Conversion of Color to Grayscale in Depth!

I'm not sure I understand that, Bob. What app are you using to do that?

I would have thought that a "colored filter feature" is applied to color images, not monochrome images (assuming that "monochrome" means grayscale or "B&W").

In my software, when I convert to grayscale the result is still in a three-channel RGB format, where for each pixel R=G=B. What I'll do sometimes is to add a subsequent single-channel curve tool and scooch the bottom-left control point up just a little bit. That adds an overall color cast to the monochrome image, corresponding to the channel, Useful for getting a sepia-sort of cast (red channel), or a cold look (blue channel). Pulling the control point right instead renders the subtractive primaries, making a S-curve renders a rather unnatural look that is sometimes compelling, depending on the image.

Yes, @honeybz also mentioned doing something like that to an R=G=B image - so that makes me wonder what was meant by a "colored filter feature"?

As you imply, applying a red "filter feature" to a grayscale image gets you a red image by adding the same proportion of redness to each pixel, whereas applying a red "filter feature" to a color image would change the balance of luminosity for example making a blue sky darker, just as it does with B&W film.

I'm sorry, I definitely didn't make myself clear. I'm pretty sure most photo editing programs have a similar feature. With Picture Window Pro v.7 I start with a color image. Under transformation you pick color then pick monochrome. You are still working from the color image but the preview is showing B&W. In Monochrome click on filter, then select solid color. There you can select the color filter you want by looking at the preview. You can also vary the intensity of the filter. When you have what you like, click OK and if you are starting with a tiff it converts it to 16 bit B&W. I then use curves on the B&W image to my liking.

ACDSee has a similar feature. Go to Edit then convert to B&W. Youn then use the different color filters to get the results you like. I think ACDSee is easier to use,

Like I said before, I'm sure most photo editors have similar features and sorry for the confusion with my previous posts. I wasn't near my programs.
Bob

Ah, but that's adjusting the tone (luminance?) of the image to be fed with a different proportion of the channels, where the tool I describe is actually re-instating a single color on a grayscale image. Different results.

Thanks Bob. I have neither software but now it is more clear.

Looks like RawTherapee is similar to those two, Bob.

Yes I also have Raw Therapee and use that feature occasionally. When I edit images I try to keep it simple. I have a calibrated monitor and I create my own printer profiles. If I can get the images to look to my liking on the monitor, the prints will also look good. Some people enjoy being very technical when they edit images. That's fine, photography is fun. We all do things differently.
Bob

Today, I went back to RawTherapee and looked in 'Film Simulation' for B&W. Sure enough, there was 'Fuji X-Trans III mono' and 'Fuji X-trans III mono+R' amongst others.

I gave it a shot:

No adjustments were made to the conversions which both gained some nice contrast compared to the original color shot.

Especially noticeable was the difference in the blue sky between 'mono' and 'mono+R' which seems about the same as a real red filter on a camera loaded with a roll of B&W film!

Glen, after playing around in RawTherapee today, there does seem to be quite a difference between doing that to a grayscale image compared to using a three-channel mixer in a color-to-grayscale converter.

They look really nice. I like Raw Therapee and sometimes I can get the best looking raw conversion from it, but it's not the most intuative software.
Bob

Closure, at last!

what i like about the sony a74 is you can shoot jpeg B&W and the camera saves the original raw file.

Most cameras do that if shooting Raw + Jpeg. Sone S/W, e.g., Capture One applies the in camera curves to the raw but that can be changed. One good reason for using a B&W curve for the Jpeg is the display in the EVF and/or LCD is in B&W. That often is an aid in accessing both the composition and exposure without the issue of color getting in the way as a distraction. In particular for say night time street photography - I always use a "flat" monochrome curve on my jpegs.

It's really interesting how much thought goes into B&W conversion. I've honestly never thought much about it because even though I like B&W images, I often prefer the color versions of my own captures, if I have to choose. So I always shoot in color.

If I want to try B&W I have a couple of quite different B&W LUTs in Photoshop. I try those as a starting point. Sometimes it looks pretty decent already, most of the times there will be one or two areas where I think I can be more efficient with a B&W adjustment layer... So I don't apply the LUT to those parts and convert them myself. Sometimes none of the LUTs will give a decent result. In that case I just start with the B&W adjustment layer and apply the same process: Apply it to the whole image, then mask parts out which I don't like. Apply a second adjustment layer to the rest.

While I have great doubts about my ability to shoot images which are effective in B&W and lack a lot of experience of 'thinking in B&W' for sure, I've never doubted the effectiveness of that method for getting the most out of the shots I get out of the camera, at least for my taste. I admit that I could be completely wrong though... (And of course my method isn't suitable for converting large numbers of images ot B&W - I'm fully aware of that.)

Shoot for the stars! by simple.joy, on Flickr

A gentle touch (in B&W) by simple.joy, on Flickr

It‘s still a blueberry, isn‘t it? by simple.joy, on Flickr

Known for taking close looks... by simple.joy, on Flickr

Life is exuberance by simple.joy, on Flickr

Barely making fence meet by simple.joy, on Flickr

Posi-teeth by simple.joy, on Flickr

Whatever floats your bo.. keh! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Those all came out beautiful! Great job converting to B&W.
Bob

Great shots also in B&W!
A B&W photograph lives from light, lights and shadows. Your pictures have very strong lights and contrast as well as very strong colors too. So they can be well converted to Grayscale keeping them still alive.

Did you try channel mixer (with Monochrome box checked) in Photoshop? It's an intuitive way to imitate color filters in b&w film photography. If I remember there's a channel mixer adjusting layer too. Or maybe your look up tables do the job more automated.

I played a little with channel mixer in RT.

Thank you, glad you think so!

Thanks a lot for the tip - that's indeed a very powerfull tool I never used for B&W conversion. Very quick and great to experiment with. LUTs are a great way of finding out what you're trying to achieve, but they often lack nuance, so it's great to have alternative ways. The channel mixer seems like a great one.