What Happens When Colour Is Removed From A Camera?

With all the technical advancements within the world of photography sometimes I feel that simplicity is the way to go to help us create the most impactful in the images. I'll admit that I didn't know what to expect from a camera that can only produce black & white images but after having reviewed the files that came out of this camera I can say that removing colour from your camera produces amazing results! So here's my Pentax K-3 III Monochrome review.
Pentax K3III Monochrome - amzn.to/47CBpaB
Pentax DA16-50mm - amzn.to/3G4hVQq
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Video Chapters
0:00 Modern Camera Technology
0:39 The Camera In Question
2:07 What Improved Your Photography?
#ricoh #pentax #monochrome

[@rauliflemington7045]

Greetings Lee, excellent video and channel. For me, abandoning mirrorless and stepping up to DSLR's allowed me to properly see my subject, expose and compose with vastly more precision. I am a newcomer to Pentax. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to purchase a comprehensive system and was able to choose from any manufacturer. After half a year of rigorous research and testing, Pentax, the path least trodden, was significantly the premium choice. Now with K1ii, new/old stock KP and a KF as general alrounder supported by 12 exquisite new lenses, I am well pleased indeed. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I am certain of my decision.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate I appreciate it! Wow that sounds awesome, 3 fantastic cameras & 12 lenses! And coming from mirroless, very interesting to hear you prefer the optical viewfinder. Couple of questions if you don't mind, which mirroless system/cameras did you own previously? And id love to know your Pentax lens lineup too. Cheers 🍻

[@rauliflemington7045]

I appreciate your interest Lee. My previous system was Olympus, which I will keep mainly for their live composite feature. However Pentax is now my tools of the trade. I live in Australia and shoot the wildernesses, the urban landscape as well as macro photography of nature and small mechanical things. My Pentax lens list includes 100mm macro, 50mm 2.8 macro, 55-300 plm, 20-40 limited, 21mm HD Limited, HD 16-85 , 18-135 kit, DFA 15-30, DFA 28-105, 50mm classic, 77mm limited, and a mint SMC-F 24-50.

[@b.2221]

Not getting caught up in all the technical aspects of your video,but what comes across to me is that you cover everything in your own inimitable way from novices to amateur to professional photographers photos and ideas galore for everyone. Well done mate 😅.

[@LeeIveson]

Haha thanks mate, well I just say what I think & this camera gave me a lot to think about that is for certain.

[@pentax-paul.]

As an enthusiastic amateur who moved from a bridge camera to a dslr back in March, I think the biggest change / improvement in my photography has been 1. Shooting raw . 2. Using full manual control or Tav mode instead of P mode , 3. Trying to learn / experimenting in post process by making adjustments myself rather than just hitting the auto button . I feel my images are so much better these days ( lots of room for improvement still) I use pentax k70 and tend to keep the 55-300 plm lens on most of the time unless I need wider and then use the 18-135mm kit lens.

[@LeeIveson]

Yeah what we can do with RAW files these days is pretty amazing. And I'm with you all the way using TAV mode, such a great way of shooting I feel.

[@HusbandnWifeDuo]

Salute and respect from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada! Watched this superb video on our TV. Splendidly produced with excellent shots and listenable music.

[@LeeIveson]

Thankyou that's very much appreciated, I've been working on getting my audio better so it's nice to read comments like yours. 👍

[@user-pe3hp3qn7c]

Flash...Flash...Flash.....learning how to understand and utilise flash!! Single biggest feature of my photography journey

[@andrewmartin8739]

Shot a lot of personal archival photos in connection with my hobby (aircraft) between 1980 and 1995 on Pentax in Black & White and self processed , always preferred to colour , labs never seemed to print the colours right ! With the advent of digital started to record my hobby interests in colour. Best feature , use of higher ISO on K5 for action shots with no loss of quality has impressed me . Pentax through and through.

[@LeeIveson]

Yeah the ISO capabilities are outstanding , and even more so from the K3iii Monochrome.

