Digital BW, The Print

Do most folks convert color images to B&W via the Channel Mixer?  I 
convert my D100 NEF's to TIF and then use the Channel Mixer but I 
know there're several other ways to do it.  Russell Brown talks about 
using Hue/Saturation Layers.  I've tried that and like it but you can 
only do it in 8 bit mode and I think I see a better print when I keep 
it 16 bit.  Any other ways to keep it as a 16 bit image?

Thanks,

Tom Husband

Tom:
The Convert to BW Pro plugin from The Imaging Factory works with 16bit
images.
http://www.theimagingfactory.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Husband <thusband@...>
[mailto:thusband@...] 
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 1:49 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Converting to B&W

Do most folks convert color images to B&W via the Channel Mixer?  I 
convert my D100 NEF's to TIF and then use the Channel Mixer but I 
know there're several other ways to do it.  Russell Brown talks about 
using Hue/Saturation Layers.  I've tried that and like it but you can 
only do it in 8 bit mode and I think I see a better print when I keep 
it 16 bit.  Any other ways to keep it as a 16 bit image?

Thanks,

Tom Husband


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Tom,
You missed my post about using the new Adobe RAW plugin to convert 
to B/W. Am I on the only person who has tried it? I have previously 
tried most other methods and various filter plugins, actions, 
Russell Browns method and Channel mixer. None are as easy to use as 
the ARP. It;s very simple, just slide the saturate slider to zero 
and then use the other controls to get the shadows, contrast, 
exposure correct. All of this is done on one screen. 
Anyone else tried it?

Barry

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Husband 
<thusband@s...>" <thusband@s...> wrote:
> Do most folks convert color images to B&W via the Channel Mixer?  
I 
> convert my D100 NEF's to TIF and then use the Channel Mixer but I 
> know there're several other ways to do it.  Russell Brown talks 
about 
> using Hue/Saturation Layers.  I've tried that and like it but you 
can 
> only do it in 8 bit mode and I think I see a better print when I 
keep 

> it 16 bit.  Any other ways to keep it as a 16 bit image?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Tom Husband

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Husband 
<thusband@s...>" <thusband@s...> wrote:
> Do most folks convert color images to B&W via the Channel Mixer?  I 
> convert my D100 NEF's to TIF and then use the Channel Mixer but I 
> know there're several other ways to do it. 

I use separate layers for the R,G, and B channels and mix
and balance them individually to get the tonal qualities 
I want, and also because that allows me to apply noise 
reduction differently to different colors, since some
color film, some scans, and some digicams are noisier in
some channels than others.

I often shoot the figure and I find that I can often get
a smoother look to skin by overmixing the red channel, for
instance.

Thanks Barry.  I did see your post but I have PS6 and thought I'd 
wait until PS8 comes out before moving up.  The plugin only works on 
PS7 right?  If it's that good maybe I should reconsider.

Tom

--- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "flyfishingusa2002 
<tflyfish@c...>" <tflyfish@c...> wrote:

> Tom,
> You missed my post about using the new Adobe RAW plugin to convert 
> to B/W. Am I on the only person who has tried it? I have previously 
> tried most other methods and various filter plugins, actions, 
> Russell Browns method and Channel mixer. None are as easy to use as 
> the ARP. It;s very simple, just slide the saturate slider to zero 
> and then use the other controls to get the shadows, contrast, 
> exposure correct. All of this is done on one screen. 
> Anyone else tried it?
> 
> Barry

Thanks Stanley.  

I've used Power Retouche Tone Converter 
http://www.powerretouche.com/TonedPrints.htm  and it works with 16 
bit too but I'd like to be able to bring more out of the shadows and 
do a better job on the contrast.

I'll take a look at Imaging Factory.

Tom

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Shire,Stanley" 
<sshire@c...> wrote:
> Tom:
> The Convert to BW Pro plugin from The Imaging Factory works with 
16bit
> images.
> http://www.theimagingfactory.com/

Tom,
Yes it only works in PS7.01. , but rather thamn fork out for NC3, 
why not upgrade to 7 and the plugin? Adobe says on their wesite that 
it MIGHT be included in a future version. 

As far as wanting to work on different layers, you can of course do 
this after you click ok on the plugin.

Furthermore, the plugin is only designed to work for a limited range 
of digicams. If you don't use one of those, don't bother with it.

Barry

- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Husband 
<thusband@s...>" <thusband@s...> wrote:
> Thanks Barry.  I did see your post but I have PS6 and thought I'd 
> wait until PS8 comes out before moving up.  The plugin only works 
on 
> PS7 right?  If it's that good maybe I should reconsider.
> 
> Tom
> 
> --- In 
> DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "flyfishingusa2002 
> <tflyfish@c...>" <tflyfish@c...> wrote:
> > Tom,
> > You missed my post about using the new Adobe RAW plugin to 
convert 
> > to B/W. Am I on the only person who has tried it? I have 
previously 
> > tried most other methods and various filter plugins, actions, 
> > Russell Browns method and Channel mixer. None are as easy to use 
as 
> > the ARP. It;s very simple, just slide the saturate slider to 
zero 

> > and then use the other controls to get the shadows, contrast, 
> > exposure correct. All of this is done on one screen. 
> > Anyone else tried it?
> > 
> > Barry

Peter, this sound interesting but can it be done in 16 bit?

Thanks,

Tom

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Peter Nelson 
<peter@s...>" <peter@s...> wrote:

> 
> I use separate layers for the R,G, and B channels and mix
> and balance them individually to get the tonal qualities 
> I want, and also because that allows me to apply noise 
> reduction differently to different colors, since some
> color film, some scans, and some digicams are noisier in
> some channels than others.
> 
> I often shoot the figure and I find that I can often get
> a smoother look to skin by overmixing the red channel, for
> instance.

Ah, that's the thing.  I already have NC3.  But you can't convert 
using it.

Tom

--- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "flyfishingusa2002 
<tflyfish@c...>" <tflyfish@c...> wrote:
> Tom,
> Yes it only works in PS7.01. , but rather thamn fork out for NC3, 
> why not upgrade to 7 and the plugin? Adobe says on their wesite 
that 
> it MIGHT be included in a future version. 
> 
> As far as wanting to work on different layers, you can of course do 
> this after you click ok on the plugin.
> 
> Furthermore, the plugin is only designed to work for a limited 
range 

> of digicams. If you don't use one of those, don't bother with it.
> 
> Barry
> 
> - In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Husband 
> <thusband@s...>" <thusband@s...> wrote:
> > Thanks Barry.  I did see your post but I have PS6 and thought I'd 
> > wait until PS8 comes out before moving up.  The plugin only works 
> on 
> > PS7 right?  If it's that good maybe I should reconsider.
> > 
> > Tom
> > 
> > --- In 
> > DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "flyfishingusa2002 
> > <tflyfish@c...>" <tflyfish@c...> wrote:
> > > Tom,
> > > You missed my post about using the new Adobe RAW plugin to 
> convert 
> > > to B/W......