Pentax K-3 III Monochrome DSLR Review

John Riley takes a look at the recently released Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, which is an APS-C DSLR dedicated to black & white photography. John reviews & tests the performance of this stunning monochrome camera which offers crisper, noise-reduced images over its colour sibling.

Posted: 19/11/2024 - 11:20

The level of interest in Monochrome images has been steadily increasing and there are now three cameras in the marketplace that are dedicated to shoot only in black and white, two from Leica and one from Pentax. A great black and white image has a special impact that cannot be found in colour, and indeed sometimes colour can be seen as distracting. The potential is there, and obviously two manufacturers at least have decided that demand is sufficient to offer these special variants. There are many questions around this, not least why would we pay a premium for a camera that is actually less versatile than the standard model? When we can convert colour images to monochrome in Photoshop, or even set our JPEG capture to shoot mono upfront, why do we need a specialised camera? There may well be very good reasons for this, so let's have a detailed look, shoot some examples and see where the new adventure leads.

Standard Colour Model: Pentax K-3 III DSLR Review

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Features

Compared to many flagship DSLR designs, the K-3 III Monochrome is relatively compact, measuring 134.5mm x 103.5mm x 73.5mm and weighing in at 820g with battery and card. The layout will be instantly familar to Pentax Users and it is so well designed ergonomically that users of other marques should find it fairly straightforward to adjust to. There are buttons and dials aplenty and it is rare to need to delve into the menus.

The bayonet mount is KAF2, which has the added benefit of making it possible to use K and M series lenses without having to resort to stop down metering. Considering this is a mono camera that should make the use of retro lenses much easier, completing the monochrome experience perfectly. This is a big step forwards, as previously stop down metering had to be used where lenses had no electronic contacts on the mount.

Other new refinements include a rotary dial for selecting optical viewfinder, Live View or Video. The viewfinder is superb, being almost as large as the full frame K-1 thanks to the 1.05x magnification. Alternatively, the 3.2" touch screen monitor has 1.62M dots and shows a crisp and very usable image. The LV also gives the most accurate focusing, especially when magnification is used, accessed by a simple press of the OK button.

There is now a joystick on the rear panel, for moving the point of focus. The screen is fixed, though some users might well prefer it to be articulated.

Under the skin there is the monochrome 25.7MP APS-C CMOS sensor, with no AA filter, although there is a filter simulator should some unusual subject show moire. There are many other features, summarised below, but special mention should be made for the 5-axis Shake Reduction, usable with any accessories, the vast ISO range from ISO 200 to ISO 1,600,000, smartphone connectivity, USB-C charging, but of course nothing that relates to colour as there is no colour.

Key Features

• 25.7MP APS-C CMOS Monochrome sensor
• Pentaprism viewfinder 1.05% magnification
• 3.2" touch screen 1.62M dots
• 5 axis Shake Reduction
• ISO range 200 - 1600000
• SD Memory Cards: UHS-I/II, SD/SDHC/SDXC
• Two SD card slots
• 12fps
• Focusing to -4EV
• Metering -2EV to +21EV, 101 focus points, 41 cross type
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• Mechanical shutter: 30s - 1/8000s
• Electronic shutter: 30s - 1/16000s
• 134.5mm x 103.5mm x 73.5mm
• 820g with battery and card
• Battery life 800 shots, 250 mins playback
• 4K 30p
• FHD 60p
• USB-C connection
• K and M lenses stop down correctly without needing green button

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Handling

For those photographers who have never used a Pentax DSLR they will hopefully soon gel with the excellent ergonomics that Pentax Users have enjoyed since the advent of the Spotmatic in 1964. Pick up a Pentax today and it shares much of the ethos of a constant design concept, which has consistently progressed as Pentax have taken on board the inevitable development of technology.

Sometimes it is down to the small things that make a difference and the first and most obvious will be the pentaprism optical viewfinder, fast becoming a lost art as the EVF takes over other marques. Advantages are a crystal clear view, without having to switch on the camera, thus meaning a quick composition check can be made before committing to shooting an image and using up battery power. The magnification of the K-3 III Monochrome's viewfinder is 1.05% and this results in a view that is almost as large as the full frame K-1.

The two SD card slots have been reversed in position, so that the No 1 slot is easiest to access, which is good common sense. No 2 slot is still easy to use, just a bit more cramped for the fingers to gain access to.

