Is there any benefit to shooting in black-and-white mode instead of converting later?
Asked 4/10/2015
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When using a digital camera, is there any real advantage to setting the camera to black-and-white/monochrome mode rather than shooting in color and converting in post-processing later? I'm especially interested in whether this changes image quality, or if the main benefit is just previewing the scene in monochrome while shooting.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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Yes, if you shoot RAW. If you have difficulty visualizing an image in B&W, shooting in B&W gives you a good approximation of the final image at the time of shooting so you can adjust; many digital cameras can even process B&W with color filters, so if you have a particular type of processing in mind, such as using a red filter to darken skies (ala Ansel Adams's "Moon and Half Dome"), or a green filter to lighten foliage, you can get some feedback at the time of shooting to what it's going to look like.
And because you shoot RAW, you retain all the color information for B&W conversion if you change your mind in post. Only the JPEG preview is processed to B&W. So you can have the best of both worlds. The "B&W is irreversible" thinking only applies if you're shooting JPEGs.
Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27440
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For most digital cameras, monochrome mode does not improve image quality. The camera still captures a color image, then applies a black-and-white conversion to the JPEG or preview. If you shoot RAW, the underlying color data is usually retained, so you can still make your own B&W conversion later.
That means the main practical benefit of shooting in monochrome mode is visualization: it helps you judge tones, contrast, and composition in black and white while shooting. Some cameras also let you preview simulated color-filter effects, such as red filters darkening skies or green filters lightening foliage.
If you only shoot JPEG, choosing monochrome in-camera is much more limiting, because the conversion is essentially baked in.
A true exception is dedicated monochrome sensors, used in some specialized applications such as astrophotography. Without a color filter array, they capture more light and can record finer detail more efficiently than a normal color sensor. But that is a different kind of camera from the usual DSLR or mirrorless body’s monochrome picture style.
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