pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

Set to mono, NO!. The the camera makes all the decisions. Shoot in color and then you can play with the colors while in B&W to get get better mid-tones.

Manual better colors? Maybe if a very inexpensive camera but otherwise a convoluted opinion!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

No, shooting manual does not result in better colors. If the exposure is the same for an AUTO mode and manual mode the colors will be the same.
Yes, you can shoot monochrome setting the camera to monochrome and if the file is handled by a professional lab you should expect excellent results. Many photographers shoot color and convert using one of the several b&w converting softwares.

Doyle Thomas Loc: Vancouver Washington ~ USA

some "pure ests" still tend to think in terms of film capture but digital is a new ball game. shooting raw (and manual if needed) keeps all options open in post processing.

JTann Loc: North East, MD

I suspect that the photographer giving the seminar was addressing mostly amateur/hobbyist photographers who were hoping to learn how to take better vacation pics. It sounds like he or she wanted to dumb it down to basics regarding the 'shoot B&W in camera'. The camera sensor captures full color and then processes it to b&W w/o further input from the shooter. Later, since it spits out a jpeg to the data card, you can 'mess with it in post' but you can't 'process it' since that has been done by the little computer in the camera. Shooting RAW and processing later in your own computer gives complete control over the resulting final file/image.
As for shooting manual vs A, S, or P, you can choose any of the 1st 2 and get great results. Leave the 'P for professional' alone.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

One may also use a B & W viewing filter. That along with an understanding of using color filters to manipulate tonal values and an imagination....

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

What the monochrome setting does for you is let you see what a BW rendering would look like after processing, assuming you're shooting in RAW. In post, you'll see it in color and can switch it to BW.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

A limited look. It will only show the look following the conversion, which is only the beginning of the processing

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Absolutely right. If you are not going to use the LCD as a preview tool, you might as well cover it with black tape or just shoot film.

There is no better way to learn whether a red, green or blue area actually provides a good composition and contrast or results it confusingly similar tones. After all, the purpose of the LCD is to preview your image so you can get an idea about how much better you can make it during the raw conversion which, of course, starts from the original full color raw file.

If your camera offers digital color filters use them. But even if all your camera can only de-saturate the image, use that. If you use a filter intended for B&W film you are cutting off your options later during the raw conversion.

That's another very useful technique to become as comfortable with when using digital as you were with film. Some have been seduced away from shooting manual by the abundance of Auto capabilities of modern digital cameras. It has even made some experienced film photographers lazy and sloppy.

Shooting manual is another good reason to take advantage of your LCD preview. A dark preview tells you that you underexposed and may have trouble recovering the shadows (some cameras let you do it more easily than others). I light preview means you might have to recover highlights but the blinkies can warn you that this might be impossible.

But if the contrast and colors look good in the LCD preview you can be sure that post processing of the raw file will be easier and more successful.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Shoot the same scene in raw and in monochrome mode, then do your own conversion of the raw file. If the conversion is done well (don’t simply desaturate), you'll see quite a difference.

kcooke Loc: Alabama

. I have a few cameras that I usually use that do shoot in monochrome mode. That's due to using Ilford products for sensors.
--Bob[/quote]

I have used those Ilford products for sensors a long time ago. I used the ASA 25 2.25 square sensor. Very rich black and whites

radiojohn

For some people, being able to see the image in B/W helps them compose it better. Views here are skewed towards the very enthusiastic user. You instructor may be aiming at a bit less sophisticated user who will never shoot RAW. The reason I would shoot in color and convert is that I may end up liking the color version! But t is fun to go out and see the world in black and white as opposed to "pre-visualizing" it. Once upon a time there were little viewing gadgets to help get some idea of what a scene would look like in B/W.

I actually have an older 12MP Powershot that has a "live view" screen and on screen adjustments for contrast, etc. Put in on B/W and it is a built-in Zone System. St. Ansel would object!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Those little “gadgets” still exist. See above thread.....

And previsualizing is a useful methodology. Think of it as another term for thinking—rather than taking a image that doesn’t work and deciding to try it in black and white in an attempt to save something that would be better at the bottom of the digital trash can.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You are right, it does not make sense out of context. Getting the exposure right in the first place, whether you shoot manual or Auto, is the best way to get "richer" colors.

But in the final image those rich colors are all close to middle gray +/- about one stop (print Zones IV, V and VI) when you finally render the image, regardless of whether the original capture was slightly overexposed or underexposed. As you go darker (print Zones III and II) the colors start to get too dark and dull to look rich. As you go brighter (print Zone VII, VIII) they become pale and washed out.

Don't confuse print Zones (... III, IV, V, VI, VII ...) with exposure zones (... 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ...). They are not the same thing. A JPEG can normally record up to exposure zone 7 and raw can record up to exposure zone 8 but when you render an image you can move things around to get stuff into the proper print Zones between 0 (maximum black) and X (paper white) by adjusting the Exposure slider, recovering shadows and highlights, bending the tone curve, dodging and burning, etc..

millman221

i love those ilford sensors, esp their hp5 ones used at 1600.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

If you are going to pay to see a speaker or take his class, etc. it makes sense to visit their website and look at their accomplishments and see their viewpoint first. In the promos leading up to the event the speakers websites should be posted.