Why No Monochrome Option in SPP.....

T Vann wrote:

Greetings T Vann

...when using my SD15?

OK good choice

Loading an X3F file from my SD Quattro in SPP 6.8 gives me the monchrome palette,

Yes, at the top right, up with color as well

while an X3f file from my SD15 doesn't.

It's located in the White Balance Setting. It's in the White Balance Setting if you shoot a SD9 SD10 SD14 SD15.

Starting with the SD1 it changed to the up right corner, same place you find it when using the SDQ, or DPM, or DPQ

Why would this be?

It's there in the White Balance Setting about 4th or 5th option down. Also you can shoot B&W with the SD15 but only in the JPEG mode.

Good Luck

Roger J.

Thank you Roger. Much appreciated.

I absolutely love the SD15 for B&W, but I've been doing those B&W conversions in LR/Silver Efex while I find the Monochrome palette in SPP better for the SDQ.

I'm a dedicated B&W shooter. Have been for 50 yesrs.

I'm the owner of a Leica Monchrom but frankly find the SD15 and SDQ B&W output better in almost every way. I've written about this issue on leicaphilia.com where I basically come to that conclusion.

Foveon's are really special  B&W cameras. I think of them as "digital Panatomic-x."

T Vann wrote:

Thank you Roger. Much appreciated.

Your welcome. Glad I could help.

I absolutely love the SD15 for B&W,

Yes, the SD's are excellent if you get chance to shoot a SD1M you'll find the B&W even better. The SD1M can shoot B&W in the Raw mode and be processed SPP for excellent results. The SD15 can shoot B&W in the JPEG mode.

but I've been doing those B&W conversions in LR/Silver Efex while I find the Monochrome palette in SPP better for the SDQ.

I find that SPP works best for the Foveon in both color and B&W and I do not like to pay for software. I use PhotoScape X it's free but work excellent. The Pro version has a one time cost of $39 USD and it has a excellent B&W mode built in.

I'm a dedicated B&W shooter.

As am I. This is why I shoot the Foveon for my B&W digital work. Although I must say the new Sigma FP does really excellent in camera B&W

Have been for 50 yesrs

I shot all B&W till about 1985 when I became a Professional for Minolta then switched to positive film. I've been shooting now for around 51 years.

I'm the owner of a Leica Monchrom

I tried a Loaner Leica M once, but prefer the Foveon for B&W also. Although I still have my M4-P

but frankly find the SD15 and SDQ B&W output better in almost every way.

I agree

I've written about this issue on leicaphilia.com where I basically come to that conclusion.

I'll look that up.

Foveon's are really special B&W cameras.

I agree

I think of them as "digital Panatomic-x."

Yes, although I think of mine as my Ilford HP5

Have fun

Roger J.

D

Do you set the ISO to 400 for emulating HP5 ?

Don

Don: Can't speak for Roger, but I find that shooting the SD15 at 100 ISO and then monchroming it in LR/Silver Efex using the HP5 emulation filter is a good way of going about it.

It seems that the modest pixel density of the SD15 responds well to the grain emulation software of Silver Efex in a way that more pixel dense sensors like the 18 Meg Leica Monchrom or the 20 meg SDQ do not.

I discuss much of that here and here if you want to take a look.

Having toyed with Foveons for a few years but never really put them through their paces, I finally bought an basically new SD15 from Japan and it's instantly become my favorite B&W camera. My SD15 is my go-to camera for digital B&W, much more so than my SDQ or my Leica Monchrom, so much so that I'm selling the Monchrom as superfluous to requirements.

..and let me just add: It's great to find a few like-minded fellow Sigma Foveon travelors here.

It' such a marvelous technology that has such interesting applications, and yet few people seem to recognize it. Most reflexively pan it out of ignorance and miss out on its exceptional potential.

I think it may be that it's only us old guy, who worked through the limitations of shooting slow film back in the day, can take advantage of the Foveon and recognize it for what it is.

D Cox wrote:

Roger wrote:

T Vann wrote:

Thank you Roger. Much appreciated.

Your welcome. Glad I could help.

I absolutely love the SD15 for B&W,

Yes, the SD's are excellent if you get chance to shoot a SD1M you'll find the B&W even better. The SD1M can shoot B&W in the Raw mode and be processed SPP for excellent results. The SD15 can shoot B&W in the JPEG mode.

but I've been doing those B&W conversions in LR/Silver Efex while I find the Monochrome palette in SPP better for the SDQ.

I find that SPP works best for the Foveon in both color and B&W and I do not like to pay for software. I use PhotoScape X it's free but work excellent. The Pro version has a one time cost of $39 USD and it has a excellent B&W mode built in.

I'm a dedicated B&W shooter.

As am I. This is why I shoot the Foveon for my B&W digital work. Although I must say the new Sigma FP does really excellent in camera B&W

Have been for 50 yesrs

I shot all B&W till about 1985 when I became a Professional for Minolta then switched to positive film. I've been shooting now for around 51 years.

I'm the owner of a Leica Monchrom

I tried a Loaner Leica M once, but prefer the Foveon for B&W also. Although I still have my M4-P

but frankly find the SD15 and SDQ B&W output better in almost every way.

I agree

I've written about this issue on leicaphilia.com where I basically come to that conclusion.

I'll look that up.

Foveon's are really special B&W cameras.

I agree

I think of them as "digital Panatomic-x."

Yes, although I think of mine as my Ilford HP5

Have fun

Roger J.

Do you set the ISO to 400 for emulating HP5 ?

Don

Hi Don

Yes, old habit. I shot mostly at ASA/ISO 400 or above if possible, then processed/made adjustments in the darkroom back in the film days, it worked fine for the work I did as a photojournalist. I also shoot the SD14 and SD15 at 400. I shoot the SD1M SDQ-H and FP in Auto with setting from 400-3200

Have fun

Roger J.

T Vann wrote:

..and let me just add: It's great to find a few like-minded fellow Sigma Foveon travelors here.

Yes it is

It' such a marvelous technology that has such interesting applications, and yet few people seem to recognize it.

That's the sad part. It isn't mainstream enough for a lot of people. The foveon just produces excellent results.

Most reflexively pan it out of ignorance and miss out on its exceptional potential.

Very much so. If they haven't shot film or mostly positive film they cannot understand how good the Foveon is.

I think it may be that it's only us old guy, who worked through the limitations of shooting slow film back in the day, can take advantage of the Foveon and recognize it for what it is.

Very well said, very very true. I find my SD14 SD15 SD1M still have the best IQ. Better than most newer cameras of today, and they just work. They're simple and work.

I saw your work, very very nice. I'll have to revisit Silver again. Although PhotoScape X works excellent as well.

Enjoy

Roger J.