[@TL-vt8uk]

Jay Maisel said it best in a video, "Colour is the enemy of shape". I find the photos in monochrome allow viewers to see what is going on in the photo more clearly because they are not having to see through the colours. Cool video, thx!

[@LeeIveson]

That's a damn good quote right there!

[@Jeffasaurases]

The think that improved my photography the most is Lightroom. Going from shooting JPEG to raw and editing it, truly made a difference and gave my photos that professional look i wanted. Im a Pentax K3 III and Sony ZV-1 user.

[@LeeIveson]

I must admit I do love the new masking features of lightroom & camera raw. I spent countless ours learning how to half decently edit in photoshop but things have gotten so much easier now 😅

[@thefincapaloma]

Great video and fantastic images Lee. The more I see about the K 3 monochrome, the more I want one.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate much appreciated. I must admit I didn't know what to expect from the Monochrome but man has it surprised me! I don't want to give it back now haha

[@thefincapaloma]

@@LeeIveson then don’t😀

[@Needacreate]

Great to see your creativity recharged by trying out something completely different and by imposing limitations. Because, apart from giving you that authentic b/w image quality and being one heck of a DSLR, isn't that what the Monochrome does to your photography? Not sure if every client will dig it, but I even love how your motocross images are looking that way.

[@LeeIveson]

Cheers mate, Yeah definitely! This camera makes you think more (in a good way!) And I must say that using the DA*16-50 f2.8 PLM lens also made me think more about my shots, I'm so use to shooting at 100-300mm range that the wide angle shots took some getting used to again, but man this combo is just so nice to shoot with!

[@kalinmir]

what improved my photographical skills...I don't really know but the most obvious to me was and improvement after using the DFA 150-450mm lens for a while...the weight of the camera just stopped mattering and I was now easily able to get a viewfinder on any subject with ease on any other lens...other than that just doing it...I've got better in editing, in listening to birds (mainly woodpeckers), in knowing where to find them etc.

[@LeeIveson]

That's a lens I still want to try at some point, looks like a beast! I can relate to what your say, although on a smaller & lighter scale with my 55-300PLM, I've taken so many shots with that lens now!

[@cdrkennon]

My biggest improvement came about when I retired from the tech world and decided to just have fun and enjoy the process. Just to fall in love with photography for photography’s sake.

[@LeeIveson]

That's a good one! I'd like to shoot for myself a bit more as I find that's when I get creative with my photography.

[@juliocp-lo2qg]

What has improved my photography? Using old manual prime lenses. I am not really skilled, I barely studied some photography, but, once I got a SMC Pentax-M 28mm F2.8..... things changed for good!

[@LeeIveson]

Good shout, I love using manual primes too, I have several 135mm primes.

[@GODSPEEDseven]

I think I very slowly get better. Judging situations and lighting conditions... also, the way I shoot. I used to think, ok WHAT do I shoot? If I lacked a very distinc or clear objective, I kind of didn't go out. Worst way of doing things! I followed another photographers advice; don't thing about WHAT you want to shoot. Think about HOW you want to shoot. I reflected on that for a while. Now, it's automatic; I'll wake up, and instead of thinking about a location, subject or theme, I think about the lens I FEEL like using. For some reason, that gets my creativity flowing way more. Prime lenses are what do it for me. Creativity, challenge, fun... for me, it's all in the primes.

[@LeeIveson]

That's good logic, there's so much I've learnt from other photographers. And that's another thing the use of prime lenses, I own a few manual primes but only the DA 50 for AF lenses if I recall.

[@christopherward5065]

Great images and video! This camera is on my wish list too!

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate 👍 Well your in for a treat if you do end up with the Monochrome. The image quality is on another level!

