B&W best in camera or post-processed?

[embdude]

I see the newer DSLR's are now comming with a Black&White shooting mode. Is this a better option than doing B&W in post processing from an originally colored file?

Basically is the in camera B&W just a gimic or does it offer some real advantages?

[Carzee]

[ Will bookmark this thread. I've wondered same question. ]

[tim]

Do it in photoshop, you have more flexability and control. Once the camera's done it, you can't get the color back. My favorite methods are calcuations on the red and green channel, using different blending modes, and the channel mixer. Scott Kelby's Photoshop for Photographers book has 4-5 B&W conversion methods in it, and that's not all of them.

[RAW]

I second what Tim just said, it is allways better to shot in color and covert in photoshop. For one thing If you wished to convert your B&W in color you couldn't do that, and second, you get more tonal values in color, more room to play with, more contrast and more detail in the shadows and everything...


My regards,
Artan

[lancea]

In-camera B&W mode can be very useful if you are saving to JPEG and are not doing any post-processing, e.g. you're taking the card into a shop to get prints. It's pointless if you're saving to RAW or can do conversions later.

[chris clements]

Gimmic.

First rule is always to capture as much data as possible:- largest image size at least compression (pref. raw). With memory prices still falling, there's no reason to do otherwise.

You can always choose to lose unwanted information after the event (in your computer), but you can never add it after the shutter has been pressed.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I too am of the school of "shoot in color and convert in PS"


In the Post Processing Forum the Tutorials thread does list several methods for B&W conversion.. there are literally unlimited variations on over half dozen basic ways of doing this in PS... all with slightly different results.

You can make it as easy or complex as you like.. from one click .. to blended layers and sepia tones etc.