Beenthere

I feel very lucky to have chosen Olympus cameras for my photographic pursuits. my dilemma is that I come from a B&W only film background, and, preferring black and white, I ask instead, "shooting digital in color?" I'm still learning to adjust to the distractions of color and slowly getting there. That being said: I carry an extra camera, an Olympus Pen-F, set up for B&W since it seems to include the best algorithms of any digital cam out there, for monochrome, and store these settings in one of the "Custom" modes. This allows me to be ready for either with a simple switch of cameras. Having both, I can adjust the color image if I don't like the B&W. Bottom line, the best of both worlds.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Don

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I agree that you will generally get better results by shooting in color and converting to black and white. I do think the best way to learn what makes a good B&W is to see it in black and white as it takes a different bunch of circumstances to make a B&W picture. Black and white pictures are made of lines and shades not necessarily what will make a color picture. By seeing your picture in black and white will train your eye to understand the vicious difference. I am not challenging all the advice on equipment and processing they have given, I am trying to explain the (if you want to call it)art in the picture.
I hope this is helpful and is not sidetracking what you asked.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Instead of using a filter...

Use something most folks discard as a custom balance only...

Create the regular B&W filter equivalent by using your camera WB custom balance. The result will be what you get using filters w/o the optical interference of the filter itself. The original capture will be a WB mess but once you turn into B&W you will pleasantly shocked (no hair-raising result).

And still shoot raw.

I might post samples later on.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Sounds bizarre. Can’t wait to see how you do that.