Review: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome

Today’s modern cameras are packed with all the technology you can think of. From advanced subject recognition, to stabilisation and advanced picture styles, the sheer volume of features and functions on offer can be quite bewildering….and maybe that’s a problem.

Do modern cameras actually get in the way of taking a photo - the old-school way of envisioning a scene and capturing it in its pure essence?

Well, if so then maybe one solution comes in the form of the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome. As its name suggests, this is a DSLR that can ONLY shoot black and white. No shooting colour and converting the image later - you’re in the mono game from the off, and there’s no going back when you purchase this camera.

It’s an interesting proposition and Pentax are in good company with this idea, as Leica also offers a mono option in its Q2 Monochrome - however, while the Leica comes with a price-tag of around $9,500, the Pentax comes in at a much more reasonable $3,499.

The sensor

At the heart of this DSLR is a monochrome-specific APS-C CMOS image sensor that delivers 26-megapixels (25.7MP) of resolution, but this is far from the full story when it comes to the quality offered by this special Pentax.

In essence, without the hassle of colour pixels, the mono sensor can offer an enhancement in detail and quality to better capture the form and texture of an image.

The build

The premium image quality sets a theme for this camera, as it actually does feel like a premium product well above its price tag. Pentax has thought long and hard about incorporating the black and white feel throughout the design.

For example, the LCD on the top plate features white backlight illumination against the black exposure information and this is different to the usual Pentax green illumination.

What's more, little design touches like the Monochrome detail on the body, and the blacked out Pentax badge help give this camera an elevated vibe - it feels well built in the hands and, as Pentax has become famous for, the weather sealing is first-rate.

Users should have no fears in taking photos in harsh conditions, and it does have an excellent grip that will be appreciated if photographing in wet weather.

In addition, the camera definitely still has that Pentax ‘feel’ to it. It's heavier than most APS-C cameras at 820g (including battery and SD card), but packed with buttons and dials so that adjustments can be made quickly on the fly, the body is highly customisable.

That said, I can imagine a few photographers being a little put off by the weight and bulk of the camera.

Let’s face it, we live in a world where cameras are so small and lightweight these days, yet the K-3 III Monochrome tips the scales at 820g, and a fast Pentax lens like the 24-70mm f/2.8 will add even more bulk to your set up - the Pentax 70-200mm weighs a massive 1,755g alone!

Another negative on the camera's old-school vibe is Pentax's decision to just give the Monochrome a fixed LCD. While it is a generous 3.2-inches and touch-sensitive, enabling users to tap the screen to establish a focus point with the camera in Live View mode, it can’t be moved or tilted.

Sure, this is just like the regular K-3 III, but it's a shame because it makes awkward high/low compositions much trickier to achieve and in 2023, I struggle to understand why Pentax would omit such a feature.

I would have loved to have seen something like the moveable stilts design featured on the full-frame K-1 incorporated here. 

But then again, Pentax flirts with the odd; sticking with DSLRs over mirrorless technology and launching a mono-only camera are brave decisions that should be applauded.

Autofocus

The K-3 III Monochrome isn’t short on technology. To its credit, Pentax has a rich history in packing IBIS into its DSLR models and the K-3 III Monochrome is no different - offering a 5-axis system that works well in low light and delivers up to 5.5-stops of compensation.

Additionally, the burst rate speed of 12 frames per second is fairly respectable and with the camera packing a decent buffer, over 30 RAW frames can be captured - more than enough for an action sequence when you’re out and about shooting street photography.

Backing this up is a decent autofocus system that is light years more superior than those on previous Pentax models. Users have 101 AF points at their disposal - 25 of which are the more sensitive cross-type. 

Image quality 

The obvious question is this; why buy the K-3 III Monochrome when you could just shoot in colour and convert them to black and white?

For me, the answer is simple; it’s a thoroughly different experience.

Heading out with the camera, knowing you’re going to shoot only in mono changes the mindset; rather than focusing on colour, the photographer’s eye turns to form, texture and of course the exposure in the scene - shadows and highlights are more evident through that optical viewfinder, so it is very much one for the purists and will come as a refreshing and welcome change of pace to those who always regular DSLRs or mirrorless cameras.

But what is the K-3 III Monochrome like to use in the field and what about that image quality? 

Image quality is actually very impressive - the hype about the enhanced detail is justified, and images boast a superior level of clarity.

It’s well worth experimenting with the Custom Image settings as well. I found ‘Hard’ to be my favourite preset with a marked increase in contrast and heavier on the darker tones in the frame.

Digital noise is coped with incredibly well and the resolution balances well with the level of digital noise reduction, with any grain kept at bay.

The wrap-up

On paper, the K-3 III Monochrome just shouldn’t work - A DSLR in a mirrorless world and not only that, one restricted to mono when other cameras offer every colour function under the sun.

But here’s the strange thing; it actually does work. This camera can’t fail to change your pace and approach to image-taking and will make you think harder about composing a scene.

At the same time, I found the analogue approach relaxing and refreshing.

The premium-feel body and mono-only sensor does succeed at returning enhanced clarity and detail, leading to professional-level black and white images that have enough resolution to be made into huge prints.

Of course for those that only occasionally dabble with converting colour photos to mono, feel free to give this camera a hard pass.

However, if black and white photography is your thing, you appreciate the art of mono, and you can justify the price-tag, then the K-3 III Monochrome is a DSLR that means, for once, it’s better to trust your heart rather than your head when picking out a new piece of gear.