Black and white photography is one of the most sought-after styles of shooting in a color world. For some, the choice of black and white photography is about the emotions, while for others, it is a matter of bringing out the details. Some rely on it purely for personal satisfaction. If you are someone who likes black and white photography or are looking to pursue the style with more detail, then here are a few cameras that can help you in your journey.
Ricoh GR III
The Ricoh GR III is a camera designed for street photographers. It offers a 24.23MP APS-C sensor, a 28mm 35mm equivalent lens, as well as shake reduction and dust removal technologies. The camera offers exceptional colors and JPEG quality, but there are many photographers who use the device for rich black and white photography. As we said in our review, “Ricoh’s high contrast black and white rendering has always tugged at my heart in addition to their positive film rendition.” The reason is that the grains help to bring out the images.
Olympus Pen F
A Micro Four Thirds camera, the Olympus Pen F features a 20.3MP sensor, 2.35MP dot OLED EVF, and 10 fps of shooting speed. What makes the camera unique is its ability is its Monochrome profile control. “The color JPEG output is very good, but it can’t hold a candle to the black and white output,” as we said in our review. “Having a film look like Ilford Delta 400 is pretty much my dream. Then you can add the according amounts of grain. These are the most film-like JPEGs I believe I’ve ever seen.” This is why the Pen F is perfect for black and white photography.
Fujifilm X Pro 3
The X Pro 4 is the highly anticipated camera, thanks to the massive success of the X Pro 3. The camera features a 26.1MP APS-C sensor, Classic Negative Film simulation mode, ISO up to 12,800, and can record 4K videos. The X Pro 3 offers exceptional image quality, multiple exposure modes, and a fast autofocus. As we said, “With Fujifilm’s organic-looking film simulations, you’re not going to complain about the film grain. When it comes to looking at the images digitally, you’ve got no serious reason to buy any sort of presets that are film rendering.” With Fujifilm, you never have to worry about how your images will turn out, because they will be the best.
Leica Q3 Monochrom
The Leica M11 is a great camera, but the M11 Monochrom is a full-frame camera dedicated to black and white photography. It features a 60MP monochrome sensor, 256GB internal memory, and it has an ISO up to 200,000. The camera has some flaws with rolling shutter and slow ISO, but they all add up to the experience and the result you get. “The Leica M11 Monochrom is for a photographer that shoots mostly in black and white and that wants the freedom that that style of photography gives you,” we wrote in our review. “And most of all, it will make you think and shoot in a completely different way.”
Panasonic S5
The Panasonic S5 is a full-frame camera that offers a 24.2MP CMOS sensor, 96MP High Resolution mode, and fast autofocus with eye, face, head, and body detection. The camera offers beautiful image quality, good build and ergonomics, and an amazing monochrome profile. “We shouldn’t forget about their L Monochrome modes,” we said in our review. “By far, L Monochrome D is my favorite option. If you’re a passionate photographer that adores black and white, you’ll like this.” If you like cinematic images, then you must go for this.
We do hope that these devices bring you joy, the way they did to us during our review. The key here is to practice until you begin to perfect black and white imagery.
