Sony A6300 with monochrome sensor with legacy m42 lens: I have had my A6300 back from monochromeimaging.com for barely over a week and have been doing nothing but testing it out with...

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

I have had my A6300 back from monochromeimaging.com for barely over a week and have been doing nothing but testing it out with various lenses, and filters and scenes. It is like a trip back in time and using B&W film again. My Tri-X days are back!

This image was taken with a lens that goes back to the Tri-X days. It is the Vivitar 55mm f2.8 macro lens (made by Komane) in m42 mount. Here is a more recent review of that lens: https://www.ephotozine.com/article/vivitar-auto-macro-55mm-f-2-8-vintage-lens-review-32163

I used a green filter since this color filter is recommended for vegetation.

Zoom in all the way to see how this worked out. The monochome sensor is really good with fine detail.

(Download)

NMGal Loc: NE NM

It works wonderfully well.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Great detail!!!
Thanks

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

JimH123 wrote:

I have had my A6300 back from monochromeimaging.co... (show quote)

n DL Zoom looks outstanding.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Thanks everyone. I am finding the detail in the mono sensor to be much better than a corresponding RGB sensor. I intend to do some comparisons some time soon with my Sony A6500, but since I have only had the A6300 back after its conversion short time, its the only thing I have been playing with.

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

Do the images taken with your converted body require special editing software or can they be processed in LR and PS?

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Goober wrote:

Do the images taken with your converted body require special editing software or can they be processed in LR and PS?

I have to process the RAW file first with an application called monochome2DNG which produces a DNG file without any demosaicing (or debayering if you prefer to call it).

Once converted, you can process with standard editing tools such as LR and Photoshop. The DNG files are mono files and Topaz products won't load them. But if you convert to RGB Color in Photoshop, then Topaz products will work. LR calls Topaz with a 16-bit TIFF file that is already for Topaz to use.

It is also possible to convert the mono RAW to TIFF in RawTherapee.

If LR or Photoshop is used without converting the original RAW file, it will still load, but since LR or Photoshop do not know that it is a mono file, there will be demosaicing (debayering) done and the extra detail will be lost.

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

JimH123 wrote:

I have to process the RAW file first with an appli... (show quote)

Thank you Jim. I’m considering the conversion on an a7rii.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Goober wrote:

Thank you Jim. I’m considering the conversion on an a7rii.

I used monochromeimaging.com

Daniel does a really good job

The A7rii would be an excellent choice and would offer incredible detail.

User ID

JimH123 wrote:

I used monochromeimaging.com

Daniel does a really good job

The A7rii would be an excellent choice and would offer incredible detail.

Since work is happening to the sensor pack I’d like to know if the IBIS is maintained ... cuz at least one of the IR conversion shops warns that the IBIS will NOT be maintained.

Seems to me that IF (!) mono conversion also loses the IBIS, then converting an a7R2 is kinda wasteful when the nonIBIS original 7R now sells so cheap.

OTOH if the IBIS fully survives the mono conversion then an a7R2 would be quite the 800lb gorilla !

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

User ID wrote:

Since work is happening to the sensor pack I’d like to know if the IBIS is maintained ... cuz at least one of the IR conversion shops warns that the IBIS will NOT be maintained.

Seems to me that IF (!) mono conversion also loses the IBIS, then converting an a7R2 is kinda wasteful when the nonIBIS original 7R now sells so cheap.

OTOH if the IBIS fully survives the mono conversion then an a7R2 would be quite the 800lb gorilla !

Thanks for tickling my gray matter on your comment about the IBIS. I have sent an email to Daniel with a couple questions but didn’t think about the IBIS. I currently have the a7ii, a7Rii and a7Riii and may consider the a7ii for the conversion instead of the a7Rii. Not sure if I want to dedicate the Rii to strictly b&w.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Goober wrote:

Thanks for tickling my gray matter on your comment about the IBIS. I have sent an email to Daniel with a couple questions but didn’t think about the IBIS. I currently have the a7ii, a7Rii and a7Riii and may consider the a7ii for the conversion instead of the a7Rii. Not sure if I want to dedicate the Rii to strictly b&w.

I sent an email to Daniel and he replied. He tells me that he has converted over 75 Sony cameras with IBIS and in all cases, IBIS remained functional. He says that this is not a problem.

User ID

JimH123 wrote:

I sent an email to Daniel and he replied. He tells me that he has converted over 75 Sony cameras with IBIS and in all cases, IBIS remained functional. He says that this is not a problem.

Verrrrrrrry cool. Think of the zillions of basic a7IIs becoming backups to backups.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

User ID wrote:

Verrrrrrrry cool. Think of the zillions of basic a7IIs becoming backups to backups. Two of those are mine ... but wondering what happens with a lo rez

What do you mean by "what happens with a lo rez"? Understand that the mono sensor going to act like a sensor with 4x resolution considering that the detail degrading demosaicing process is removed.