I’m struggling with BW & Leica…, advice welcome…

[Olaf_ZG]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am relatively new to Leica, previously came from fuji (and c1) which had a nice combo for b/w.

now, recently I switched to LR and having a Q2, I don’t like the b/w conversions. Tried some vf presets and though nice for colour, b/w doesn’t work. Worse thing is, when I use processed image and convert it to b/w on snapseed, i like it.

I love the output from the mm’s, no problem here, I simply can’t convert a color photo from leica into a great b/w, without too much editing: what I would love is a base, from which I can dodge/burn and eventually finetune tones.

but, with the Q2, I can’t get the base ro my liking…

(with result that in the end, I keep color)

 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[frame-it]

images examples??

are you shooting the Q in "auto everything" or carefully checking exposure and stuff?

tried Silverfx pro?

 

[evikne]

I really like the B&W profiles from RNI, and they are super easy to use – just one click! 

It's probably too expensive to buy the whole package just for black and white, but the color profiles are also very nice. 

[frame-it]

4 minutes ago, evikne said:

I really like the B&W profiles from RNI, and they are super easy to use – just one click! 

It's probably too expensive to buy the whole package just for black and white, but the color profiles are also very nice. 

profiles and everything are all nice, but the shot itself should have light/shadows/colors/shapes etc etc that would look great in black and white

[Anbaric]

58 minutes ago, Olaf_ZG said:

now, recently I switched to LR and having a Q2, I don’t like the b/w conversions. Tried some vf presets and though nice for colour, b/w doesn’t work. Worse thing is, when I use processed image and convert it to b/w on snapseed, i like it.

I'd suggest posting an example of an original colour image, the Snapseed conversion you do like, and some of the LR conversions you don't like for comments. Are you just using the Snapseed defaults?

[sometimesmaybe]

2 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

I'd suggest posting an example of an original colour image, the Snapseed conversion you do like, and some of the LR conversions you don't like for comments. Are you just using the Snapseed defaults?

agreed.

@Olaf_ZG maybe upload the DNG, and we can all have a crack at replicating the look youre after? 

[250swb]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The Q2 image you started with and the Snapseed version of it would help. 

[Le Chef]

21 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

I simply can’t convert a color photo from leica into a great b/w, without too much editing:

Perhaps you can explain this as your start point. What exactly is the process you use and what makes it too much editing?

[Olaf_ZG]

Thank you all for your feedback, I will come back to this, but most probably in the weekend, as real life took over. Really appreciate all feedback till now.

[Photoworks]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

I like the MastinLabs tri-x preset for capture one or LRc

[jaapv]

You'll be much happier if you set a black point to begin with (after conversion obviously|

 

[Photoworks]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

You'll be much happier if you set a black point to begin with (after conversion obviously|

 

set it to what?

[jaapv]

That is not the way to set a black point.  You set the location in the image that must be black to RGB 0,0,0. For the last 150 years most black and white photographs of quality must have black and white in them unless you are shooting something like a foggy scene. It is of course an artistic choice to produce something grey-in-grey. 

This is a good tutorial  

https://tonysparkes.com/setting-black-and-white-points/

 

in Photoshop go to levels, used the slider to find the darkest spot and click it with the black eyedropper BTW, you can use the middle eyedropper to set middle grey and the white one (*) to set absolute white but I don’t use those too often. 
Actually when I am not quite happy with a colour photograph I will check black and white points as well. The grey point is useful if you have shot a colour calibration shot at the beginning of a shoot with a grey card included. 

(*) The white point is a useful tool to fight blown highlights. 

[pedaes]

On 4/12/2023 at 10:37 PM, Olaf_ZG said:

recently I switched to LR

In Lr  basic panel, hold down option key (Mac - sorry,don't know which key on PC) and move the black and white sliders individually you will easily adjust to absolute black and white or the nearest to it that  exists in that particular image.

Edited May 2, 2023 by pedaes

[frame-it]

 

[jaapv]

An excellent video, thanks. But... notice that even in the high key image he has a black point around the eye of the cat. It is an essential anchor point for your editing.