Miranda vs Convert to BW

I'm wondering if anyone has tried these two methods for converting D70

files to BW. I've been scanning TX for awhile and printing with BO

and UT7 with a 2200. I get the TX look I like. Now that I've added

D70 files to the mix I need more than channel mixer. The look I want

isn't coming through. Anyone?

I've tried most of the readily available Photoshop actions (latest one: John Paul Caponigro and Robb Carr) including the Miranda B&W conversion. and I found that I still needed to use Levels and Curves in Photoshop.

 

YMMV.

 

BTW, the Miranda action is just a bunch of channel mixer settings.

I'm a fan of The Imaging Factory's Convert to B&W Pro. <P>

 

There are profiles for different emulsions. What's nice, is you get a lot of control in one

centralized place. I have a lot of B&W converted that way (and using the gradient map

method as well) on <a href= "http://www.citysnaps.net"><B>my website</B></a>.

I forgot, there's also the Glenn E. Mitchell set of Photoshop actions worth loking at:

 

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/

 

But, whatever you do, free or paid Photoshop actions to convert RGB to B&W, you still need to control the process. There's no magic button to to this.

Russell Preston Brown has to me the best method of all, and much better preview ability than using Channels. Set it up as an action, run it, click on the second Saturation layer and adjust Hue to watch the differing B&W affects. It's like having every taken the photo with every B&W filter that exists and in every micro-subtle rendition of the filter too. None better for converting color. And free. Just follow the directions to set up your own action.

After using Convert to B&W Pro I found Russell Brown's technique does basically the same thing, but WITH a full screen preview (windows). I only use that now.

I'll "third" the Russell Brown method. Very subtle.

Here's the link to the Russell Brown Color to B&W conversion technique:

 

http://studio.adobe.com/us/tips/tip.jsp?p=1&id=519&xml=phs8colorbw

I remembered I already had Browns' action in my actions folder. I have used it but I'm looking for more than just conversion and I'm not interested in toning.

 

I downloaded the 30 trail of Convert to BW Pro. It offers more than Browns' conversion. A simple slider for whatever filter color to shift tones of grey, more sliders for exposure, "print" time and contrast ona scale like MG filters in a wet darkroom.

 

You can also choose from 5 different film types to mimick their tonal interpretations as well. All that goes way past a BW conversion, Browns conversions are very nice, and free.

There's a review (and a forum posting) on the B+W Pro at luminouslandscape.com. (Couldn't find the exact link.)

I tried the Russell Brown method last night. Veeerrry cool. It's good-bye to Channel Mixer for me. Thanks to those who pointed out this great tool.