Don’t get me wrong, Pentax has made some incredible cameras in the past, many of which are still excellent today. One of my favorite SLRs to this day is the 1975 KM. But technology keeps evolving and this “new” camera seems a bit out of place, even though it does make great file.
Something old, something new, nothing blue
The real body of Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome was released two years ago, back in 2021, as a regular version Pentax K-3 MarkIII. It features a solid look, as we’re used to with Pentax, a fixed LCD display, dual SD card capabilities, and a 25-megapixel APS-C sensor. Camera was fine. Image quality is decent, but one thing stands out the most to me: Pentax’s ergonomics with both K-3 or K-1 The camera is just brilliant. They just feel superior to any other DSLR out there. But it’s a strong personal preference that many people will certainly disagree with.
Some of the returning features are the autofocus system and the viewfinder. The latter is great for an APS-C DSLR. It’s big, bright, and clear as long as you’re using a bright lens. Many photographers out there still believe in optical viewfinders and can’t imagine using an electronic viewfinder, so it makes sense to still give everyone this option. However, the return of autofocus is a bit disappointing.
Pentax cameras have a well-deserved fanbase. The K-1 Mark II is a great and unique set of tools, just like K-3 Mark III. But both are limited by lackluster autofocus. Today, it has been surpassed by even basic mirrorless cameras, like Canon R50for a fraction of the price, or Fujifilm’s X-T30 II Camera. It’s clear that Pentax DSLRs are not made for fast-paced environments. I often miss simple shots of people walking towards me at a leisurely pace. The fact that most Pentax lenses still focus with screw drives doesn’t help this case. And don’t get me started with the sound these lenses make when focusing.
The only new thing in this two-year-old body is the sensor. As the name suggests it is a monochromatic which means it can only capture luminance information from the captured scene. We’ve seen monochrome cameras before, and many people are familiar with the concept, but not all, so let me summarize the key inner workings and benefits of ghost removal. color battle.
Monochrome, Not Monochrome
Leica is by far best known for releasing monochrome cameras from the original Leica M Monochrom, to the latest. M11 monochrome. It’s only a matter of time before we see a new release Q3 with the same treatment. This camera is Pentax’s first attempt in this area, and I was a bit surprised when it happened. If it were the GR III Monochrome, I could definitely see the appeal. But I digress. What is a monochrome sensor?
Digital sensors are only capable of detecting brightness information. That’s it. In fact, they capture color thanks to a matrix of red, green, and blue filters on top of the sensor that block out certain wavelengths. The processor’s job is then to “decode” said data and translate it into something our eyes can understand. This process causes the sensor to lose some of its dynamic range as well as blocks some of the light from reaching the sensor.
So what are the benefits of a monochrome sensor? You get much. First and foremost, you’ll get better low-light performance. Your camera can see more light because the Bayer matrix doesn’t block the light, allowing you to shoot at higher ISO values with less grain/noise. The next benefit is increased detail captured. The pixels are not divided into subpixels of different colors so the amount of detail is higher at the same resolution. And the third must be the increased dynamic range. It’s not a huge profit, but the difference is there.
Shooting on a monochrome sensor is different from just going black and white in post-production thanks to all of this. However, you need to take into account the fact that you can’t play with the color values later in the post. If you want prominent skin tones and darker foliage, you can simply add a red or yellow filter to the lens before shooting. And unless you’re willing to spend a lot of time getting dubious results, you can never bring color to a photo after it’s taken.
So why do you want this?
For those of us who shoot most of our work in black and white, I can see a clear appeal. The files will look clearer and have more details. The benefits are there. However, there are cameras that offer more for less. I like having the option to adjust the individual color levels in the article even though the image is black and white. I enjoyed the ability to have color data in the raw image just in case, and last but not least, the autofocus of the camera. K-3 Mark III very disappointing. It feels similar to a Canon 250D or a Nikon D3200 is not a compliment at all.
The lenses I borrowed to try with the camera are limited edition 35mm f/2.8 macro and 70mmf/2.4. Both are centered using a screw drive. The sound that comes out during focus is stuck in the 90s as is the speed and accuracy. Combine that with the fact that I can’t get a sharp image from these whenever I use any aperture value above or below f/8.
What I like
I enjoyed using this camera due to its ease of use and bright viewfinder. The files imported to my computer are quite good, clear and full of detail if taken with a decent lens. The fact that it’s still a DSLR makes for really good battery life but that’s my positive point.
What I don’t like
Not only did I not like it, but I also felt extremely uncomfortable when I was out with the camera. Autofocus missed several times. The speed of the camera as well as just using everything makes me feel like I’ve been transported back at least a decade but with no recollection of seeing the first Avengers movie in theaters for the first time. movies or the fact that life felt simpler then. If you didn’t guess, I had quite a few problems with the camera. I was looking forward to returning it and picking one Q3 to review or return to my Fujis. But when I loaded the files into my Lightroom library, I finally saw the potential if I got used to the camera. It would be nice to be able to use a manual focus screen with some old glass behind this sensor.
If you can’t afford a Leica
That’s the strongest reason I can think of to buy this camera. You get all the benefits of a monochrome sensor without the extra cost of the “red dot”. I’m just patiently hoping this is just a test run of the sensor and Ricoh will eventually include it in their next GR release. Now that would make a lot more sense and would even make me consider buying one.
Sample
Buy
You can buy the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome here.
