They can fade if they weren't washed enough. I have a few that suffer from this problem.
Don
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Is Black and White photography better?
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Don
Another affordable possibility is to get one of Sigma's Quattro cameras and use just the top layer. The program Raw Digger can extract the top layer from a Sigma raw file.
Although the top layer is often called "blue", it is in fact panchromatic, It's "blue" only in the sense of being the only one of the three layers that does record blue light.
Don
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Tom Axford
Veteran Member
One technical point that I don't think has been stressed so far is that our eyes see in black and white in very dim light. The colour receptors (cones) are less sensitive to light than the rods which see in monochrome.
So a b&w image looks entirely natural if we see it in very dim light. We don't have to train ourselves to look at b&w pictures, it comes entirely naturally.
I think both colour and b&w are equally acceptable in photographs. Whether one is preferred depends on the subject matter, the viewer and the circumstances.
So a b&w image looks entirely natural if we see it in very dim light. We don't have to train ourselves to look at b&w pictures, it comes entirely naturally.
I think both colour and b&w are equally acceptable in photographs. Whether one is preferred depends on the subject matter, the viewer and the circumstances.
Franglais91
Veteran Member
When I set out to do an image the first thing I decide is if it's going to be in black-and-white or in colour because that changes my concept:
Black and white = contrast, lighting effects, textures, tonal range with both the lightest and darkest parts of the image having detail
Colour = interesting colour, more even lighting, sensuality, mood. Be careful with composition to avoid having distracting colours
Sometimes I convert an image I intended to do in black and white into colour (easy to do in RAW). This sometimes comes out very well with particularly rich blacks. On the other hand images images I do in colour usually DON'T translate well into black and white. They look flat and boring.
BackToNature1
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I was curious about this but nobody responded. So far, this is what I have found.
"For the most part, when you shoot Raw you are almost always shooting in color. The B&W conversion only applies to the processed JPEG and NOT the Raw file. There will be exceptions to this such as Leica's M Monochrom camera which doesn't capture any color information. In other words, if you set your camera to record Raw + JPEG, the Raw will be color (it will always be color) and the JPEG will be B&W. Using your camera's software, you can now take the color Raw file and create the same exact B&W that the camera would have produced. Or you can use the software of your choice to create the B&W file. But in any case, it does NOT matter what you set your post-processing parameters to on the camera. These parameters are ignored by the Raw file."
tbcass
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You believe? What is your source?
BackToNature1
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Well they are working on this but it's Film based.
"PENTAX brand launches a film camera project
focused on developing new film-based products along with camera fans
TOKYO, December 20, 2022 -- RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. is pleased to announce a new project involving the research and development of new PENTAX-brand film camera products. There has been a rebirth in interest in film cameras recently; we want to use the film camera skills and technologies developed over the years by Ricoh Imaging/PENTAX (the PENTAX Division of RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.) and provide camera enthusiasts around the world with new film camera products. We will be developing and launching new products and providing aftercare services so that experienced film camera users and younger photographers who want to try these cameras for the first time can fully enjoy the experience of film photography."
tbcass
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That doesn't support the idea that Pentax plans to produce a monochrome version of the K3-III.
Ellis Vener
Veteran Member
I don’t understand your decision to use “more even lighting” when choosing to shoot in color. Having deep blacks and rich shadows in a photo from can make a color image more interesting as the color contrast of black with the other colors brings out the intensity of color and the character of strong light
For example:
I learned this from a class with Jay Maisel back in the early 1980s, but it is also there in work by Arthur Meyerson, Pete Turner, Eric Meola, Irving Penn, Ernst Hass, and others. The Dutch painter Rembrandt made good use of contrast as a lighting effect as well.
Soft, even lighting is appropriate fora more less bold, more pastel color effect. I agree with you that those kinds of images rarely translate well to black & white because of the lack of contrast.
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Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio
“It's not about the f-stop." -Jay Maisel
For example:
I learned this from a class with Jay Maisel back in the early 1980s, but it is also there in work by Arthur Meyerson, Pete Turner, Eric Meola, Irving Penn, Ernst Hass, and others. The Dutch painter Rembrandt made good use of contrast as a lighting effect as well.
Soft, even lighting is appropriate fora more less bold, more pastel color effect. I agree with you that those kinds of images rarely translate well to black & white because of the lack of contrast.
--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio
“It's not about the f-stop." -Jay Maisel
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BackToNature1
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Well that why I stated that was Film based.
The Rumor is this, "Pentax, according to Pentax Rumors, is currently canvassing its customers to see if there is any interest in a K3 III Monochrome."
