Monochrome: Hi, What does monochrome do on digital cameras? Thanks. Roger...

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Hi,

What does monochrome do on digital cameras?

Thanks. Roger

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

it turns the photo taken from color to black and white. Its better to take the shot in color in the camera and then if you want black and white convert it with software. Sometimes a photo you think is going to look good in b+w actually looks better in color.

gwilliams6

sinatraman wrote:

it turns the photo taken from color to black and white. Its better to take the shot in color in the camera and then if you want black and white convert it with software. Sometimes a photo you think is going to look good in b+w actually looks better in color.

I agree here.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Sucker! You agree with a 12 YEAR OLD DISCUSSION.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

gwilliams6 wrote:

I agree here.

Hmmm. How did you happen run into this 12-year-old thread. I've noticed three or four situations like this in the last couple of weeks where very old threads were responded to by different people. I wonder if these old threads are showing up as new again for some reason.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Orphoto wrote:

Sucker! You agree with a 12 YEAR OLD DISCUSSION.

Perhaps you could have been a bit nicer. He is one of the very best professional photographers on this site and deserves some respect. In fact, even if he wasn't a terrific photographer, he would still deserve some respect.

gwilliams6

mwsilvers wrote:

Hmmm. How did you happen run into this 12-year-old thread. I've noticed three or four situations like this in the last couple of weeks where very old threads were responded to by different people. I wonder if these old threads are showing up as new again for some reason.

I see them after they are somehow reposted. Dont know why, but still fun to revisit sometimes just to see how far we have come.

Interestingly, Chris and Jordan of DPReview fame dropped their first video for PetaPixel three days ago, and guess what, it is about the Leica Monochrome camera M11. Shot in Montana.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ38wEt9ONg&t=49s

Cheers and best to you.

gwilliams6

mwsilvers wrote:

Perhaps you could have been a bit nicer. He is one of the very best professional photographers on this site and deserves some respect. In fact, even if he wasn't a terrific photographer, he would still deserve some respect.

Thanks,

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

But in case anyone missed the answer:

Using the Monochrome setting only affects the jpg output. The raw file is still in color because you can't take away the Bayer filter. So the only thing the camera can do is to convert the color image to monochrome in the process of producing the jpg from the raw data. If you output raw + jpg from your camera, one will be monochrome and the other will be full color. It is left as an exercise for the reader to determine which is which.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

gwilliams6 wrote:

I see them after they are somehow reposted. Dont know why, but still fun to revisit sometimes just to see how far we have come.

Interestingly, Chris and Jordan of DPReview fame dropped their first video for PetaPixel three days ago, and guess what, it is about the Leica Monochrome camera M11. Shot in Montana.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ38wEt9ONg&t=49s

Cheers and best to you.

I actually saw that video and several others on the M11 Monochrom just after it was released. I would love to have one, but at $9200 USD for the body and another $5,000 to $9,000 for a Leica 35mm or 50mm MF prime, it's a bit out of my price range. But, I can dream.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

DirtFarmer wrote:

But in case anyone missed the answer:

Using the Monochrome setting only affects the jpg output. The raw file is still in color because you can't take away the Bayer filter. So the only thing the camera can do is to convert the color image to monochrome in the process of producing the jpg from the raw data. If you output raw + jpg from your camera, one will be monochrome and the other will be full color. It is left as an exercise for the reader to determine which is which.

The Leica M10 Monochrom and brand new M11 Monochrom rangefinders have sensors with no Bayer filter. Neither does the new Pentax K3 III Monochrome DSLR. As a result even the raw files from these cameras are in B&W. That allows the B&W images to be sharper with a wider dynamic range and much less noise even at very high ISOs. The M11 monochrome images from its 60mp sensor appear to be quite spectacular.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

Now and then we all step in it. A really common issue is only reading the first or second post in a thread before heaving our opinion onto the pile.

I was looking for a short post that might catch a reader's eye before they waded into an old thread. This was sort of tongue in cheek to someone who ought to know better.

gw6 throws his opinions around a lot and is not shy regarding credentials. If he wishes the utmost respect he needs to be a bit more observant. I reject the concept that professionals or academics will necessarily produce the best work available. Often, yes. Always, no.

For myself I decided not to go professional 30 years ago and keep photography in the realm of my heart, not my wallet. (Oops, it drains rather than replenishes one versus the opposite with the other).

BebuLamar

I don't think anyone would dig out old thread and revive it. I think somehow the UHH just from time to time shows old thread on top.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

mwsilvers wrote:

The Leica M10 Monochrom and brand new M11 Monochrom rangefinders have sensors with no Bayer filter. Neither does the new Pentax K3 III Monochrome DSLR. As a result even the raw files from these cameras are in B&W. That allows the B&W images to be sharper with a wider dynamic range and much less noise even at very high ISOs. The M11 monochrome images from its 60mp sensor appear to be quite spectacular.

So there are exceptions to my broad statement. I don't have market data but I would be surprised if those cameras accounted for 1% of the number of cameras out there that fit my statement.

A monochrome camera is a specialty camera. It has its uses, but the general use cameras are in color.

Bill_de Loc: US

Orphoto wrote:

Sucker! You agree with a 12 YEAR OLD DISCUSSION.

The thread comes up in the list when you use the UHH search feature and use the key word "Monochrome". Most of the information is probably as good today as it was then.

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