Black & White from Digital

[DavidBotsford]

I am really interested in producing some quality B&W prints from my Canon5D.
 I will be printing in Black only mode using an Epson R220, equipped with Eboni Ink from MIS.

One question I have is whether it is better to use the monochrome option in the 5D or should I convert at the processing stage?

Has anyone been down this path and could provide some advice based on experience

david

[John.Murray]

If you are shooting RAW, then the monochrome option is just setting a metadata tag in the file, like color temperature.  all information captured is still there.

hope this helps - John

[DavidBotsford]

If you are shooting RAW, then the monochrome option is just setting a metadata tag in the file, like color temperature.  all information captured is still there.

hope this helps - John
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John

A very good point - many thanks

David

[picnic]

John

A very good point - many thanks

David
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John, the easy answer is to set it to mono but just RAW---not RAW plus jpeg.  This way you will view and be able to visualize the image but not save the jpegs.  Then--in RAW you will convert and then process in PS or other app to b/w.  If you are using the PSCS3 beta, the b/w conversions are so much better with the new b/w filter or convert in RAW in ACR (you can do the same in the LR beta too).

I have always spent a great deal of time on my monos--and still do, but its become easier with PSCS3.

BTW--if you have not done conversions before, there are actions available (or you can create your own), software, you can plunge ahead and use the  adjustment layer of channel mixer and start there.  A free filter that you might like is Virtual PHotographer from OptikVerve Labs--a freeware.
[a href=\"http://www.optikvervelabs.com/]http://www.optikvervelabs.com/[/url]

Diane

[jjlphoto]

Shoot color, and do the conversion in CS using this freeware:
http://www.digidaan.nl/indexframedigidaan....ixer/index.html

Similar to The Imaging Factory's "Convert To BW Pro", as it uses the color info to give you the same look of as a BW "red" filter, a BW "green" filter, etc. You can thus get a very customizeable BW conversion depending on your subject matter.

For those not familiar with how BW filters work, they lighten their own color and darken the opposite. A red filter used for a landscape shot will lighten red things, and darken the opposite, like the cyan sky. For portraits, a yellow or orange filter will minimize freckles, or other skin pigment features, conversely, using a blue filter will make every itty-bitty freckle and mole scream right out.

Using a CS action like the above gives you the ultimate in an infinite amount of control on how that B&W tonality will look based on the color oroginal.

[Jonathan Wienke]

I shoot RAW, then convert to B&W in PS with theimagingfactory.com's Convert To B&W Pro. You get the adjustable color filter option, as well as a color "graphic EQ" to simulate film response curves, a multigrade contrast adjustment, and a toning tool. It's very powerful and simple to use, and there is a free 30-day trial.

[John Sheehy]

For those not familiar with how BW filters work, they lighten their own color and darken the opposite. A red filter used for a landscape shot will lighten red things, and darken the opposite, like the cyan sky. For portraits, a yellow or orange filter will minimize freckles, or other skin pigment features, conversely, using a blue filter will make every itty-bitty freckle and mole scream right out.
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Skin blemishes (including wrinkles) are almost completely invisible in IR photos.  I noticed this when using the "nightshot" mode of my Sony F707.

[plugsnpixels]

I give an overview of the various third-party options for doing monochrome conversion in issue 6 of my free ezine.

Mike

[jjlphoto]

Skin blemishes (including wrinkles) are almost completely invisible in IR photos.  I noticed this when using the "nightshot" mode of my Sony F707.
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That is because IR is in the extreme red end of the spectrum. But lips have a tendancy to go too light as well.