Two years ago, Ricoh Imaging released the Pentax K-3 Mark III, a high-end APS-C DSLR aimed squarely at enthusiast photographers. It turned out to be a very capable camera indeed, combining fine handling, robust build, and impressive image quality. Now the firm has decided to produce a version that only shoots in black & white – the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome.
This isn’t the first mono-only camera we’ve seen, but it’s the first not to originate from the hallowed halls of Leica, and the first DSLR, too. While it costs more than the stock K-3 Mark III, at £2,249 rather than £1,899 body-only, it’s dramatically cheaper than either of Leica’s current offerings, the Q2 Monochrom (£5,200) and the M11 Monochrom (£8,300). It’s still not quite a camera for the masses, but it makes the idea of a dedicated mono-only tool more accessible than ever before.
Of course, you can convert any colour photo to black & white, so it’s reasonable to ask why you’d use a specialist camera instead. The most obvious reason is technical. With the usual colour filter array eliminated, each sensor pixel directly measures the light intensity at its location. This promises greater detail, smoother tonality, and less noise.
There’s another, more subtle argument too. By eliminating any possibility of producing colour images, the camera forces you to think purely in terms of light and tone. So by focusing your mindset while shooting, it might just help you to make better black & white images. But does this unique DSLR deliver on its promise?
Features
In most respects, the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is identical to its parent camera. However, with the colour filter array removed, more light is able to reach the sensor. As a result, the lowest available sensitivity has increased from ISO 100 to 200. A close look at the menus and settings reveals that everything relating to white balance or colour output has also been removed. Externally, all the buttons and dials are marked in grey, rather than white, while