[@RayLombardi]

Hey Lee, this comment could go for a bit... 1- Your edit on this particular video is different and AMAZING. You certainly stepped it up a notch, and it shows mate. 2- To answer your question to us, your viewers: I'm a bit older, and having started photography in 1995 with film, I can appreciate what Pentax are doing here. THE best advice/suggestion/recommendation...you name it how you want, I ever got(and thankfully, it was fairly early in my photographic journey), was the concept of VISUALISATION as imparted by Ansel Adams in his trilogy of books 'The Camera, The Negative and The Print'. Any aspiring photographer should read them, learn them, apply then and REPEAT! 3- I just purchased this same combo! The Pentax K3 Mark 3 Monochrome with the 16-50 DA* F2.8 4- This REALLY is, for those like me that have a frame of reference, for we have used, developed and printed our own B&W film, a digital equivalent to analogue film. It is unmatched by a traditional colour sensor, no matter how good one is on Photoshop. It simply can not be replicated. It can be closely emulated, true, but it can not be replicated exactly. Up until now only Leica and Phase One had a Monochrome sensor(maybe Sigma as well?) but those are truly the gear for the privileged. Pentax has brought the purity of B&W film, in a digital format, to, I dare to say, The Masses. Thanks for your videos mate. Look forward to your review of the lens. Cheers, Ray.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks Ray I appreciate your comment mate. I agree, I think Pentax have definitely brought Monochrome to the masses or at the very least a price point that we don't have to remortgage at! I'll admit I'd never even thought about using or shooting a Monochrome only camera, but the K3iii has opened my eyes to new realms of image quality, tonality & low light performance. I'm looking forward to reviewing the 16-50 PLM.

[@KobieMC]

Beautifully crafted video man! And the tonality of the images, just amazing!

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate, I'm starting to love this camera I'm not going to lie 👌

[@ericmckillen2106]

Nice video Lee - cracking camera (loved the shot with the dead tree in the foreground).

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks Eric much appreciated 👍 That tree is just over the road from where I live, the Monochrome definitely suits that scene over colour for sure.

[@martinhommel9967]

Great images. Thanks for sharing. Definitely a good option if you're into b&w photography.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate 👍I agree this is defiantly the cera if your into black & white photography.

[@jimzielinski946]

I learned composition in the film days mostly with b&w film. I really missed those days which is why I bought the Pentax monochrome camera. (There's no way I could have afforded the Leica monochrome along with all new lenses!) I'm still going to use my color Pentax digital cameras, but I think I rediscovered what I liked about film era b&w photography.

[@LeeIveson]

I can see that, that the K3iii Monochrome being striped back but having immense tonal range is reminiscent of the film era to a degree.

[@XATNEP1]

Interesting observation about how this is the camera you would reach for when wanting to do some photography for yourself. As an amateur, with the freedom to follow whatever subject/themes takes my fancy, that is one of the reasons I really enjoyed monochrome images again after purchasing this camera. As others have experienced, I learned my photography back in the 70's in my own darkroom processing mono images and seeing the world in black, grey and white. This camera lets me awaken those skills I learnt and makes me feel good whenever I go out with it. Your images of the motocross really show a subject where the focus goes from colour and movement to showing the grit and texture to enable the viewer to concentrate more on the riders. In my own photography, I have found improvement recently by setting myself the challenge to take a picture every day, sure, some days it can feel like a drag trying to just get an image rather than heading off on holidays to a new place where photos are easy to find. But by having a camera with me, there are so many shots that I would never have taken without having the camera with me. Five years of daily shooting and I would recommend this to anyone wanting to use the equipment they paid for and improve and enjoy their hobby.

[@LeeIveson]

I think I'm just drawn to the simplicity (and the images this camera produces) it's really refreshing after a long year of shooting bikes! Wow shooting everyday for 5 years now that is a game changer! There's been many times I wish I'd have had my camera with me, maybe I need to try that out for a while.

[@GeoffMoorePhotography]

Bang on Video mate! Just brilliant.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks Geoff, this Monochrome camera really put a spanner in the works haha

[@GeoffMoorePhotography]

its a quality bit of kit. @@LeeIveson Delivering the good for you in your images thats for sure.

[@ahilgaz]

Great images, great video, great camera

[@LeeIveson]

Cheers mate, I need to be carful because I'm falling in love with this camera now!

[@acmdv]

By not having a colour filter array on the sensor you should notice an uptake in sharpness, dynamic range & low light performance as the colour array which is put over all colour sensors degrades the light captured by the sensor.

