Pentax K3 III Monochrome

I see the Leica M11 Monochrom has been released today - only £6000 more than the K3III Monochrome - not sure which one I should choose.....

There is already an analogue version...........

That cover missed an educational trick that could be used to tell the children something useful. The paint posts could be red, blue and green.

In the official Pentax store here in Spain the monochrome version has a €500 premium over the original price of the standard model, which now has a €300 discount, bringing the difference to €800. That's a very hard sell.

is it though?

It's a unique camera appealing to a relatively small number of users at a price that is considerably less than the alternatives in other form factors and sensor sizes (Digital MF backs or Rangefinder APS-C).

I think this will be a success for Pentax, even if it is fairly small scale, I don't think we'll see cheap entry level DSLRs from Pentax in the next few years - the direction is high end equipment and some specialisations like this.

+1

Although it's cost is far out of reach for me (as is the colour K-3III) it does have a special appeal. The Leica Mono is up in the stratosphere and, if one wants to have a colour sensor camera converted to mono, it will probably cost of the order of £1000...and does that include bespoke firmware and controls?

I hope it is a success for Pentax.

Philip

I agree, especially when considering that the development costs for this camera will be far less than what is usual. The body and controls are K-3 III so apart from the sensor and tweaks to the processor I expect most of the work involved was rewriting the software.

USA Pentax site link to monochrome K-3iii

link

Whats the point?

Read page 1 of this thread. The "point" is explained there

Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Cartier Bresson didn't have colour photography as an option when they started producing images and I don't think it would have improved their work one little bit.

Of all the exhibition prints I have seen the Black and White ones with superb tonal range have been the ones that have inspired me more than any others. This camera has the potential to unlock similar results for the current photographic generation - if that can happen, then that may be the point

All valid points and opinions
My own tuppence worth, is it will be a roaring success given time, as an alternative to the film resurgence currently and also an alternative to the much pricier makers of mono chrome cameras.
If images produced by this camera possess that special magic, then i expect prices of used quality pentax lenses to surge also.
It is a great move by Pentax Ricoh
Already there is videos on Youtube by Photography vloggers using this camera.

I agree with Flan. Plus, like him, I think it's a great move by Pentax Ricoh. Clever marketing and placement.

I went online and found this It's not the only one as has already been noted. As I've mentioned earlier, fascinating thread.

I agree it’s a great idea and a bold move. The problem for me is the YouTube videos including Ricoh’s own promotion use landscape and wildlife examples, none of which to me look better than if shot in colour. For instance, a stand of white birches with dead bracken providing the only colour of lovely tan would make a great colour photo if imaginatively framed but in mono just looks dull and flat. Where are the dramatically lit street photos, portraits or contrasty architecture?

Given the extra resolution the mono sensor achieves, and in the Ricoh video I could only see the difference in very high ISO comparisons, the best and sharpest lenses are needed to do it justice. Part of me thinks it would be a good buy but I would hate to be out and about with it and see a fantastic colour shot! I have been drawn to mono recently but realise that only certain shots work better in that milieu although I love the no compromise approach.