if i wanted to do b/w photography, would it be best to do it on a digital camera or SLR b.w film?

Question

i might want to use colour too so what should i do? should i do on digital camera and then change them to grey scale on photoshop or should i do shoots on both but i wont be getting teh exact shots will i so what should i do? let me know thanks.
PS wich is more quality, b/w film or digital? thanks.

i already have a digital camera that is 7 meaga pixels so dont worry about that.

Answer 1

If you use a digital camera, you should always shoot in colour as you have the choice of changing it...but it does tend to give you more grey tones than true contrasting black and whites. If you do use digital in B&W only so you can look at the shot straight away, you may find that if you have a large grain it will just look pixelated rather than textured. I use digital for the main, but if you want to be creative and feel really proud of yourself artistically and feel some unexplicable authenticisty to you picture...i would use film. Ilford do great b&w film. I always love a grain...so I'd say 800 or 1600 even 3200 if you're really up for it! It depends on how high your pixel rating is, but I'd say film always wins in b&w... try a red filter for a real contrast between black and white. Have fun!

Answer 2

Judging by your question and the fact that you already have a digital camera, stay with digital its going to be less hassle for you. Most fo your answerer's have explained how to turn your colour image to b&w. Photochemical is for the purist but does require a darkroom, hardware and chemicals, then the knowledge to use them.
This all takes space, money and time. If you want to try photochemical then I'm sure that local colleges etc run courses and you could sign up and have a go. Remember that photodigital is only as good as your printer and paper. Hope this helps! With regards to quality, well truly that is in the eye of the beholder. May I suggest a little book I give to my students, published by Dorling & Kindersley, 'Guide to Photography' in the Keep It Simple Series'
ISBN 1-4053-0181-3. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I'm a professional photographer who uses a PhaseOne H25 in the studio. But I shoot with a Canon 5D for my nature photography. The quality is AWESOME! I have a couple of "L" zoom lenses. DEFINITELY don't skimp when you buy the lenses! If my budget would allow me to get EITHER a great body but only a couple of mediocre lenses OR a mediocre body but a couple of great lenses, I would choose the mediocre body with great lenses. Bodies will wear-out after a few years, but you will keep the lenses for a very long time! As to whether you should go with Canon or Nikon, it's really a toss-up. My advice to you, is to go to a full-service camera store and ask to see several models. After you have the camera in your hands, you may like the feel, location of the controls, etc. on a certain model. But if you are a professional OR you want to be a professional, I would go with either Nikon or Canon. After you really get involved with your photography, you will probably add several accessories. And both Canon and Nikon have a huge assortment to choose from. The other camera makers don't (at least not at the present time). Plus lots of third parties only make items to fit Nikon or Canon. I hope this helps! And good luck with your photography!

Answer 4

i was in the exact same dilemma as you a while ago!! (i went for film photography)

if you feel you really want to explore colour photography too, then i'd go with digital

i chose film over digital, because i like the quality and "level of difficulty" in the darkroom, with the skill it takes to produce a perfect image (as opposed to clicking buttons on a computer)

im probably going to get heckled with people telling me digital can do everything film can do! but i still think that professional quality is something digital is yet to master.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I would def use digital in this case.
As for quality. A cheap point and shoot camera isnt going to compare to film but the high end digital cameras beat the film cameras ... its all a matter of cost.

Answer 7

color digital then change it to black and white on Photoshop or the GIMP.

a typicaly film has 11megapixels(if i remember correctly), while 11megapixel SLRs i think are a bit expensive, at least where i'm from...

both ways are good. it just depends if you're traditional or not :)

Answer 8

Digital is so much more flexible, if you want colour too, and you can work on your "curves" or "levels" in Photoshop to get your blacks and whites and mid-tones just right.

Depending on the printer you are using, some specialist ink producers, (Lyson), provide graduated greys in a cartridge, to replace your 5 colours in the colour cartridge, along with special software for creating the print files to work with the greyscale cartridge. This gives you a much fuller greyscale range.

You also need to be careful of your paper as some are simply not white, but creamy, and you need a really white paper to maximise your contrast.

Answer 9

Using a digital camera for black and white photography you cut out all the fun you can have in the darkroom plus the satisfaction that you have everything from start to finish..

Answer 10

i would go along with most that have answered for black and white photos the 35 mm camera wins every time Digital is great because you can change it from colour to b/w. But you get a far sharper image using 35mm