... to get b&w photos

[kengai]

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what do you think is the system to achieve the highest quality? shoot jpeg and set the camera to get b&w files directly or shoot raw and then convert to b&w to pp?

[Ecar]

Raw conversion

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[PhotoCruiser]

There is no reasonable excuse to shoot in JPG except you need the photos immediately on your cellphone/tablet.

Why should you throw away the raw sensor data giving you a much much broader scope to modify the imagine than a castrated JPG.
This applies on color modification but also for BW photos, for BW there are excellent software extensions to transform color to BW.
The only better way would be a camera with a BW sensor, but this castrates the camer to record only BW photos.

Chris

[wda]

On 3/25/2020 at 6:26 AM, kengai said:

what do you think is the system to achieve the highest quality? shoot jpeg and set the camera to get b&w files directly or shoot raw and then convert to b&w to pp?

The latter, so much more quality to process. You can capture both, with low quality jpegs, and set jpegs to show black and white. Then you can see the mono potential at time of shooting while having the richer raw file for conversion.I set that as my mono user profile. Easy!

[brickftl]

shoot RAW and convert in post. My choice for b/w conversion used to be SilverEfex, however of late I've gone back to using a b/w adjustment layer in Photoshop as it allows me to adjust color sliders all at the same time. Lightroom is probably even easier as I believe (although not certain since I don't use it) because at the same time you can adjust contrast and structure - something I have to do on separate Photoshop layers. One continuing advantage of SilverEfex is that you can choose different film simulations which add varying degrees/types of grain if you like that look.

[danielmfrank]

I don't understand why anyone shoots monochrome in camera, either by capturing jpegs or by using a monochrome sensor. When you do, you're stuck with the tonal mappings the camera imposes on you, unless you use physical filters front of the lens at time of capture. If you capture raw color data, you can adjust your mappings in post, which is an important tool of creative control.

[brickftl]

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On 4/13/2020 at 7:26 PM, danielmfrank said:

I don't understand why anyone shoots monochrome in camera, either by capturing jpegs or by using a monochrome sensor. When you do, you're stuck with the tonal mappings the camera imposes on you, unless you use physical filters front of the lens at time of capture. If you capture raw color data, you can adjust your mappings in post, which is an important tool of creative control.

I agree with you but for one exception. From what I've read the Monochrome version of the M10 is special.

[Anakronox]

On 4/14/2020 at 2:26 AM, danielmfrank said:

I don't understand why anyone shoots monochrome in camera, either by capturing jpegs or by using a monochrome sensor. When you do, you're stuck with the tonal mappings the camera imposes on you, unless you use physical filters front of the lens at time of capture. If you capture raw color data, you can adjust your mappings in post, which is an important tool of creative control.

Because of the wealth of dynamic range a monochrome sensor captures.  The resolution is insane.  And yes, you do have to use color filters while shooting to get the most out of the sensor.  It is completely worth it, however.  With color conversion you do lose detail.  I can see your perspective if you’re implying why only have a single camera and a Monochrom at that.  I’m a happy M10, M10M, and Q2 user and each one has their purpose.  

[vedivv]

It really depends on your shooting style.

Interesting that when I read about HCB, his approach is to shoot and never bother with the film again.  Someone else would develop the film for him.  Then you read about Ansel Adams, who spends endless hours in the darkroom.  Both of them shoot mostly BW, but very different approaches.  

Leica JPG files are huge.  The BW JPG straight from the camera actually has pretty good DR to allow a lot of adjustment.  Since BW JPG are straight from camera, you can argue that you keep the Leica look.

One thing I really wish Leica provides would be color filter option for BW images.  I use orange or yellow filters most of the time for Canon BW JPG files.

If you played with modern channel mixer in BW development process, and you like tweaking, it is hard to shoot BW JPGs.  The color RAW files allow you to create your own "post color filter" that is uniquely suited for the image.  In a way, you can many "zones" by playing with different colors.  That's something you cannot achieve even with M10M and a bag of color filters.