Why I Might Never Shoot Film Again

Real world monochrome sensor test

Had a couple of hours free today, so I grabbed the new monochrome sensor build and went out for a quick street portrait session. There were three big things I wanted to check out: battery life, dynamic range, and image quality.

For some context—I’ve shot and developed hundreds of black and white rolls over the years. This is the first camera I’ve touched that actually gives me that same monochrome film vibe. Honestly, I’m hyped about how close this feels, and even more shocked that I didn’t have to drop thousands on a store-bought monochrome body.

Alright, enough talk—let’s get into the tests.

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High Contrast Scenes

Today was a solid test: overcast skies and a model dressed all in black. The sensor handled it in a way I didn’t expect—highlights blew out just enough, the same way Delta 400 reacts in tough contrasty light.

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Detail Shots

Here are frames showing the kind of detail this sensor can pull:

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The Build

• IMX585 Monochrome Sensor

• 8MP

• Raspberry Pi 5

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Overall, I’m really happy with how this thing performed. I’m going to keep refining it, but I can already see the potential here. Might even turn into something I start selling down the line. If that’s something you’d be into, drop a comment in the chat and let me know.

Appreciate you all for following along—hope your week’s off to a good start. I’ll keep posting updates as I push this thing further.

Cheers,

Malcolm