[@LeeIveson]

Definitely, I noticed all of these. I actually did a side by side test with the K3iii.

[@scrptwic]

Lee It has to be the K3markiii and the 55- 300 PLM lens

[@LeeIveson]

Well I'm not going to argue with you on that, I'd have to say for sure the 55-300PLM blew me away when I first picked that lens up. The same can be said for the K3iii especially after updating the firmware the AF capabilities are now brilliant!

[@rickweaver2111]

What’s improved my photography the most? Patience. Beautiful video and best enjoyed by listening to the soundtrack with headphones. 👍

[@LeeIveson]

Patience, that's a good one and one that I could probably do with having more of haha. Thanks for your comment on the audio, I've been having nightmares with my audio levels for a while but I think I've found a half decent setting now. Cheers 🍻

[@daellis130]

Great shots.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate 👍

[@stylofon]

Selling all zooms and moving to primes only improved my skills a lot. I started thinking about composition (and even lights) more precisely. Now I have 31/1.8 Ltd, 50/1.4, 77/1.8 Ltd and IRIX 11mm and I think that's quite nice and a very versatile set (maybe 200/2.8 would be useful too).

[@LeeIveson]

Nice, I'd like to try more primes. I can vouch for the DA*200 f2.8, absolutely fantastic lens.

[@richardhale9664]

The thing that has done most to improve my photography has been to ditch zooms (yes, I know for certain applications they really are necessary) and stick to carrying just one prime lens. It does not matter what focal length or field of view. With just one lens you are forced to maximise your compositions and look for fresh angles of view. I sure as hell want a K3 iii Monochrome as I do a lot of B&W photography. The improvement in tonality is the major reason for me. Also the low light performance is staggering compared to a colour sensor, though that is less of an issue for me.

[@LeeIveson]

Good call on the using primes, I have several manual 135mm prime lenses which I really enjoy using, and like you say it does force you to look at compositions differently. If your into black & white photography then I'd say go for it with the K3iii Monochrome it's fantastic 👌

[@walterhall9682]

You people in England have some of the best places to photograph. Then we do here in Southern California the oceans about the best and otherwise there’s nothing else the mountains too many people, but I sure do like your photographs I miss England

[@LeeIveson]

Yes there are some lovley places here for photos. The weather is not the best though 🤣

[@jbp6759]

I think having kids may be what improved my photography the most. Before then the stakes were so low. Didn't get the shot? Oh well, it's just a bird, or whatever. But I wanted to get better to take photos of them. I was using the original K-3 until 11 months ago when I got the K-3iii, and I think that forced me to get better vs if I had a modern mirrorless that requires less conscious effort from the photographer to get the shot.

[@LeeIveson]

That's a very good reason to improve 👍

[@paulkilleen3526]

the thing that most improved my photography was buying a decent camera that forced me to use manual modes mainly tav and plenty of practice

[@LeeIveson]

TAV mode is where its at!

[@barryhiggott9458]

Without a doubt the 55-300 PLM lens was the quantum leap forward that improved my photography. Now as I see more and more reports on this camera I am totally impressed with the tonal quality it produces and using the 16-50 PLM with it has to be a game changer. All that said I’m still not sure I would use it enough to justify the cost, maybe when they drop in price or a decent used one comes along I’ll take the plunge.

[@LeeIveson]

I'd have to agree the 55-300PLM was the lens that helped improve my photography the most. I'll also say that I don't want to give the K3iii or the Monochrome back now that I've used them haha

[@xmeda]

Sigma 17-50/2.8 will do the job for fraction of price ;)

[@PUTDEVICE]

if you have an IR filter, test it. can be nice pictures in black and white

[@LeeIveson]

Ah I don't, I'll have to look those up see if I can get hold of one.

[@PUTDEVICE]

@@LeeIveson read a bit about it before you buy. it's not point and shoot. tested a few years ago with an older pentax, tripod, set the focus, put the filter on then take a picture for several seconds. Forgot about the IR photography thing for a few years, but maybe I'll give it a try on a sunny day.