dkeysser wrote:
Guys, I have a Sony A7c and want to shoot great B&W (like the old film camera days). I usually shoot in JPEG (X-fine version), and I usually shoot in normal color mode, and then decide to convert to B&W in PhotoShop Elements. I have also tried the B&W setting in Creative Style. In most cases, the results look muddy and boring, not like I got in the old days shooting a Leica and Tri-X. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Thanks in advance.
Shooting monochrome with a digital camera.
Muddy pictures is mostly do to lack of dynamic range in the scene. Your cameras metering system is driving your exposure to middle grey (18% grey).
When you shoot in color, The colors give you a distinguishing visual difference in items in your picture (flowers, red, yellow, white, violet, etc.). Shoot monochrome (all pushing to middle grey) we start to look muddy. Add a cloudless sky (prolly pure mud)
So if you want to shoot monochrome, setting up your presets are important. This is really kind of an easy task with mirrorless systems because you can see the results of you presets. So things like contrast, or bending the highlight and shadow curves can help get what you want. Also, introducing digital filters typically use for monochrome in the film days (Yellow, Orange, Red, Green). All those filters were what kept you out of muddy.
Black and White film emulsions were formulated with different D log E curves and a different Gamma, and ISO / sensitivity, is what allowed you to make your film preference choice (plus x, tri x, Plus x, and so many others).
So to shoot digital monochrome:
create an appropriate profile for the scene
shoot RAW or RAW plus jpeg.
compose in monochrome not color (so you see the scene as you want it to be)
You can convert an image to monochrome in post but note, all of the above items still apply.
The results you get will be based on the same way you get to play in Carnegie Hall (practice, practice, practice).