Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 7/9/2005 2:04:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com writes:

Now  maybe someone will 
concentrate on the sensitivity and dynamic range of the  sensor and 
associated electronics.

Truman
I don't think dynamic range compression has ever been an issue with film.  
Nor is it now an issue with digital capture.
 
I agree with your statement about diminishing returns of the filtering  
technique. While I have been known to shoot over 3,000 jepeg images at a Hindu  
Wedding, when I am doing 'high end" photographs, like commercial/architectural  
work or landscapes fro myself, I shoot RAW.
 
For gosh sakes, the sensor in the Canon 1D Mark II has a linear capture  
range of around 12 1/2 stops with the 20 D sensor within 1/2 stop of that. I  
can't imagine the Digital Rebel sensor is much worse. Or you have the Fuji S3  
with it's single-shot dual layer dynamic range. So what what more can we  
possibly want!!
 
You can then do a luminance compression using dual file processing for both  
ends and layer them together. You can then blend the midtones/highlights  from 
the dark one into the Shadows/midtones of the bright one.....or just do  more 
than one exposure on a tripod to be combined/processed/post filtered later.  
You can then use the High Dynamic Range (HDR) features in Photoshop CS2 to 
make  whatever image you want. Couple that with post processes involving  
Hue/Saturation methods, gradient mapping, curve manipulations, etc. and you have  
more ways of controlling B&W than we ever had with colored filters on  various 
pseudo-panchromatic emulsions.
 
It's the same technique that musicians use to "Get to Carnegie  
Hall".....practice, practice, practice!!
 
Claude







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