monochrome vs removing saturation

[kperkins1982]

My dslr has a "monochrome mode" but I never use it,

I remove the color saturation from the photo in adobe.

The thinking behind this is twofold, once you lose the color it is gone, and also, after taking 1000 or so pictures on vacation I'll do a batch edit to change everything to B+W then I pick out the good ones.

Alot of the time, pictures I didn't like I end up loving without color.

Now, my question is, is there a difference in shooting in monochrome mode than what I am doing as far as quality is concerned?

and how does this apply to raw format? please let me know if I need to elaborate or you have any questions.

for reference I'm using a Canon XTi

 

[ksmattfish]

Quality is a subjective term. Do you like the way the photos look? That's what's important. I think many people find they prefer the additional options and control that converting from color using out-of-the-camera software gives them, but if you are happy with your results in-camera that's okay.

If you are shooting raw changes such as converting to BW are stored in a side file until the raw file is converted into a jpeg, tiff, etc..., so it's always possible to go back to the color version as long as you have the raw file.

 

[Battou]

First off, You are falling into a really bad trap ideaology of converting to BW to save a less than appealing image. When shooting B/W it should be shot B/W from conception and not after dismissal of the color shot.

That said your question has to do with shooting to B/W in camera VS B/W convertion and I did note that, but from what I have read over the years here (contrary to my own oppinion) is that in camera B/W conversion is not the ideal way to go as it lacks control and some contrast. Many use an outside editer to convert to B/W.

Here are some color to BW convertions from another thread on a similar subject of converting to GS VS desaturation with the outside editing software. The last one is new, when I did the original ones I did not have Photoshop and used the program I had available to me.

Color image

Click picture to go to the TPF thread speciffically for this picture.

Converted threw Desaturation (Adobe Illustrator)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/Railroad/126291_018_3desat.jpg

Converted threw GS convertion (Adobe Illustrator)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/Railroad/126291_018_3_GSconv.jpg

Converted through B/W Auto adjustment (Adobe Photoshop CS3)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/battousaiofnphiles/Photos/126291_018_3BWconvert_PS.jpg

For those of you who can not see the difference as they have been posted there are links provided for the B/Ws so you can open them in individual tabs and switch back and fourth and see them change.


For more reading if because I am beginning to wonder if I made any sence here....

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105115&highlight=convertion

 

[kperkins1982]

thank you very much for the answer.

 

[ksmattfish]

First off, You are falling into a really bad trap ideaology of converting to BW to save a less than appealing image. When shooting B/W it should be shot B/W from conception and not after dismissal of the color shot.

The prison of art dogma is even more diabolical. Leap from the box! Leap!!!

 

[roadkill]

Shoot in RAW. Camera settings mean nothing as far as that goes

 

[Garbz]

Quite the stepup from a colour question.

At the very least shoot in colour. Do not set the camera to greyscale. With filters and effects in post processing apps you have immense control over the tonality when converting to greyscale if you have colour to work with.