So as of now, that's where all the chatter is likely coming from.
tbcass
Veteran Member
Thanks for that. So as of now, there are no plans to produce a monochrome camera. My experience with rumor sites is they are primarily clickbait and should be ignored. I'm a Sony user and stopped paying attention to Sonyalpha rumors years ago. I'm not saying Pentax won't produce a monochrome camera, just that it's unlikely.
yardcoyote
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I wouldn't say it's easier, just different. It removes some significant concerns, but brings others to the forefront. I find working in black and white increases both my need to concentrate on pictorial concerns --composition and the pattern of light and dark across the picture plane-- and the pleasure I take in doing so. Texture and edge become primary interests, and major tools for composition and storytelling. And of course your choice of subjects needs to be absolutely ruthless. Pretty colors aren't there to give you, and your audience, a reason for being there in the first place. You need to dig a little deeper.
Mark S Abeln
Veteran Member
The Bayer filter found in color digital cameras is a precision printed decal, so our only practical alternative is not having one to begin with.
I can imagine a small-sensor camera that actually has physical filters that can be mechanically swapped, but that seems expensive and mechanically delicate, and not really satisfying for those of us who like the advantages of a large sensor. Around the turn of the twentieth century, there were mechanisms for large format cameras that would swap filters rather quickly for full color images, but these were rather specialized.
Maybe someday there could be electronic filters that are easily adjusted, giving a camera a variety of options, but I know of no technology that could do this, or what optical problems they would cause.
Mark S Abeln
Veteran Member
I also start out deciding ahead of time if I’m going to shoot in color or black and white. It’s extremely helpful for me having a disciplined approach, although it isn’t a necessity.
Typically it is easier for me if I set the camera to monochrome mode as well, even if I’m shooting raw. And in this case I’ll use the manufacturer’s own raw processor to preserve the original monochrome look: when I open them up in Adobe, which doesn’t honor the monochrome setting, almost inevitably I find the color images disappointing!
Lately I ran through some rolls of Kodak Tri-X film and was pleased with the results. However, ahead of time I planned to colorize one roll after the fact: why not? That turned out to be interesting, but for the most part the successful images were simple architectural forms with blue skies and green grass which the colorizer didn’t mess up too badly.
SelrahCharleS
Veteran Member
Could only find it in video format unfortunately, but here:
Plans might be a bit optimistic, since they are talking about a prototype here, but they seem to be seriously considering it. I suspect productions runs will be very limited if they do make it though.
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Franglais91
Veteran Member
When I open a RAW file in DXO for the first time it comes out in colour. Usually I do major corrections (exposure, framing) in colour then create a Variant and apply the standard DXO black and white filter which comes out just the way I like.
If I want to produce a colour image then I just go back to the original non-variant image and work from there.
I never use the JPG produced by the camera. It's just a backup in case something happens to the RAW image before getting the card out of the camera.
Franglais91
Veteran Member
I often do black and white for Art Nudes. Strong colours with deep blacks are delicate to use with femake models but sometimes it works. I did an exhibition recently with a group of other photographers and my photos really stood out as being different.I don’t understand your decision to use “more even lighting” when choosing to shoot in color. Having deep blacks and rich shadows in a photo from can make a color image more interesting as the color contrast of black with the other colors brings out the intensity of color and the character of strong light
For example:
I learned this from a class with Jay Maisel back in the early 1980s, but it is also there in work by Arthur Meyerson, Pete Turner, Eric Meola, Irving Penn, Ernst Hass, and others. The Dutch painter Rembrandt made good use of contrast as a lighting effect as well.
Soft, even lighting is appropriate fora more less bold, more pastel color effect. I agree with you that those kinds of images rarely translate well to black & white because of the lack of contrast.
Mark S Abeln
Veteran Member
Nice!
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A website about the Art and Science of Photography
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davel33
Veteran Member
WOW a lot post for just 2 days 
This is a subject that is near and dear to my ❤
Back in 1968 in high school* I bought a Canon Ft from a friend when he moved up to the Ftb. I became a bit involved to the point I was buying TriX in 100' rolls and winding my own. Shot every thing and printed about 1%.
I found BW to be more dramatic in some cases** and still do today. You can shoot BW with Canon R bodies.
Its a lot cheaper to print BW
* yea I am ancient
** people for the most part
This is a subject that is near and dear to my ❤
Back in 1968 in high school* I bought a Canon Ft from a friend when he moved up to the Ftb. I became a bit involved to the point I was buying TriX in 100' rolls and winding my own. Shot every thing and printed about 1%.
I found BW to be more dramatic in some cases** and still do today. You can shoot BW with Canon R bodies.
Its a lot cheaper to print BW
* yea I am ancient
** people for the most part
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