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DP1 B&W workflow?

andrewteee

New member
Any recommendations on a good DP1 B&W workflow? I was thinking I would optimize the image in SPP, then export as TIFF (8 or 16 bit?) and do the B&W work in Photoshop/Silver Efex or Lightroom. As I understand it, SPP has the edge over Lightroom for basic DP1 RAW conversion. Thanks.
 

trisberg

New member
I got the DP1 recently so I haven't done that much with it. I have been using Lightroom 2 for RAW processing and B&W conversion and have no complaints so far. haven't even installed the Sigma software yet. maybe I should, just to see if I'm missing something.

-Thomas
 

andrewteee

New member
What I recall is that a few people suggest that SPP handles shadow recovery better than Lightroom. But I'm brining this up from memory so don't quote me on that. I have not tried LR for DP1 files. Lightroom is my primary PP tool so it would be great if it works well with the DP1 RAW files.

BTW I wish there was a Silver Efex plugin for LR. I suppose they could create presets for them too.
 

Streetshooter

Subscriber Member
SPP will process the raw files better than ACR...which bothers the heck out of me cause I love LR etc...but

fact is...SPP extracts a more defined dynamic range because of the design of the sensor.
I run this way...(think I posted this somewhere...hmmm)

Process in SPP...export either Jpeg or Tiff, depends on need of image....
In SPP, set your WB..no other program will do it as well...do corrections but what I do is...

convert to b&w and correct the file...then, convert back to color...this give a better idea of the tones you have to work with in the next step...

import to PS...and sharpen...1st time...I use Smart Sharpen...actually more control the the un-sharp mask...

then into THE HOLLY GRAIL...Silver Efex....from here..it's all fun and relaxing....

When ya make a mistake in SE...it's still good.......

shooter
 

andrewteee

New member
Thanks Streetshooter. What you say is interesting because I've read elsewhere that DP1 images rarely need sharpening. I have not had the camera long enough to work through this myself. Agreed that SEP is fun. I emailed them about incorporating it into LR in some way. I don't believe that LR has the same plug-in model as Aperture (which I used to use), only the notion of presets, which people generally give away for free. But I imagine it's only a matter of time before this happens, though I'm sure that Adobe is worried that a LR with more horsepower will draw customers from the far more expensive PS.
 

fordfanjpn

Member
FWIW, here's my workflow with DP1 files.

1. Convert to tiff in SPP. I use the Auto setting primarily. You end up with a fairly flat looking file, but you retain the most information in the shadows and highlights this way.

2. Open the tiff in PS and if necessary, apply a little capture sharpening using PhotoKit Sharpener.

3. Convert to B&W with Silver Efex Pro. I usually add a little vignetting here too.

4. Local contrast enhancement (known in LR as Clarity) using the Unsharp Mask trick.

5. Resize as required for printing or web, and output sharpen accordingly.

Obviously other tweaks may happen along the way depending on the image, but that's basically it in a nutshell.

Bill
 

cam

Active member
another vote for using SPP. it does the best job out there for converting from RAW.

i set it to auto but then individually tweak for a minute or so (it's actually a very quick and easy process). i then export to TIFF as JPEG does degrade with multiple workings and i don't always know what i have in the beginning. then i take it into Photoshop, but whatever your preferred poison is will do.

there are a lot of people out there that bitch about using a separate RAW processor, saying it's a pain but i disagree. if you take your time whilst taking the image, what's the matter with investing a little more of it in PP and getting the most out of your RAW files?
 

4season

Well-known member
I use SPP only to convert to 16-bit TIFF with no changes, except for -0.7 Sharpness, which if I recall, is actually the "neutral" setting. In any event, it looks the least-processed to me at that setting. I can then treat the 16 bit TIFF essentially as a raw image in Aperture.

I will occasionally use SPP's "X3 Fill Light" feature, which doesn't seem to have an equivalent in Aperture.
 
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