B&W question ?

[moonraker]

I'm using a Nikon D80 and have been trying a few different things with it.I took my first B&W landscape photo the other day which I posted on here in the landscape section.
My question is, is it better to take the photo with the camera set to B&W or convert a colour photo?I shoot using the camera set to record in RAW.My Imaging software I use is Photoshop Elements 2.0
I have one more question what is the best way to convert a colour photo with this software?
Thank you for your help in advance.
Neil

 

[seriousrikk]

Convert a colour photo

You can either let the camer make all the conversion choiced for you, o you canmake every single choice about the B&W conversion.

I prefer to have control myself.

With regard to the best way, that depends entirely on the effect you want. Personally I like using the channel mixer photoshop set to monochrome but this does not suit everyone.

 

[AleksanderLoesch]

I do see the advantages of converting a colour photo, but I find that if I shoot with my 40D on the monochrome setting, the pics are nicer than those converted, dunno why!

 

[SimonTALM]

I know that on a D80 and D200 (and therefore most probably all other Nikon DSLRs) if you select to shoot in RAW and B&W mode the colour information is stored in the RAW file. All you see is the "default B&W" which is applied to the RAW file's inbuilt preview image. When I use ACR (adobe camera raw) and the first thing that does is to produce it's own previews based on the RAW details so you "loose" the B&W effect.

In effect if you shoot RAW and R&W you have the best of both worlds - a B&W preview to chimp and all the colour information to make the best of the file afterwards.

 

[Blapto]

I'm with Simon here, if you have difficulty seeing in black and white the preview image will help. As long as you're shooting RAW you'll still have all the colour information so you can process it yourself later.