Sunday Call for Comments I
Anybody out there in a position to write a thumbnail review of the Nikon D200's "Black & White Image Optimization"? I'd really like to know what that's all about.
Posted by: MIKE JOHNSTON
Posted by: MIKE JOHNSTON
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9 Comments:
You select it through the "Optimise Image" section in the D200's menu. It doesn't actually provide you with black and white that's any particularly unusual. But it is a nice feature especially when shooting at high ISO's as the grain/noise actually looks pretty cool, Tri-Xy even.
Since I don't really believe in doing b&w conversion in camera, I'm unlikely to give it a good review either. But I do use it when shooting infrared with the D200 as it's easier than setting a custom WB and I can then review images that are mono like the desired end result. A handy feature is that you get a B/W flashing indicator in the viewfinder. But it really doesn't do all that much other than set the saturation. So no pretence of coloured filters. In any case my preferred raw converter, ACR, overrides the saturation setting and shows my IR shots in gorgeous purple. So it's nothing to get excited about - and the camera has plenty of other and better goodies.
John
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John Beardsworth
www.beardsworth.co.uk
Yeah, and get yourself a used F 28/2, cheap , compact, and sharp as they come! And you have your perfekt walk around!
cheers
Hans,
Yeah, I've been thinking the exact same thing. I need to be careful about whether I can focus by eye in them newfangled mini brightscreen finderoo diddley-doos, though.
Thanksfully I already have a camera, but the D200 is so special it tempts me to jump.
--Mike
I also don't usually set my B&W conversion in camera.
I have been asking, on other lists, etc, and heard no answer, what was the grayscale conversion that Nikon used to achieve B&W. But, I guess it must be straight desaturation. So I just went out and tried it, and here's where my workflow differs from John's. I use Nikon Capture 4.4 for 99% of my RAW conversion. In NC you can add filtration to your B&W NEF, via "color balance" sliders, or go back to your choice of color space. You can rescue hightlights, about 2 stops worth, by decreasing exposure and adding "D-Lighting". Save as a tiff and it opens in PS (or LZ) just like you saved it.
If it is your intention to go out and specifically shoot B&W, and have NC 4.4, this could be a cool feature.
Al Benas
Mike, I have not used the b&w option on my D200 due to the fact that it bypasses or strips out some of the info available in color that can be useful when doing a b&w conversion and tweaking the image later in the process. Especially if you shoot RAW this is even more critical. Hope this helps.
John Brewton
Hey dude, this blog rocks!
I'm glad I found it.
"...due to the fact that it bypasses or strips out some of the info available in color that can be useful when doing a b&w conversion and tweaking the image later in the process..."
I believe any setting that you make in the camera menu, can be unmade and remade in NC 4.4; nothing is lost. The RAW file sizes are no different.
"...Especially if you shoot RAW this is even more critical.." I believe that the opposite is true. Of course, the use of Nikon Capture is requisite.
Al Benas
I often use the B&W optimization in raw mode. I can then review the image in a faccimile of what I will get at the end. I do the actual colour to B&W conversion on the computer though.
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