DPP Black & White

[tom_berkowski]

<p>I would appreciate reference on refining B&W on DPP. I don't have Photoshop.<br>

I like B&W. (Shot APX400 and Fomapan until about a year ago.) Now with digital, I print on true B&W paper, but am lacking software skills. I only use DPP because that's what came with the camera. I use Monocrome picture style, but really only play with filters, contrast on RAW tab. I'm sure there are better ways, but where can I learn? Most books at my bookstore seem too advanced for my present skill level and are geared to Photoshop.</p>

[scherbi]

<p>I highly recommend Nik software's Silver Efex Pro for monochrome conversion. Lots of options, very flexible, and great output. I use it as a plugin to Aperture.<br>

See this recent shot for one example:<br>

http://www.photo.net/photo/8600713<br>

They have free trials available, so give it a try.</p>

 

[bobatkins]

<p>We have an article on that topic here on photo.net</p>

<p><a href="../equipment/digital/editing/bwconvert/">http://www.photo.net/equipment/digital/editing/bwconvert/</a></p>

<p>Don't ask me how you'd find it if you didn't know it was there, though a search with the right terms might dig it out!</p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>What is it that you don't like about what comes out of DPP? People can offer tons of great advice, but if it's not aimed at what your asking then it may miss the mark. If your wanting to dodge and burn certain areas of the image or other editing like that then you may look at getting Photoshop Elements. It's a somewhat paired down version of CS, but for most people its very capable. And Elements isn't nearly as expensive as it's CS counterparts. Then if you want to use a plugin, most are written for photoshop.</p>

<p>If what your trying to do is mimic what you got when you put a filter on the end of your lens when you shot film, you might just try putting a filter on the end of your lens.</p>

<p>Then again, you may go back to shooting black and white film and not have to worry about any software.</p>

[ulrich_brandl]

<p>You have more options for fine tuning of BW conversion in photoshop than in DPP. You will get similar functionality by the GIMP software. GIMP is Freeware (Google for it), the only cost is your time for learning. It is (like photoshop) a relatively complex piece of software.</p>

[tom_berkowski]

<p>Thanks for the answers. I like DPP and don't think I have hit limitations enough to justify expense and learning curve of Photoshop. My specific issue (user issue) is that I don't know how I should alter B&W after the first (RAW) tab. On that tab, I use Monocrome picture style, chose a filter, then put contrast +/-. </p>

<p>My end product usually looks good, but I think there are things in the 2nd tab that I should play with to adjust "look". Whenever I've tried, I don't know where to start, so end up with a crazy look that I don't want. Too many choices: adding points to curve, clicking one channel at a time (but sometimes it goes back to RGB even when I try to isolate a channel), moving X or Y axis. I just don't know where a beginner can start.<br>

The linked article above sent by Bob indicates that I should play with more than just monocrome example, using Photoshop examples. I just don't know how to translate that to DPP especially since I don't know Photoshop. I'll have to read it over more, as it seems very nice.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p> </p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>Tom, DPP won't do what Bob linked too in regards to looking at the different channels. It's just not designed to do that as far as I know, and I like DPP. One thing you haven't meantioned is Tone Curve Assist. It's the first thing on the RGB tab. It will put a curve on the tone curve for you. It's not a bad starting point if your going to try to use the curves to adjust your image. But to be clear, this is raising and lowering the brightness of color levels in a curve, not raising and lowering color levels on an entire channel so it's not the same thing.</p>

<p>Try this, do the monochrome thing in the RAW tab. Select the RGB tab. Click on the Tone Curve Assist of your choice (the one on the left is Standard, the one with the plus is High, and the one on the right resets the curve). Now set the saturation to 0. Now above the curve click R, G, or B, click the center of the curve and drag it somewhere (double click a point to remove it). Try that with the other colors.<br /> Is this something like what your after?</p>

<p>http://www.usa.canon.com/content/dpp2/index.html This may be of some help to you, but it doesn't cover black and white in much detail at all.</p>

[tom_berkowski]

Dan Ferrel's answer is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

[cabbiinc]

<p>Glad I could help.</p>