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Technical Camera Images

jotloob

Subscriber Member
Very nice Graham .
Your B/W images and the above .
What kind of B/W conversion software do you use ? ? ?
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Silver Efex Pro 2 - simply awesome.

Very nice Graham! Got to love the way the big, clean MF files convert to B&W -- so far nothing else comes close ;)
The tonality in the IQ files are so very impressive. You can really bring out the subtle tonal transitions although you do have to be careful with SFX because it'll push the tonality to the point where the mosaic of the raw file will become visible. I had a few instances where I had to back off stretching the tones because the edges of the sensor frames started to come through leaving ugly horizontal/vertical transitions.

I can definitely relate to the issues that Wayne was having with his IQ180 when the files get massaged.
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
Silver Efex Pro 2 - simply awesome.

The tonality in the IQ files are so very impressive. You can really bring out the subtle tonal transitions although you do have to be careful with SFX because it'll push the tonality to the point where the mosaic of the raw file will become visible. I had a few instances where I had to back off stretching the tones because the edges of the sensor frames started to come through leaving ugly horizontal/vertical transitions.
I can definitely relate to the issues that Wayne was having with his IQ180 when the files get massaged.
I use SILVER EFEX PRO 2 as well . I have it since a couple of weeks only and am still doing tests . As there are so many presets , sometimes I don't know , which one to use , which one is best .

Here a test : ALPA12STC + APO-GRANDAGON 4,5/45mm + CFV-50

 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Jürgen

That looks excellent! :thumbs:

I tend to start with the presets and experiment with the image to see what look works. I don't use the film presets at all nor do I use the filters very often other than to experiment. I'm at the point now where I'm building my own recipes that match my view of B&W with a consistent 'look'. I expect this'll change over time but certainly one preset isn't going to work for all images.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
If you guys use the B&W tool inside C1, you won't have the mosaic issues and you will see a lot of elasticity in how far you can push tones :)
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Jack,

I'd agree that the B&W pure conversions in C1 are very powerful if you're well versed in the various colour blends. What SFX provides in addition that C1 can't provide is the much more powerful local adjustment control (via control points and various adjustment parameters) plus the tonal range adjustments that you'd normally achieve through lot's of curve layers & masks. The adjustment layers and masking in C1 is relatively crude IMHO by comparison at this time so I tend to prepare the colour image in C1 so that I have a full tonal range starting point and then it's off to PS for the B&W and subsequent adjustments.

I guess that where I start to get burnt is when the tonal adjustments are based on the rendered TIFF out of C1 where there might only be 1 or 2 points of difference in colour/tone between mosaics. These ultimately get stretched to the point where they may become visible where I'm sure that if you could easily do the same manipulation in C1 that the raw rendering algorithms would adjust for this.

In this case though I'm happy to drive an automatic vs stick shift for now :D
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Graham,

I do not use C1's local adjustments, they simply are too far behind CS. So my workflow -- as you know! -- is I process what I refer to as an "ideal digital negative" in C1 to work with, then export it to CS for the "printing" steps of the process, i.e. sizing, dodge, burn, gradients, etc. CS is a perfect tool for output still, and offers way more control than the generic local adjustments found in other programs including LR and SFX. I do have SFX loaded into CS, but honestly have not touched it since C1 added their outstanding B&W tool...

FWIW, Phase just posted this C1 B&W tip today, and IMO it's worth looking at: Black & White conversion « The Image Quality Professor's Blog
 

2jbourret

New member
I'm also a fan of SFX Pro, although until v2 was released, MF stitches were limited in size to about 10k per side. I find I have a lot more control and flexibility than in C1.

3frame stitch, P45+, AFD3, Mamiya 150mf (18350p wide)
View attachment 57759
 

Woody Campbell

Workshop Member
four frames out my window. Alpa Max + IQ 180 + 32mm Rodenstock. Perspective corrected in the camera, so there's a bunch of rise.

 

Woody Campbell

Workshop Member
Tenderloin. Alpa TC + IQ 180 + 32mm Rodenstock. Handheld. My "digital Hasselblad SWC". Perspective correct in camera which means that I cropped off a bunch of street. Nice to have a lot of pixels.

 
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dchew

Well-known member
Guy,
I think the orange hue really works in your image. I shot the image below a few weeks ago and was surprised at the sensor response to these lights. I'm very glad I remembered my Whi-bal. :)

Dave
SK 43xl, IQ180, Alpa STC; 10mm rise, LCC, SK center filter



 

dchew

Well-known member
From yesterday; here's a pretty standard image from Burgess Falls, TN, but I kinda liked the way the foliage under the falls almost makes it look like a double exposure / PS trick.

100HR-S, IQ180, Alpa STC, no shift, no LCC, B+W polarizer.

Dave

 
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Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Thanks David I wanted it to kind of glow from the orange light building to give it some effect and with the fog. It's different why I liked it.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Quick trip to the Olympic NP this weekend. Disappointing sunrise & sunset colours so instead here's a Lake Quinault sunrise at warp speed.

Alpa STC, IQ160, 35XL, 2m 45s @ f/8, Lee Big Stopper 10ND
 

jotloob

Subscriber Member
Quick trip to the Olympic NP this weekend. Disappointing sunrise & sunset colours so instead here's a Lake Quinault sunrise at warp speed.

Alpa STC, IQ160, 35XL, 2m 45s @ f/8, Lee Big Stopper 10ND
Graham
I can't stop the clouds coming out of my screen . Rather agressive , wilst the lake is so calm .:thumbup:
 
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