Many photographers, like this reviewer, carry a camera without a strap in the right hand and the bane of our existence is the camera where the centre focus point does not lock and can be accidentally moved. Suddenly we find we are focusing on the bottom right corner of the frame and this needs to be constantly watched. However, this does not happen with Pentax and the focus point can be locked at the centre and it stays there.

What can be nudged is the rear control wheel, set as default as exposure compensation. Switching this to the front and having the aperture control at the rear wheel solves the problem, as using Av the aperture is constantly in mind anyway, so if shifted occasionally it is swiftly noticed.

Focusing using the OVF is never going to be as accurate as using the LV setting, so when used on a tripod the back screen becomes the focusing point of choice. If using manual focus a quick press on the OK button magnifies the image and gives really precise results. It also shows up how poor human eyesight can be when trying to focus through a viewfinder. As the camera may well be used with manual focus lenses at least part of the time, it is of course essential to adjust the dioptre setting of the eyepiece. Point the camera at a blank wall, or defocus it, and adjust the small wheel until the etched lines of the focusing screen are sharpest. This means the eyes will be focusing on the screen without strain.

As this is a monochrome camera there are very few digital filters, and of course none that relate to colour, although ironically the menu description for Invert Image actually says Invert Color, seemingly just a labelling oversight. We therefore are back to using coloured optical filters, yellow for bringing out clouds, orange and red for progressively more aggressive dark skies, green to lighten foliage, blue to mimic the look of vintage "ordinary" film of the 1920s and 1930s that was only sensitive to blue light. As an aside, box cameras will give sharper results with modern panchromatic films if a blue filter is held over the lens. This all goes to show that the K-3 III Monochrome stimulates thinking about retro photography on many levels and this is part of the difference between having the mindset of shooting monochrome as opposed to shooting in colour and converting it later.

The difference technically is of course that each and every pixel can have its luminance (brightness) measured, rather than having a Bayer colour filter over the sensor that records just one colour per pixel, a grouping of which is then integrated to approximate the original colour. So the same number of pixels should in theory reproduce more detail, and texture shots do seem to bear this out.
 

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Performance

Lens Performance – Lenses going right back to the start of the 42mm screw mount can be used on the K-3 III Monochrome, via an adapter for the screw thread lenses. Then, from the introduction in 1975 of the K bayonet mount we have some amazing lenses that are absolutely up to the high resolution digital cameras that we use today. We have been reviewing these as they become available to us, and the results can be very impressive. For this review, the lenses used were the HD Pentax FA 35mm f/2 and the SMC Pentax-DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited, having "35mm format" equivalent fields of view of 50mm and 105mm respectively; two classic focal lengths. Both lenses have been very favourably reviewed on Pentax User and they both acquit themselves perfectly well on the K-3 III Monochrome.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Sample Photos

---

ISO Performance – The ISO range is immense, running from a slightly higher than usual base ISO 200 right up to ISO 1,600,000. Images are noise free from ISO 200 through to ISO 800, and the most critical of eyes then might find a trace creeping in at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200. This noise is still barely perceptible at ISO 6400, which might be considered the highest value for images critically assessed. ISO 12800 sees noise levels creeping upwards, but the pattern is still very tight and crisp and this remains so up to ISO 51200. Contrast starts to fail at ISO 102400 and ISO 204800, although for emergency use images are still usable. ISO 409600 and ISO 819200 are very noisy and have very low contrast. ISO 1,600,000 is really a step too far and although images can be shot the contrast is so low and the noise so overwhelming that they are of limited practicality.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome ISO Test Images

---

Digital Filters –  A limited range of digital filters is provided, comprising Grainy Monochrome, Tone Expansion, Invert Color, Shading, High Contrast, Retro and Toy Camera. Custom Image offers Standard, Hard and Soft. The description Invert Color is intriguing, but it simply gives a negative image.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Digital Filters

---

Optical Filters - When we shot with film, colour filters were used extensively in black and white photography to alter the tonal values. Yellow corrects the response of panchromatic film and brings out natural tonal values. Green lightens foliage and is flattering to portraits. Orange darkens blue skies and brings out clouds more dramatically than yellow. Red makes blue skies almost black and is the filter for high contast dramatic images. Infra-red gives the white foliage and black skies that originally were intended to reveal diseased trees in forests, shot from the air, but which are also a favourite of pictorial and creative photographers. In summary, colour filters can be used with the K-3 III Monochrome in the same way that they were used with film. The sample images include a colour image from another camera to show what the colours are so the results can be judged.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Optical Filters

---

Video –  A limited video capability consists of 4K 30p and FHD 60p, but the facility is there for those who wish to shoot monochrome movies. This can be powerful enough as a medium, witness such all time classics such as Casablanca, Manhattan or The Third Man.

