Re: How do YOU see?
Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:21 am
Agreed, color became "cheaper" in the mid/late 80s
I bet there is a small niche for cameras without the bayer array, of people that want to experience the BW film era without having to smell the darkroom (my favorite part). Leica has been doing for a while (very $$$$$)
A while ago I saw some people de-bayering sensors to get near-IR sensitivity and then they began modifying the Ricoh GR cameras to get monochrome images. They claimed that because the processor didnt need to interpolate colors in the bayer array the resolution was better (crisper/sharper) https://85mm-photography.com/static-pag ... sion).html
I guess that created enough buzz that Ricoh/Pentax modified their existing platform (K3-iii) to follow suit.
In this times, the internet forums and "influencers" have weight that was unthinkable in the time of magazines
I bet there is a small niche for cameras without the bayer array, of people that want to experience the BW film era without having to smell the darkroom (my favorite part). Leica has been doing for a while (very $$$$$)
A while ago I saw some people de-bayering sensors to get near-IR sensitivity and then they began modifying the Ricoh GR cameras to get monochrome images. They claimed that because the processor didnt need to interpolate colors in the bayer array the resolution was better (crisper/sharper) https://85mm-photography.com/static-pag ... sion).html
I guess that created enough buzz that Ricoh/Pentax modified their existing platform (K3-iii) to follow suit.
In this times, the internet forums and "influencers" have weight that was unthinkable in the time of magazines
Julio1fer wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:50 amA good discussion.
When I was young, shooting in color was a rare luxury, and then only done with slide film on special occasions, such as a trip. I got to see everything in terms of the B&W tones. When I could afford color, it was an additional angle and often a headache. Much later on, with C-41 in the mainstream, the situation reversed. Eventually I got to shooting only slides!
So, it may be more a question of what is available and what is your personal preference. Nowadays, for me is B&W on film and color in digital.
It is so easy to desaturate a digital color image, enhance a color channel if needed, etc. I do not understand the Leica or Pentax move, but then I may be too old to understand the current market. Maybe B&W has a special artistic halo, maybe these cameras could allow better definition or they would be simpler and more ergonomic.
Although the world is in color, IMHO some subjects often come out better in B&W, for instance portraits.