B&W Files

[Guest Chris M]

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What are the member consensus of the use of IR cut filters for the M8, if there only going to process there files for a B&W out come ie; (b&w prints). Do you really need IR cut filters while shooting for B&W? and what camera setting would you use while shooting with out IR cut filters? Just curious as to how one would shoot for these conditions and why.

 

chris m.

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[mjh]

I think Leica has said it all in the FAQ: Since there is no color shift in b&w images, IR cut filters are not strictly necessary. Some visibly dark but IR reflecting areas will not appear as dark as they should, but that will often be perceived as a boon rather than as a problem.

[jaapv]

But - at least in theory- if you use a lens that has a different focal plane for IR light (most lenses that is) there will be an overlay of an unsharp IR image, about four stops underexposed, over your sharp visible light image. You can always claim that is the Leica Glow .

[roguewave]

Not a technical answer as Michael & Jaap have offered, but an aesthetic one: Always best to shoot & WB correct in color. Then do a conversion to B&W in Photoshop. The list of merits are too numerous to recite here. In the conversion, you have all the tools to tweek each color band & then an overall tonal shape. There is no "quick & dirty" road to excellence.

[jplomley]

+1 Ben. For this reason I use a UV/IR filter religously with the M8.

[Jamie Roberts]

On the M8 I use filters religiously too, but many M8 BW shooters whose work I truly admire use the extended IR sensitivity for effect in their BW processing.

 

I think if you know you're shooting BW you should try it and see what you get. You may like the results.

[jplomley]

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Admittedly, when I'm seriously religious about my B&W work, I pull out one of my M7's loaded with either Neopan 400 or 1600

[wilfredo]

Not a technical answer as Michael & Jaap have offered, but an aesthetic one: Always best to shoot & WB correct in color. Then do a conversion to B&W in Photoshop. The list of merits are too numerous to recite here. In the conversion, you have all the tools to tweek each color band & then an overall tonal shape. There is no "quick & dirty" road to excellence.

 

 

I second that. I never remove the IR/UV Cut Filters from my lenses on the M8. I'm probably the biggest fan of M8 B&W photography on this forum. In fact, that is what sold me on the M8. I'm not very left brain so I also leave the technical stuff to others. I only know what feels right to me intuitively and what gives me a rise when I look at my photos. The first 5 shots on this thread were done with the M8 and 35mm Summicron ASPH and of course the filter was not removed. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/123836-manzanar-pilgrimage-series.html

 

Here's another thread of one of my favorite more recent shots. This is where the M8 shines, in B&W People Photography. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/122907-rose-mary-stan.html

[wilfredo]

Here is an interesting article on the subject Leica M8 Solution

and a quote from the article:

 

"It has been pointed out that one of the finest B&W portrait films was Ilford Delta 400, a film with extended infrared sensitivity. Could the M8 be what B&W shooters have been looking for in a digital camera? I think so! Sean has also conjectured that those objects with high IR content may in fact be recorded at a slightly different point of focus, adding a very subtle "glow" in grayscale, which while hard to describe, can be quite striking in appearance."

[Guest Chris M]

So its a mixed bag, for the total dedicated B&W shooters its off with the filters, they prefer to virgin lens use, and for the others who I guess like to spend more time post processing ??? both color and b&w ,,,, its on with the filters. Me personally, I prefer the off equation for the reasons mentioned above and more, however it dosn't matter anymore for me as my eyes have taken a change for the worse , I just got diagnosed with (wet macular degeneration) and am also just 13 days post of major back surgery, so I'm selling all my M8 system and lens as a result of my health issues. All though when I'm feeling better and I've sold it all off, I will be buying the X1 (AUTO FOCUS) Yaaa!! just point and shoot. So I'll some what remain in the game.

 

Best, chris m.

[wilfredo]

Chris, sorry to hear about your health issues. I wish you the best with that.

[andym911]

don't use IR filters for BW....just shoot naked color and convert later in PP.

 

Actually come to think of it rarely use IR for color either unless on an offchance I remembered to screw one on...which doesn't happen often:eek:

 

But to this day never screwed up a shot due to no IR filter if you know what I mean...a good photo is good with or without.

 

cheers

andy