B/W filters with DSLR

[Johnboy2978]

I have a pentax ist ds on the way and it will shoot b/w within the camera which is a big benefit over my previous Sony where I had to convert to b/w in PS. Anyway, I was wondering, I have some b/w filters that I use with my Pentax IST 35mm, would that enhance on DSLR just as it does with film?

Sorry for a stupid question, but this will be my first DSLR, and I'm waiting on it to arrive.
Thanks

 

[tr0gd0o0r]

I'm not positive on this one. But I'd imagine they have the same effect for a digital camera. The only hesitation is that you can achieve he same effects in photoshop and you can play around with different filters instaed of just one

 

[Skyeg]

i could be wronge, but it seems like it might mess with the white balance, im not really sure

 

[Big Mike]

I don't know for sure, as I've never tried it...but it seems to me that doing the conversion & adjustment with Photoshop is a much better way to go about it. At least if offers a lot more flexibility. You can take the shot in color and simulate just about any filter effect.

 

[Unimaxium]

Sure B&W filters will cause the same effects with digital as with film. If you use a red filter, for example, on either camera then the effect it will have will be to darken objects that are blue and brighten red ones, just like you would expect. It doesn't matter what medium is recording it.
And as for white balance as skyeg mentioned, as far as I know when you're shooting in B&W then your camera shouldn't use white balance, as that is a specific function to enhance color photos.
That said, Big Mike is right that converting to B&W in PS is going to give you more control over the final image. But if you're shooting a lot of photos that you know you will want to be B&W, then it would be easier to shoot them in B&W originally so that you don't have to go through each one later and convert them individually.

 

[Skyeg]

it still captures a color image, it just converts it to b/w after. wether the white balance being off would change the effect ur going for i dont know. i really would recomend doing in photoshop or somehting, because the in camera b/w conversions tend to be pretty bad IMO. just try it and see what happens, if you dont like it do it in photoshop.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Agree with Skyeg with white balance issue, because the camera will try to adjust for the filter, when using most filters you need to shoot in RAW mode so you will still be able to adjust the white balance in PS

 

[Meysha]

I've gotten some pretty nice in-camera B&Ws on my Canon 350D which is surprising, because I usually hate incamera B&W with a vengance.
I haven't used any 'real' colour filters on the lens, but I have used the in camera colour filters that you can use on the B&W setting, i dunno if your camera will do this. But I find that the B&Ws look much better with one of the coloured filters on. More contrasty.

Definately set your white balance to your situation if you're going to be shooting B&W. Otherwise your tones will look all wrong - nothing too serious but just wrong.