My year of B&W has started!

[Hari]

Hi All,

I will shoot mostly in B&W this year and here are the first samples - [positive and negative comments welcome]



[M9 + Elmar 50/2.8 E39. this one was shot last year. I did the pp yesterday so i'm counting this one in]



[shot with the 5D + leica 60/2.8 macro lens. yes, that's dust on the sensor which I noticed only after shooting all evening :/]




[M9 + Super Wide Heliar 15/4.5. yes, this lens has the color-in-the-corner problem but that's gone when you shoot in B&W ]

All postprocessing done either in Lightroom 3 or Silver Efex Pro.

More pix as soon as and when I shoot some more. I will keep updating this thread with the new images. Wish me luck in B&W

[greg]

The plane in the hanger is fantastic. A touch of sepia and it would be timeless.

[hexi]

Great idea of doing b&w : )

I like them, mostly the first, compo and the slight grain, also the last, quite amazing. nice work

[goombles]

[rbelyell]

good luck, i think its great! i usually shoot much b&w in the winter. let me ask you, when you shoot b&w with the 5d, do you shoot b&w jpeg or do you shoot in color raw and then b&w post process?

[Orio]

hi,
I don't want to sound disappointing, but if you really plan to dedicate yourself to B&W, you should do film and develop and wet-print it yourself.

I have the M9 and it's a fantastic camera, but there is no grayscale conversion that can obtain results as great as a well developed, well printed B&W

[dude163]

Looking good Hari!

[hexi]

Gloria

I more than second Orio's saying. No digital can match film rendition, especially when it comes to grain. I am happy with digital b&w, so i won't bitch either, BUT those are two different worlds, i've made few prints and it's worth the "pain".

try it

[dude163]

Forget Film

http://www.alienskin.com/exposure/index.aspx

photoshop is your friend!

[Attila]

[Attila]

[F16SUNSHINE]

hehe...
I was not going to step in it but, now that others need to wipe their shoes also.
B+W will always be film.

Hari these are beautiful pics.
I would suggest if you want to push forward with the m9.
Crank up the ISO to 1280 to get some "grain", Mount some older uncoated glass for lower contrast and accutance, download silver effex pro and emulate some of the classic film emmulsions.
Otherwise to be honest. Digital B+W looks the same from a top P+S as from your top DRF.
Just my opinion please ignore me if you wish.

[martinsmith99]

[nemesis101]

+1


Doug

[Scheimpflug]

[Hari]

Thank you all for your comments!

I really meant it when i said negative comments are welcome - if i dont take criticism, i wont learn some new points of view and im not egoistic to think im the next biggest name with inborn talent





"The plane in the hanger is fantastic. A touch of sepia and it would be timeless."

- great idea! i was focussing purely on B&W but a touch of sepia sounds great!





"good luck, i think its great! i usually shoot much b&w in the winter. let me ask you, when you shoot b&w with the 5d, do you shoot b&w jpeg or do you shoot in color raw and then b&w post process?"

- i actually shoot color raw and then postprocess in Lightroom or Silver efex





"hi, I don't want to sound disappointing, but if you really plan to dedicate yourself to B&W, you should do film and develop and wet-print it yourself.

I have the M9 and it's a fantastic camera, but there is no grayscale conversion that can obtain results as great as a well developed, well printed B&W"

- hmmmm nice advice and i do have a film camera and want to buy an AX or RX soon as i have all MM lenses but its the self developing part that is probably beyond me at this stage ...





"Hari these are beautiful pics.
I would suggest if you want to push forward with the m9.
Crank up the ISO to 1280 to get some "grain", Mount some older uncoated glass for lower contrast and accutance, download silver effex pro and emulate some of the classic film emmulsions.
Otherwise to be honest. Digital B+W looks the same from a top P+S as from your top DRF.
Just my opinion please ignore me if you wish."

- ok i'll try it for the next few pix! i do have some old uncoated M39 lenses and i have silver efex pro already!

I'm asking for your opinions so please feel free to tell me your honest opinions - im far from being a politically correct guy and im willing to learn. i dont think anybody can say i know everything about photography and im the greatest or maybe they can but thats not my style





"The monochrome Kodak DCS 420m, 460m, 660m, 760m, etc. would disagree.

It is true that B&W film will always have a special look to it... but not every digital B&W image is a greyscale conversion. Pure monochrome DSLRs *do* exist.

Now for the hard part - finding one for sale!"

- could you please tell me which ones for example? i might just get lucky!






Once again, thank you all for your comments and opinions and more comments welcome! No, im not trying to be a comment wh*re, i do want to hear what you have to say

Have a nice evening/day whereever you are, Cheers! Hari

[Olivier]

[Hari]

Now that I'm shooting B&W and mostly street, I find 50mm too 'narrow' - so I'm looking to buy the Nokton 35mm 1.2

I like the samples I see on Flickr but if anybody here any first hand experience with this lens i'd be glad to hear


Many Thanks!
Hari

[Orio]

[Hari]

[Orio]

Hari, I do not have the 1.4/35 Voigtlaender. I suggested it to you as an alternative to the 1.2/35 because it's a lot smaller and only a little slower.

[gaeger]