Pentax K-3 Monochrome Conversion
Posted 08/11/2024 - 08:37 - Helpful Comment
Link
Interesting, any chance of posting monochrome images from the converted camera in the image gallery?
Posted 08/11/2024 - 14:27 - Helpful Comment
Link
I don't think I've heard of an original K-3 being converted to monochrome but it's certainly a great idea (and a lot cheaper than the K-3 III Mono, I'm sure).
Many older camera simply desaturated images to convert them to B&W, which always left them flat and lifeless, while newer ones have far better B&W jpeg profiles that can add a good punch and make them look more like film. The K-3's B&W profile is mediocre in my experience. Those in my Fujifilm cameras and Lumix S5 are much better, but of course could be mimicked in software with RAW files from any camera under the sun.
Many older camera simply desaturated images to convert them to B&W, which always left them flat and lifeless, while newer ones have far better B&W jpeg profiles that can add a good punch and make them look more like film. The K-3's B&W profile is mediocre in my experience. Those in my Fujifilm cameras and Lumix S5 are much better, but of course could be mimicked in software with RAW files from any camera under the sun.
Pentax hybrid user - Digital K3, film 645 and 35mm SLR and Pentax (&other) lenses adapted to Fuji X and Panasonic L digital
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses
Fan of DA limited and old manual lenses
Posted 09/11/2024 - 07:13
Link
MikeInDevon wrote:
Interesting, any chance of posting monochrome images from the converted camera in the image gallery?
Posting two images today - the exif data will just show as a K3 but I will highlight in the comments that it is a "converted K3"
Interesting, any chance of posting monochrome images from the converted camera in the image gallery?
Stephen
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
Posted 09/11/2024 - 07:15
Link
Jonathan-Mac wrote:
I don't think I've heard of an original K-3 being converted to monochrome but it's certainly a great idea (and a lot cheaper than the K-3 III Mono, I'm sure).
Many older camera simply desaturated images to convert them to B&W, which always left them flat and lifeless, while newer ones have far better B&W jpeg profiles that can add a good punch and make them look more like film. The K-3's B&W profile is mediocre in my experience. Those in my Fujifilm cameras and Lumix S5 are much better, but of course could be mimicked in software with RAW files from any camera under the sun.
Certainly a lot cheaper than the K3iii monochrome was!
I don't think I've heard of an original K-3 being converted to monochrome but it's certainly a great idea (and a lot cheaper than the K-3 III Mono, I'm sure).
Many older camera simply desaturated images to convert them to B&W, which always left them flat and lifeless, while newer ones have far better B&W jpeg profiles that can add a good punch and make them look more like film. The K-3's B&W profile is mediocre in my experience. Those in my Fujifilm cameras and Lumix S5 are much better, but of course could be mimicked in software with RAW files from any camera under the sun.
Stephen
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
Posted 09/11/2024 - 07:19 - Helpful Comment
Link
After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
Posted 09/11/2024 - 07:48
Link
Grodgeman wrote:
After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
I did think the idea of a mono only camera was a little strange at first. However the greater detail and tonal range available from a converted (or in the case of the K3iii dedicated) sensor certainly ticks a few boxes. More importantly for me when using the camera I think differently about the images I am capturing, concentrating more on form and texture and not getting distracted by colour - admittedly that is more my issue than a cameras! After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Stephen
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page
Posted 09/11/2024 - 08:06 - Helpful Comment
Link
I suspect it's to do with demosaicing which is needed to reconstruct a colour image from a Bayer type colour image sensor. Demosaicing inevitable produces artifacts of edge softening. With monochrome sensors or other unusual colour sensors like what Sigma used in their dslr's demosaicing is not needed hence the improved sharpness.
Posted 09/11/2024 - 08:40 - Helpful Comment
Link
SSF1957 wrote:
Thanks, they look great!
MikeInDevon wrote:
Interesting, any chance of posting monochrome images from the converted camera in the image gallery?
