Convert DSLR to black & white camera: I seem to recall a recent thread (past six months, maybe) discussing the conversion of a DSLR into a very high resolution black and white camera.

riderz49

I seem to recall a recent thread (past six months, maybe) discussing the conversion of a DSLR into a very high resolution black and white camera. The thread identified two or three firms that do the conversions. (I’m not interested in the Leica Monocrom.). Can someone point me to that thread or to the firms? (Yes, I’ve tried to search but without success.)

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Why? Just take your RAW images and convert them to Greyscale in Lightroom or some similar program.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Why? Just take your RAW images and convert them to Greyscale in Lightroom or some similar program.

Missed the point entirely.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

riderz49 wrote:

I seem to recall a recent thread (past six months, maybe) discussing the conversion of a DSLR into a very high resolution black and white camera. The thread identified two or three firms that do the conversions. (I’m not interested in the Leica Monocrom.). Can someone point me to that thread or to the firms? (Yes, I’ve tried to search but without success.)

Here is one that does conversions based on the D850. The results look absolutely stunning!

https://petapixel.com/2019/11/29/nikon-d850m-vs-d850-a-comparison-of-monochrome-and-color-dslrs/

Bill_de Loc: US

Have you tried Google?

https://www.google.com/search?q=convert+dslr+to+monochrome+only&ie=&oe=

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rcarol

Bill_de wrote:

Have you tried Google?

https://www.google.com/search?q=convert+dslr+to+monochrome+only&ie=&oe=

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What's the point in having a photography forum if we're going to suggest that the OP check Google?

Bill_de Loc: US

rcarol wrote:

What's the point in having a photography forum if we're going to suggest that the OP check Google?

I also provided a link to sites on the topic. And you provided ...

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robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

riderz49 wrote:

I seem to recall a recent thread (past six months, maybe) discussing the conversion of a DSLR into a very high resolution black and white camera. The thread identified two or three firms that do the conversions. (I’m not interested in the Leica Monocrom.). Can someone point me to that thread or to the firms? (Yes, I’ve tried to search but without success.)

Why convert it to B&W only?

My 5DIV has monochrome as one of the choices in the menus but I have never used it. If I want monochrome I do it in the software on my computer.

Or does this involve changing the sensor for one that only does mono?

If I wanted to do mono only at high res I think I would just dig out my SLRs and lenses from the storage box in the garage and get the finest grain B&W film I could get - or not - I really did not like the chemicals but at least I could now skip the printing and those chemicals - develop the film and then scan. No darkroom needed.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

robertjerl wrote:

Why convert it to B&W only? br br My 5DIV has... (show quote)

Since I got rid of my darkroom, I have scanned lots of B&W film so I could post them on the internet. But printing them digitally I could never achieve my the quality of my darkroom prints from the same negs.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

robertjerl wrote:

Why convert it to B&W only? br br My 5DIV has... (show quote)

My understanding is that each pixel is built by combining a square of light detectors - where each square consists of one ‘red’ detector, two ‘green’ detectors and one ‘blue’ detector; in short, each pixel is an average of the four physical detectors. A so-called B&W JPEG is built by converting the color ‘raw’ pixels into B&W pixels.

A natively B&W sensor is built by eliminating the individual filters that cause each physical detector to respond only to a certain color. Now a pixel is built by taking output only from that detector instead of the four detectors in a square. The result is a sensor which produces B&W images natively - without requiring that software convert from color to B&W, and it will be inherently sharper since each pixel comes from one physical detector instead of coming from a square of four of them.

rcarol

rehess wrote:

My understanding is that each pixel is built by co... (show quote)

Bottom line is that the resolution of the B&W image using a converted sensor has quadruple the resolution of the unconverted sensor.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

robertjerl wrote:

Why convert it to B&W only? br br My 5DIV has... (show quote)

Higher resolution and wider dynamic range. If you primarily shoot B&W a converted camera is far superior to a file converted from color to B&W. It is explained in the link I posted above.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

riderz49 ... When I read the title of this thread, my reaction was ... Say What!! I did some Googling and here is an interesting article on cameras made specifically to photograph in B&W.
https://hiconsumption.com/best-monochrome-cameras-for-black-white-photography/

If not making a life's work of B&W, perhaps Topaz B&W2 would give you the look of the historic world of monochrome. This program will simulate a wide range of classics; Cyano, Sepia, and various emulsions for B&W.

wds0410 Loc: Nunya

rcarol wrote:

What's the point in having a photography forum if we're going to suggest that the OP check Google?

Good question.

Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

I was not aware of the different types of sensors designed specifically for black and white digital photography. I'll be curious what kind of responses you get to your question. Thanks for asking.