have to have something to differentiate you from Leica and convince people to not buy a Q2m or Monochrom M instead.
But we're talking about what, $2200 in the US for an APS sensor in a fairly uninspiring camera body? And with APS you won't be getting the crowd who wants to adapt a bunch of "classic" lenses since the crop factor will be a turnoff.
p.1 #6 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
pingflood wrote:
I honestly haven't seen much about it, which both is and isn't surprising. Monochrome cameras are interesting and Pentax seemed to be the most likely company to bring one out (other than Leica of course). However it's a fairly expensive camera with an APS sensor. My personal feeling is that with this sort of gear you need to put yourself into a more affordable or more exclusive segment. A Ricoh GRIIIm for instance for say $1200-1300 would probably be a big seller. A full frame monochrome sensor with premium lenses available would possibly sell as well but at that point you'd have to have something to differentiate you from Leica and convince people to not buy a Q2m or Monochrom M instead.
But we're talking about what, $2200 in the US for an APS sensor in a fairly uninspiring camera body? And with APS you won't be getting the crowd who wants to adapt a bunch of "classic" lenses since the crop factor will be a turnoff.
+1. This sums it up nicely. I expected Fuji to make at some point such APS-C based monochrome camera since Fuji is not vested in FF MLC technology. Pentax monochrome camera is also based on DSLR design making it much more difficult and impossible to adapt lenses from other brands with e. g. shorter flange distance. Even adapting M42 based SLR lenses is not so straight forward here. This limits IMO significantly the usage of this camera. The price point on the other hand is attractive compared to Leica monochrome systems - but this compares different sensor sizes and technology (DSLR vs rangefinder/MLC) with each other.
What is missing in the market is a FF monochrome MLC which allows more adaptability of all kind of third party lens systems. I can think of Sony here or Panasonic to make this happen. Or the often discussed by still hypothetical Leica EVF-M with M-mount and for monochrome - I personally would prefer such much over a potential monochrome SL.
p.1 #7 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
retrofocus wrote:
+1. This sums it up nicely. I expected Fuji to make at some point such APS-C based monochrome camera since Fuji is not vested in FF MLC technology. Pentax monochrome camera is also based on DSLR design making it much more difficult and impossible to adapt lenses from other brands with e. g. shorter flange distance. Even adapting M42 based SLR lenses is not so straight forward here. This limits IMO significantly the usage of this camera. The price point on the other hand is attractive compared to Leica monochrome systems - but this compares different sensor sizes and technology (DSLR vs rangefinder/MLC) with each other.
What is missing in the market is a FF monochrome MLC which allows more adaptability of all kind of third party lens systems. I can think of Sony here or Panasonic to make this happen. Or the often discussed by still hypothetical Leica EVF-M with M-mount and for monochrome - I personally would prefer such much over a potential monochrome SL. ...Show more →
I have my own version here, that being a M10M with Visoflex 020. But IBIS would be nice.
p.1 #9 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
I own one too and I love it. Is it a $$$Leica$$$, nope, but it excels with monochrome imaging and costs about 8 grand less and I'm not afraid to use it instead of impressing others at the club.
p.1 #10 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Thanks for all the replies. Well, first off, I love BW photography and was intrigued by the Pentax. It seems you can get an excellent used copy for $1600. I'm looking for a bang for my buck. Does the fact that it's a dedicated monochrome camera make it that much better than, say, a Fuji XT5?
I know it has no r,b, or g filter and overall sharper images. I don't like its APS-C. Is my money better spent somewhere else, or is this a really good BW camera hard to be for the money? Maybe I should rent one and try it out.
p.1 #13 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Califmike33 wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. Well, first off, I love BW photography and was intrigued by the Pentax. It seems you can get an excellent used copy for $1600. I'm looking for a bang for my buck. Does the fact that it's a dedicated monochrome camera make it that much better than, say, a Fuji XT5?
I know it has no r,b, or g filter and overall sharper images. I don't like its APS-C. Is my money better spent somewhere else, or is this a really good BW camera hard to be for the money? Maybe I should rent one and try it out. ...Show more →
I actually was interested in this camera. So much that before the monochrome came out, I rented an ordinary K3 and a lens to get a feel for the camera. I did love ergonomics and the controls, something Pentax often excels at.
But I ended up getting a used Q2M instead. That was because a new Pentax with a few lenses would have cost quite a bit, while the Q2 gave me FF and high resolution.
If the Pentax had been FF or if the Pentax Limited lenses would have given me the focal lengths I prefer I might have gone for the Pentax instead.
With all of that said, I’m actually thinking of selling my Q2M because I feel I don’t use it enough.
Thanks for that link, i read the whole thread and after reading that i no long want the camera. There are many shortcomings on that camera from what i read.
p.1 #16 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Will never understand why they decided to put a mirror in this thing in 2023. A small mirrorless version or even a GRm would've made so much more sense.
p.1 #17 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Yeah it could have been a great camera with more thought and design put into it. I find it way overpriced for what you get. plus many issues on top of that. I will find another camera.
p.1 #18 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Califmike33 wrote:
So how are you enjoying it? Are you disappointed in any way with it ?, looking for the pros, cons, and overall thoughts on the camera, thank you.
Michael
Michael,
I'm not disappointed with the K3M at all, other than it being a DSLR. I have become accustomed to the evf in my GFX & Sony mirrorless cameras. The DNG's it produces have wonderful gradation & the shadows great latitude. but you have to be careful with the highlights, if they are overexposed you can't get them back like you can with film, so I always underexpose. You can safely use very high asa's & what noise there is, reminds me of film grain & overall the DNG's have a film like look & are sharper than you would expect from an APS-C sensor.
Having heaped praise on the camera & it's output, it's my least used camera, which is down to it being a DSLR. I wish that Sony or Fuji would make a monochrome camera, I would buy one in a heartbeat, but its unlikely & rumour has it that Pentax have discontinued the K3 & K3M cameras, so a cheap Monochrome option looks like its about to disappear, well unless they introduce a K4M or even a FF K1M.
p.1 #20 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
BrandonSi wrote:
Will never understand why they decided to put a mirror in this thing in 2023. A small mirrorless version or even a GRm would've made so much more sense.
Ummmm ... leftover stock, bodies that weren't selling as color variants?
I don't think this was a 2023 design. I think this is an older design that PK has held on to, never going down the path of mirrorless product line, with it.
Bear in mind, also ... PK registration distance for its lenses are some of the farthest around. This is inherent to the ethos of PK lens design renderings. Moving to a mirrorless provides some advantages for the EVF, etc. ... but, unless you revamp your lens design, it offers no difference to the projected image. If you aren't going to make a lineup of mirrorless lenses, then the mirrorless body is not of such great need. And, of course, PK lenses can be adapted to darn near anything, because they do have such a long registration distance.
As mentioned before, I dig on PK, but I don't see them "moving forward" very fast. Heck, the Pentax pace, makes Leica look like Usain Bolt.
