p.2 #2 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
asnapper wrote:
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.
Thanks for your reply, im glad you like the camera, im reading a mixed bag on this camera from all the different sites i have visited. I guess i would have to rent one and really find out for myself if i like it. Im now interested in a Pentax K1 mark II, now that camera seems really interesting also, i may rent them both.
Renting is always a good idea before buying. Before renting I suggest you download the manufactures PDF manual. I started using the camera before reading it & I was getting excessively contrasty DNG's. In the manual I discovered there are 3 contrast options, I now use the softest option & use highlight metering & at least -0.7 exposure compensation if its a sunny day.
p.2 #4 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
asnapper wrote:
I now use the softest option & use highlight metering & at least -0.7 exposure compensation if its a sunny day.
This is close to how I roll.
If I'm in low contrast lighting, then I may bring my exp. comp back to 0, or even +0.3.
An old article that brings the "ETTL" into the discussion (purple highlighted text, near bottom) on the M246.
Still an applicable primer regarding shooting a monochrome sensor ... even 10 years later.
p.2 #5 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Califmike33 wrote:
Thanks for your reply, im glad you like the camera, im reading a mixed bag on this camera from all the different sites i have visited. I guess i would have to rent one and really find out for myself if i like it. Im now interested in a Pentax K1 mark II, now that camera seems really interesting also, i may rent them both.
I had the Pentax K1 ... made lovely B&W conversions, and a really clean sensor. Personally, this was probably one of my favorite sensors I've shot on. I think Pentax had this sensor "ahead of its time" ... but, the rest of Pentax has struggled to move much. They are kinda stuck in a time warp, in many regards. A good, classic kind of time warp, for those who have regard for the classic, but a time warp nonetheless. If you have the temperament for the classic DSLR, it can be an "odd duck" gem.
If I hadn't gotten a taste of the Leica ... and PK had even tried halfway to move into the 21st century, I might be shooting PK instead of Leica. So, again ... I can dig on the PK, but the K1 is still a pretty hefty rig. It weighs (smidge over a kilo) even more than Hassy X1D / X2D or Fuji GFX or Leica SL series for comparison. And, with its longer lens registration ... the body for the mirror box is pretty thick, too. It's a chunky monkey ... but, puts out some really nice files.
But, for being a chunky monkey, it is contoured to the hand fairly well. Build is good, but big.
p.2 #6 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
pingflood wrote:
a fairly uninspiring camera body
..you think so?
I really like the "dense" and "molded" design, the chunky knurled dials, the angles on the prism - I actually think it looks pretty badass, and it makes me think "I'd love to have a go with one of these".
p.2 #7 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Tina Kino wrote:
..you think so?
I really like the "dense" and "molded" design, the chunky knurled dials, the angles on the prism - I actually think it looks pretty badass, and it makes me think "I'd love to have a go with one of these".
p.2 #9 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Tina Kino wrote:
..you think so?
I really like the "dense" and "molded" design, the chunky knurled dials, the angles on the prism - I actually think it looks pretty badass, and it makes me think "I'd love to have a go with one of these".
Well, it's obviously a highly subjective thing! I feel like it's a bit busy/overcrowded and cramped but I can appreciate the angular aesthetic. But compare it to e.g. the glorious S1 which I feel is one of the nicest cameras to hold and use I've ever had:
p.2 #10 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Tina Kino wrote:
..you think so?
I really like the "dense" and "molded" design, the chunky knurled dials, the angles on the prism - I actually think it looks pretty badass, and it makes me think "I'd love to have a go with one of these".
Go to the "EXIF Gallery" and search at the top of the page.
Choose the MODEL search dropdown for the K3 Mono.
NOTE: Don't put "Pentax" in the MAKE dropdown. If you use both dropdowns (Make and Model), you'll get ZERO returns. Just use the one for MODEL, only.
Thanks for that link, that camera takes gorgeous shots, and beautiful tones coming out of that camera, i dont think you can get that from a regular sensor and process, it's just beautiful.
p.2 #15 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Califmike33 wrote:
1) Yeah it could have been a great camera with more thought and design put into it.
2) I find it way overpriced for what you get.
3) plus many issues on top of that.
4) I will find another camera.
@1) What do you miss? Arguably Pentax has one of the best ergonomics in the market. It is possble to make many claims about this camera. That they have not put enough thought into this camera is not one of them.
@2) It is difficult to say what a fair price for this camera would be. It has to be kept in mind, that BW sensors are very niche and return on development costs cannot be very high. A camera with such a sensor must be priced higher than a camera with an off the shelf sensor. Compared to othe rofferings in the market the Pentax is extremely good value.
@3) Which issues? There are not that many. The Pentax KIII, on which it is based, is a very rounded camera which I still enjoy using very much, despite having moved to Sony A1 for video and for usage of Voigtländer lenses 😉
@4) Which one? I‘m not aware of any that competes remotely unless you splash out money for a Leica (and take a conscious decission to forfeit autofocus).
p.2 #16 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Knut. wrote:
@4) Which one? I‘m not aware of any that competes remotely unless you splash out money for a Leica (and take a conscious decission to forfeit autofocus).
Well if you are willing to stick with a fixed 28mm there is the Q2M which will give you autofocus. Or if you want to spend some money buy a monochrome converted camera of your choice from MaxMax.
p.2 #17 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
pingflood wrote:
Well if you are willing to stick with a fixed 28mm there is the Q2M which will give you autofocus. Or if you want to spend some money buy a monochrome converted camera of your choice from MaxMax.
I agree that these are two options, but both with serious diaadvantages compared to the Pentax monochrome:
@ Q2M:
- It is a Leica 😉, and 2x price of the Pentax at that.
- In addition only one fixed focal length.
- Furthermore AF is also not really that neccessary with 28mm; AF thus stands as the advantage of the Pentax.
@ MaxMax: Their conversion does not abolish Bayer demosaicing, thus the advantage of a true BW sensor (pin-point pixel level sharpness) is not seen with their bw converted cameras.
There really is only the Pentax and a few Leicas if you want the feel of a true monochrome sensor. Otherwise stick with any Bayer sensor and do a monochrome conversion (but you will not get the magic of a pure monochrome sensor).
p.2 #19 · Anybody using the Pentax K3 Mark III Monochrome
Knut. wrote:
I agree that these are two options, but both with serious diaadvantages compared to the Pentax monochrome:
@ Q2M:
- It is a Leica 😉, and 2x price of the Pentax at that.
- In addition only one fixed focal length.
- Furthermore AF is also not really that neccessary with 28mm; AF thus stands as the advantage of the Pentax.
@ MaxMax: Their conversion does not abolish Bayer demosaicing, thus the advantage of a true BW sensor (pin-point pixel level sharpness) is not seen with their bw converted cameras.
There really is only the Pentax and a few Leicas if you want the feel of a true monochrome sensor. Otherwise stick with any Bayer sensor and do a monochrome conversion (but you will not get the magic of a pure monochrome sensor)....Show more →
Well, one point in favour of the Q2M is that you get a spectacular lens included in the price. So sure, the camera is 2x the price of the Pentax _body_ but stick a lens as good as the Leica one on there and see where it ends up.
The MaxMax conversion does remove the bayer filter but yeah, Adobe ACR etc will attempt to demosaic the file. There are some options to work around that though like AccuRaw Monochrome and possibly DCRAW (though I haven't dug into that). Not as convenient as factory monochrome stuff though.
I'm happy with the M10M which we all know is the superior camera since it a) costs a lot more and b) says LEICA on the front
i want to see some shots from this camera.