Price of Monchrome Camera

[Brian K. Chamberlain]

While searching for a dedicated Monochrome camera I can only find one. Leica...7000 bucks plus, and that is without a lens.. WTF???? What other more affordable options are there?

 

[snowbear]

$35 rangefinder and a roll of Tri-X.

 

[photoguy99]

Other than film, not really. I thought there was one more but I can't find it, so I am probably misremembering.

One of the shops that does IR conversions might be doing monochrome conversions, or could be asked to, perhaps.

 

[Solarflare]

Phase One also offers monochrome sensors.... they are only even much, much more expensive, though.

Theres a rumor SOny is planning a monochrome variant of their FE full frame cameras, but so far nothing has surfaced.

 

[SCraig]

Any digital camera that can convert to monochrome in-camera (which is virtually all of them)? Any digital camera at all and convert to monochrome in post-processing?

 

[photoguy99]

There are advantages to a monochrome only camera.

 

[qleak]

There are advantages to a monochrome only camera.

I think it's a stretch to say there are advantages. I'd say there's really just one:

Advantages:

• No bayer array. So you're not interpolating values for colors.

Disadvantages:

• You have to do color filters optically (not in post).
• Cost: Leica is the current cheap-of-the-art.

Maybe I'm missing something here. What do you think?

 

[Gary A.]

There are advantages to a monochrome only camera.

On paper certainly ... but are those differences truly significant, (as in .... the difference in IQ is readily and easier viewed and distinguished)? Get a Fuji X100T or a X-Pro1 (or wait for the X-Pro2) ... switch it to Mono than nail the switch. Guessing here, but I seriously doubt you'll see a seven thousand dollar difference in your photography. You'll get a rangefinder look, both EVF and OVF, faster AF and you can still use Leica glass if you think Leica glass is important. The remaining savings I'll split with you as my consulting fee.

 

[Solarflare]

Main advantage is actually TWICE as much light on the sensor (possibly even more), because no light loss from the Bayer color filter array.

PLUS no chromatic noise.

Also NO information loss. The image can be extremely sharp, because you dont have to guess colors.

In other words, far superior low light performance, and higher resolution, no "blurr" in the 100% view from having to guess colors.

Oh, and besides, there was some company that converted standard cameras into monochrome, by removing the color layer. Naturally thats a risky operation and the price is thus quite high. The standard software for a Nikon D810 can be quite confused by the fact there are no colors anymore, haha. I forgot that companys name, though.

 

[Gary A.]

Main advantage is actually TWICE as much light on the sensor (possibly even more), because no light loss from the Bayer color filter array.

PLUS no chromatic noise.

Also NO information loss. The image can be extremely sharp, because you dont have to guess colors.

In other words, far superior low light performance, and higher resolution, no "blurr" in the 100% view from having to guess colors.

Oh, and besides, there was some company that converted standard cameras into monochrome, by removing the color layer. Naturally thats a risky operation and the price is thus quite high. The standard software for a Nikon D810 can be quite confused by the fact there are no colors anymore, haha. I forgot that companys name, though.

True, the lack of a color array is significant ... but what I've seen on the net, (granted it's 72dpi), to my eye doesn't say "WOW, this can only be attained with a Leica Mono!!!!" Would you say the IQ is consistently and significantly better than a plain ol' vanilla D810 or 1DMKX image shot RAW and converted to B&W? Would you say that camera performance is consistently and significantly improved by the lack of color array over a D810 or 1DMKX? (I know that significant is subjective.)

 

[480sparky]

Scratching the Color Filter Array Layer Off a DSLR Sensor for Sharper B&W Photos

HyperCams Ordering and Prices 03-15-2014

 

[photoguy99]

Bayer interpolation costs you half your pixels, as a rule of thumb. And, as noted, quite a lot of light as well.

So, yeah, advantages.

 

[qleak]

Main advantage is actually TWICE as much light on the sensor (possibly even more), because no light loss from the Bayer color filter array.

That's a really good point, but the 1-1.5EV loss is still lower than the 2-4EV loss for using a color filter.

PLUS no chromatic noise.

Is this really a thing? Sorry I don't do too much monochromatic photography, but I've never heard anyone complaining about chromatic noise in a converted B&W image.

Also NO information loss. The image can be extremely sharp, because you dont have to guess colors.

I wouldn't say no information loss, you're losing the color.

You mean increased sharpness? I'm not fully convinced on this. If someone wants to send me both a color and monochrom leica along with a couple of noctolux .95 lenses I'd be happy to benchmark

Bayer interpolation costs you half your pixels, as a rule of thumb. And, as noted, quite a lot of light as well.

So, yeah, advantages.

That rule of thumb is misleading in the same way windchill is. You still have the same number of pixels when you use a bayer array it's just each one only gets hit with one color right?

The green channel is half of a typical bayer array. Are you suggesting we only take the green channel to go monochrome? That half number is an obvious lower bound to the minimum resolution you can get by interpolation not the maximum.

 

[Gary A.]

According to 480Sparky's link, you gain light by removing the color array but then you lose light because when you toss away the color array you also toss away the microlenses ... so it's a quid pro quo. But that applies to DIY color array removals ... I dunno if Leica's monochrome comes with microlenses.

 

[Gary A.]

I vote that Chamberlain tries a DIY with a color array removal on one of his cameras.