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S Is For Show Us Your S2 Shots

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Dougg

Guest
Thanks for your comment, as I've admired your very colorful flower display. Closely examining shots from the 100mm shows me it is not out of place on the S2, and though a bit slow and with the inconvenience of manual stop-down, should continue to hold its own even if/when I have other Leica lenses.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
thanks guys!

Lately I have more often converted to S&W.
Does it make sense to invest in Nik-Software for b&W conversion? Any experience?
 

fotografz

Well-known member
thanks guys!

Lately I have more often converted to B&W.
Does it make sense to invest in Nik-Software for b&W conversion? Any experience?
I'd vote for Nik Silver Efex Pro software. I just could not live without it now.

The degree of control is amazing. Often, their presets get it really close and then their spot adjustments for exposure, contrast and structure finish it off just right ... plus there are a zillion film type simulations for heal-toe response ... and even those can be adjusted in terms of grain per pixel and hard to soft grain.

What is interesting is how it allows for different midtone response sensors to be simply overridden with more midtone contrast for flatter recording sensors like the difference between the M8 and M9 ... or more obviously the Sony A900 with it's flatter midtone response.

It works very well with the S2 files in this regard.

-Marc

(Below, one click Nik B&W using "Push Process-1" preset, and increasing the grain per pixel slider for finer grain).
 

David K

Workshop Member
I'm a big fan of Nik's Silver Efex Pro software and I use it on virtually all my B&W conversions. It doesn't give you anything you can't otherwise get on your own if you're willing to spend the time and have the vision. If you do decide to give it a try I'd urge you to spend some time learning it. It's got a lot more to offer than simply the one or two click conversion that lots of folks do.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
I found True Grain a few weeks ago and have been very impressed. It is a little different in that they have actually scanned the grain of a number of different films and allow you to overlay it along with measuring the spectral response and characteristic curve. Since I run a black and white lab, I am around black and white film a lot, and scan it a lot as well. True Grain looks totally convincing to me. The only caveat would be that you have to tone it WAY down. The default results seem to be as if you were using a Minox spy camera. Set the grain to emulate 6x6 or 6x8 and you are in better shape. It is all user controllable. It is around 50 dollars now I think, and it is very much worth it.

I have not used the other black and white conversion programs either, so they may be equally wonderful, but the last time I checked I was not as convinced.

Here is a full-sized jpeg sample done using the M9: stuartrichardson.com/eva-true-grain-1-edit.jpg
(warning, about 4mb)
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Thank you guys. Since I have converted to S&W more often lately and since I like to add grain I purchased the Nik SW.
First image is printed and looks pretty good for my taste.
Stuart-thanks for the hint - but I had allready purchased the Nik software before I read your suggestion.
Tom
 
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Dougg

Guest
Wow, tricky shot and I think you nailed it. Shows the versatility of the S2, and expresses her joy. :)
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
To the photographers in this thread:

The pictures here have by and large perfectly natural color balance and light. They don't feel over-saturated, over-processed, or over-anything.

Please tell me that it's your skill as photographers or your fine control of workflow and not, oh, the camera that is responsible! :ROTFL:

No, I won't buy another system without trying it first, but this thread...

Thank you for the lovely work,

Matt
 
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