Raw vs jpg - B/W

So, I'm mostly into B/W photography, and before I always shot raw and edited the photos in Lightroom to B/W. But today I've read quite a bit about Fujis film simulation. (Only had my first Fuji for 2 days)

My question is, is the film simulation really that good, that I could switch from shooting raw and then edit to B/W, to shooting Jpeg only?

Hi Jimmy.
check out my recent post on the fuji XA-1 camera the B&W shots were all shot in jpeg using B&W R filter in camera they are more or less straight out of camera just some contrast added.

paulholmes said:

Hi Jimmy.
check out my recent post on the fuji XA-1 camera the B&W shots were all shot in jpeg using B&W R filter in camera they are more or less straight out of camera just some contrast added.

Click to expand...

Incredible, stunning photos Paul! If that is the quality of film simulation I will be going with it, for sure.

Do you recommend the B&W R over the B&W Y?

JimmyHBG said:

So, I'm mostly into B/W photography, and before I always shot raw and edited the photos in Lightroom to B/W. But today I've read quite a bit about Fujis film simulation. (Only had my first Fuji for 2 days)

My question is, is the film simulation really that good, that I could switch from shooting raw and then edit to B/W, to shooting Jpeg only?

--
To see more of my work, please visist 500px

Click to expand...

I usually have my X-E2 set to RAW+Fine and film simulation set to B&W or B&W+y. It gives me several advantages. First, the image in the EVF or LCD is B&W so you see what you're going to get. Half of my lenses are manual focus, and for me, it's easier to focus in B&W. Plus, with the RAW file, I can create another JPEG using any of the film simulations or adjusting most of the other settings I had when I took the shot


This is a Monochrome+Yellow OOC JPEG that I shot from the hip with my Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 and cropped in-camera before downloading it.

--
Bill S.
"If you’re a pixel peeper that lives and dies by looking at your images at 100%, you’re living in an archaic age that doesn’t really exist anymore." Chris Gampat

Lightroom offers a fairly good approximation of Fuji film simulations in the Calibration section at the bottom right. You can use one of the B&W ones as a starting point there, using RAW files.

I've always felt that if there is one genre of photography that should be shot raw, it's B&W. Color, after all, is either right or wrong - OK, I overstate, you can obviously change colors to achieve artistic intent - but B&W is ALWAYS an artistic interpretation of the scene.

I use Capture One, and it's B&W tool - which allows you to decide on the contribution of Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, and Magenta individually - is very powerful and allows dramatic shift to the scene, particularly when coupled with the curve tool.

Now, the Fuji B&W presets are very good, and I can totally respect somebody who prefers to rely on those and just focus on the composition. But I really like the creative control that raw processing gives me.

For example, I was just able to generate this, which is absolutely different than what the OOC JPEG would have been:



Another case in point. My father has spent a lifetime cultivating B&W sensibilities, starting with film, and he always shoots raw:

http://www.hudechrome.com/#!/portfolio/C0000C2wGefslNcA/G0000iCnGkXhw9EI

But then he shoots with a Nikon, which does not have Fuji's presets.

So, you need to decide where your creative passions lie - if you like working with an image in post, to make the tonality your own, then raw is the only way to go. If not, then relying on Fuji's presets would be a good choice.

--
http://georgehudetzphotography.smugmug.com/
My Flikr stream: http://flic.kr/ps/Ay8ka

Wow! I was about to say stick with RAW editing until I saw Paul's stuff!

Hi Jimmy.
I have used both with great results also I use silkypix raw converter that came free with the camera for all my raw files and also for touching up my B&W jpegs

Raw has the advantage that you can freely choose how the conversion is going to go. The presets are fine, but they don't cover all scenarios. Sometimes, the proper separation between colors cannot be done optimally with the presets. Also, it's not clear upfront which preset to use, so you end up fiddling with the conversion in the camera anyway. Might as well do it externally using a more comprehensive tool. Thus, I would recommend to shoot raw+fine, use a preset when it fits the bill and resort to the raw data when it doesn't.

This is my WF for BW

Shoot RAW develop it inn ACR and LR/PS in TIFF make all adjustments to your taste

To convert it in BW I use the plug in Nik Silver EFEX wher you can adjust exactly according to needs white, greys, black, contrast, etc...with the bonus of the control points that allow to act only locally on the image

Using as a starter a colour file allows even in BW to play with colors to adjust levels of greys