Sample video to follow.

---

Value for Money

The Pentax K-3 III body is priced at £2249.00

Considering that the K-3 III standard colour model is just £1899.00 some may argue why pay more for less? However, there is more to the Monochrome than we might have suspected and it is a niche product with no doubt a specialised production line. Where the real comparison should be made is against the competition in Monochrome cameras. Then we have a choice of two:

• Leica M11 Monochrom, £8300
• Leica Q2 Monochrom, £5800

Add lenses to those and that will make the wallet squeal. Now those who want to buy Leica will do so and the price will not be the primary consideration, but for many of us the Pentax is the reachable prospect, as well as having so many features, such as weather resistance, that the Leicas do not.

On this basis, the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome becomes excellent VFM and of course for Pentax Users it is a no-brainer.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome Verdict

It has taken us a while to find a review sample of the K-3 III Monochrome, but it has been worth the wait. It is an extraordinary camera that releases the thirst for black and white photography in a way that the monochrome filters in our existing cameras do not. Looking through some of the classic black and white photography available in superb books from Taschen and others, it is easy to see where we would like to be in terms of black and white image making, and a dedicated camera is a great start as it changes our mindset. No longer is monochrome an afterthought or an occasional conversion because there is a black and white competition to enter, it is a way of approaching the subject from the very start.

This has little to do with the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome per se, it could be any black and white camera, but when we add the superb ergonomics and the staggeringly keen price level compared to the alternatives, then it just has to be the Pentax. If this is a result of Pentax's Workshop approach to manufacturing, then it is pure genius. They still have it and can deliver niche products as part of an integrated system of variants. Perhaps next on the agenda could be an Infra-red version?

Specifications: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome
General
Lens Mounts	Pentax KAF2
Availability
Year announced	2023
Discontinued	No
Dimensions
Depth	73.5mm
Height	103.5mm
Width	134.5mm
Weight	820g
Image Sensor
Aspect Ratio	3:2
Sensor Size (height)	15.5mm
Sensor Size (width)	23.3mm
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Type	CMOS
Pixels (H)	4128
Pixels (W)	6192
Pixels	25.73Mp (Megapixels)
Exposure Control
Exposure Comp	+/-4
Digital filter	Yes
ISO sensitivity	200 - 1600000
Metering	Centre Spot, Centre-weighted - Average, Spot, TTL
AE lock	Yes
Exp modes	Aperture-Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter-Priority
Self Timer	12sec, 2sec
Bulb mode	Yes
Shutter speeds longest	30sec
Shutter speeds shortest	8000sec
Construction
Weather-sealed	Yes
Focusing
Focusing Points	101
Focusing modes	AF Tracking, Autofocus, Manual, Spot
Viewfinder
Magnification	1.05x
Viewfinder Resolution	Optical
Interchangable focusing screen	Yes
Depth of field preview	Yes
Viewfinder field of view	100%
LCD Monitor
Touch Screen	Yes
Screen resolution	1620K
Live view	Yes
Tilting screen	No
Brightness adjust	Yes
LCD Monitor	3.2in
Video
Stereo Sound	Yes
Video Resolution	1920x1080 FullHD, 4K
Movie mode	Yes
Power Source
Movie recording time	25minutes
Battery Life (CIPA rating)	800shots
Battery Type	Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI90
Storage
File Type	JPG, RAW, RAW + JPG
Card Type	SD, SDHC, SDXC
Interface
Headphone Socket	Yes
Microphone Socket	Yes
Bluetooth	Yes
Ethernet	No
Wi-Fi	Yes
USB	USB-C
HDMI	Yes
Other Features
Histogram	Yes
Image Stabilisation	Yes
Dust removal	Yes
Shooting Options
Sound recording	Yes
Multiple exposure	Yes
Continuous shooting	12fps

Members gallery photos using: PENTAX K-3 Mark III Monochrome

Add Comment

To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.