Black and white printing

Is it better to shoot in monochrome and do a little tweaking in software or shoot color and convert to mono and do a lot of tweaking? thanks, Eric

I always shoot in color and convert.

Never really had to do 'a lot of tweaking'. Not sure why you would.

Lot more work to convert then to shoot in b&w

I don't know what you're referring to when you say 'a lot more work'.

When I convert one to B&W my total editing time is usually no more than a few minutes. But if you feel its too much then do what works for you.

Leica M Monochrom but you still need to work on the files.

I agree with Bob, it is so simple to convert to mono using any software, particularly Lightroom. If you shoot in RAW, then the final image will still be colour when you transfer from the camera, it is only the thumbnail that is rendered black and white. Only if you shoot JPEG with a mono setting on the camera will you get a mono image when you transfer. The only reason, in my opinion, to use the mono preset is if you can't quite visualise how a scene will look when converted. I used to do this, and it helps until you get used to seeing in mono!

"final image will still be colour", did not know this. Thought it would be a b&w raw. Musta missed this part while reading the huge online manual. Thanks, all is clear now. Trying b&w is new to me, likely a new learning to print b&w also.

Leica M Monochrom is the only 135 format camera that is a true B&W camera.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #18356754
Leica M Monochrom is the only 135 format camera that is a true B&W camera.

And it's only 4grand...

filmuser wrote in post #18356753
"final image will still be colour", did not know this. Thought it would be a b&w raw. Musta missed this part while reading the huge online manual. Thanks, all is clear now. Trying b&w is new to me, likely a new learning to print b&w also.

Your RAW captures what it sees, so it sees and captures in colour. The advantage being you can do what you want with it afterwards. What processing software have you got?

Garry75 wrote in post #18356762
And it's only 4grand...

Actually mine was 7K new but that's in line with top o the line nicanons. almost 5 years old and still worth around 4K. Don't think many 1DsMkIIIs sell for that now even in like new condition.

And did I mention how amazing the B&W files are from the MM?

airfrogusmc wrote in post #18357050
Actually mine was 7K new but that's in line with top o the line nicanons. almost 5 years old and still worth around 4K. Don't think many 1DsMkIIIs sell for that now even in like new condition.

And did I mention how amazing the B&W files are from the MM?

Stop it, you are making me envious. Still as someone who regularly needs to crop from an APS-C sensor, when shooting with a 600mm lens, I don't think the MM is going to help me much. No I can't get any closer to the subject, not without committing one of the few acts of criminal trespass in the UK.

I still sometimes get that feeling that everything should have a yellow tint, I almost always used a yellow filter with monochrome film. Still at least as far as prints go, I have found a lab that does digital onto Ilford MG IV papers, nothing like a traditional silver halide print IMO.

Alan

filmuser wrote in post #18355976
Is it better to shoot in monochrome and do a little tweaking in software or shoot color and convert to mono and do a lot of tweaking? thanks, Eric

It depends on what you want.

The current generation of Fuji cameras have a Black and White film simulation mode called Acros which produces impressive results right out of the camera. It even has a film like grain option which is pretty good. Many people love it and it generally produces pretty good results.

If you want really great results, you will probably want to do some post processing. JPEGS are ok, but RAW files give you far more flexibility. Personally, I always shoot RAW and sometimes also have JPEGs for some limited uses.

What should you do? Whatever you like. If you are happy with your results, do that

I will say that at a certain stage I shot only JPEGs and, in the case of some images, I now regret that I don't have the RAW files. I have a lot more post processing skill now than I did then and would like to be able to get more out of some of those images today.

Onone software. have had CS and lightroom.