Camera RAW and black and white

[rivail]

Hello all!

Do you know when you take a black and white photo you use the lowest ISO you have?

I have a question about that related to Camera RAW format


I shoot raw, in color and then I make it black and white with Camera RAW in Photoshop CS4

my question is... since the picture is taken in raw format and in color, should I still take the picture with the lowest ISO I have? would that still give me the same effect of sharpness?

or should I take the picture considering color setting...and using the ISO for that... and then later in Camera RAW when I make it black and white it will be ok....

thanks!

[private]

it all depends on your lighting...

[dcclark]

I'm really confused about what you're asking.

How does ISO enter into this at all? Why not just try to do what you should always do: keep your ISO as low as possible, and increase your ISO only if your exposure (shutter speed and aperture) demand it?

[rivail]

Originally Posted by dcclark

I'm really confused about what you're asking.

How does ISO enter into this at all? Why not just try to do what you should always do: keep your ISO as low as possible, and increase your ISO only if your exposure (shutter speed and aperture) demand it?

ok.. let me try to explain again...
when I take black and white pictures I try to use a low ISO...
like for building outside..

but, I want to take the pictures in RAW format...still in color..and then desaturate them in Camera Raw in Photoshop.

my question was that, to take a good black and white sometimes you use a low ISO
to it looks sharp and not grainy

but since I will take the picture in color... to desaturate in photoshop... does the low ISO rule still stands?

since that color picture will become black and white?

I can try to explain differently again if you need me to...

thank you

[dcclark]

Having a low ISO is always a good idea. This is unrelated to whether you're shooting in B&W or color. Aim for the lowest ISO that you can reasonably achieve, given the lighting situation.

In other words, your ISO is directly related to your lighting situation, and what aperture and shutter speed you want. It has nothing to do with B&W vs. color.

[OsmosisStudios]

Shoot the same way you would for any other picture. Sometimes more noise in black and white works well too: it gives a nostalgic-film effect.

[rivail]

Thank you all! I hope tomorrow I can make good pictures!!!!! thanks so much!

[velvet4269]

Your RAW file will always be in colour (at least mine are, with my Olympus E500), regardless as to whether or not I have the camera set to B&W. I discovered that quite by accident when I set it to B&W (I shoot RAW + JPG), and got some great B&W pics, but when I pulled open the RAW file, it was all colour - it was confusing, at first.

Long ramble to say what they all said: shoot how you normally would

[LeeR]

I am a bit conserned by your statement "I want to take the pictures in RAW format...still in color..and then desaturate them in Camera Raw in Photoshop." There are a number of ways to convert a color image to black and white while making use of the underlying colors. It is much like we used to do with filters when we were shooting black and white film but much, much more flexible. You should be able to find a number of videos on how to do this on YouTube that should help you work some real magic with your images.