Posting two images today - the exif data will just show as a K3 but I will highlight in the comments that it is a "converted K3"Interesting, any chance of posting monochrome images from the converted camera in the image gallery?
Posted 10/11/2024 - 07:14
Link
SSF1957 wrote:
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Grodgeman wrote:
After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
I did think the idea of a mono only camera was a little strange at first. However the greater detail and tonal range available from a converted (or in the case of the K3iii dedicated) sensor certainly ticks a few boxes. More importantly for me when using the camera I think differently about the images I am capturing, concentrating more on form and texture and not getting distracted by colour - admittedly that is more my issue than a cameras! After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Posted 10/11/2024 - 07:15
Link
Grodgeman wrote:
SSF1957 wrote:
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Grodgeman wrote:
After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
I did think the idea of a mono only camera was a little strange at first. However the greater detail and tonal range available from a converted (or in the case of the K3iii dedicated) sensor certainly ticks a few boxes. More importantly for me when using the camera I think differently about the images I am capturing, concentrating more on form and texture and not getting distracted by colour - admittedly that is more my issue than a cameras! After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Posted 10/11/2024 - 07:15
Link
Grodgeman wrote:
[/quote]
Grodgeman wrote:
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
SSF1957 wrote:
[quote:3496ace15f="Grodgeman"]After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
I did think the idea of a mono only camera was a little strange at first. However the greater detail and tonal range available from a converted (or in the case of the K3iii dedicated) sensor certainly ticks a few boxes. More importantly for me when using the camera I think differently about the images I am capturing, concentrating more on form and texture and not getting distracted by colour - admittedly that is more my issue than a cameras! [quote:3496ace15f="Grodgeman"]After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Posted 10/11/2024 - 07:15
Link
Grodgeman wrote:
[/quote][/quote]
Grodgeman wrote:
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Grodgeman wrote:
[quote:3496ace15f="SSF1957"][quote:3496ace15f="Grodgeman"]After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
I did think the idea of a mono only camera was a little strange at first. However the greater detail and tonal range available from a converted (or in the case of the K3iii dedicated) sensor certainly ticks a few boxes. More importantly for me when using the camera I think differently about the images I am capturing, concentrating more on form and texture and not getting distracted by colour - admittedly that is more my issue than a cameras! [quote:3496ace15f="SSF1957"][quote:3496ace15f="Grodgeman"]After all these years of simply going to the B/W settings of my many Pentax cameras (including a K-3) when I wanted B/W or of using the computer, your remarks make me wonder what I have been missing or getting wrong. I cannot imagine what. I’m certainly happier now than I was in front of the tons of chemicals and paper I used to waste with the (retired) Leica and (sold) Nikon. I need enlightenment. Cheers.
The two images below were both taken with the K3iii Monochrome.
Posted 10/11/2024 - 07:19
Link
The photos you display are certainly very impressive, but I don’t know what I should do with my first generation K-3 to obtain the result. If anything special…
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237 posts
7 years
Derbyshire
Then by chance through the Pentaxian FaceBook group I came across a chap in Lithuania (MG Monochrome Conversions) who was stripping a layer off of the camera sensor to convert it to a monochrome capture (This link explains better than I can!) . So years before the Pentax K-3 iii Monochrome came on the scene I had obtained a Pentax K3 converted to a monochrome camera. I do not think I have done a monochrome conversion of a digital image since. I have though gone out on many days armed only with the monochrome camera and relived my early photography experiences of seeing things in B&W. It certainly gave my photography a much need fresh injection and the satisfaction levels rose accordingly. I have in more recent times indulged myself with the Pentax K-3 iii monochrome which continues to delight me every time I use it.
I was wondering if others on here have a similar experience of something re-igniting their passion for photography ?
645Z, K1, K1ii, K3iii + mono, K3ii, K3,KP, K-S1, K200D,K10D, K-r, Ist* DL, Ist* D, QS-1 plus too many film bodies !
Flickr Page
Photocrowd Page