Many modern mirrorless cameras offer great looking jpg color and film simulation modes straight out of the camera. But did you know that they can produce some of the best looking B&W images straight out of camera, too?
I started my photography with a cheap plastic camera from a grab bag and a roll of B&W film in the late 70’s. I must have been 5 or 6 years old at that time. I guess that is where my emotional attachment to B&W photography began.
But when I started to also shoot with digital cameras in the 90’s, I shot those generally in color. This was in big part due to the fact that I did not like the in camera results that the jpg B&W modes produced. And once the color file ended up on my computer, I often just stuck with color for it and used my analog cameras if I wanted to shoot straight B&W.
This has changed when I bought the Fuji X100S in early 2013!
The higher level Fuji X-cameras (like the X10-X30, X100S, X100T, X-Pro 1, X-Pro 2, X-E1, X-E2, X-T1 and X-T2) have an extended B&W jpg film simulation mode emulating the classic, physical color filters that were already used on B&W film cameras. These physical filters were screwed on in front of the lens and used to filter out a certain wavelength of light. This darkens or lightens the way certain colors are converted into gray scale. If you want to have a dark sky with a clear structure of the white clouds on your B&W film negative, you need to attach a red filter in front of your lens. This will make a blue sky look darker and nicely separate it from the white clouds. These filters work by darkening reciprocal colors and brightening filter like colors.
Digital cameras have the advantage of emulating these filter digitally by mixing the RGB pixels that hit the sensor into different parts of the gray scale and converting them into a B&W jpg.
Fuji for example, gives you the choice between 3 classic color filters next to the standard (and often a bit flat looking) B&W setting:
BY = B&W + Yellow filter
BR = B&W + Red filter
BG = B&W + Green filter
So let me share some images and my “secrets” and thoughts to getting great B&W results from your mirrorless, in my example, Fuji cameras. I’ll write new blog posts about my preferred B&W settings for different cameras once I get the chance to test some of them out.
My quote: “There is a lot of gray between black and white – so make the most of it!”
My favorite B&W settings on the Fuji cameras for most situations are:
– Film simulation: BR (B&W Red Filter)
– Sharpness: +1
– Highlight Tone: +1 (or +2 on X-Pro 2 & X-T2)
– Shadow Tone: +2 (or +3 on X-Pro 2 & X-T2)
– Noise Reduction: -2 (or -4 on X-Pro 2 & X-T2)
This will give you a fairly contrasty B&W look when exposed correctly.
In case that you don’t have a lot of experience with B&W photography, your mirrorless cameras with EVF or LCD will take you by the hand and guide you to your first successful exposures. When you switch your jpg film simulation setting to B&W you will see a B&W image in the EVF / LCD preview. Now use the exposure compensation dial (in Aperture priority mode) or manual settings to increase or decrease the exposure and get a more predominant black or white look and find the zone that looks best for your taste. You may have to set your camera to display the actual WYSIWYG exposure representation on the display.
This next image is an X100S portrait with my B&W settings plus on board fill flash straight out of the X100S:
Through the live preview in the EVF I got this next photo exposed (about -2 stops vs. what the camera metered as “normal exposure”) the way I wanted on the first try. It may feel a bit like cheating, but it’s the result that counts! ;)
If I still want some more contrast in my photo and share it right away, I upload the jpg file to my iPad and do some quick adjustments – et voilà!
Still not sure if you want to deprive your exposures of the color for good? No problem! Set the camera to shoot jpg + RAW and the RAW file will contain all of the color information just in case you change your mind later. The EVF will still show the B&W preview. Feels like cheating again? Don’t worry! It is all about the images that come out of the camera. And with time your eyes will learn what makes a good B&W image.
I have to admit that I often shoot JPG + RAW and end up using the RAW file to convert it into a B&W jpg in post processing. This helps me when I shoot in very contrasty situations and might need to recover some highlights or shadows later. Or when I shoot at or above ISO 3200. I have set the Noise Reduction to -2 (or -4 on the X-Pro 2) but at the higher ISO numbers the Fuji X-cameras still tend to smoothen out a bit too many details in the jpg for my taste – despite the lowest NR -2 setting!
So, are you ready to give B&W a try? Then why not switch your camera to B&W jpg + RAW mode or create and save a B&W setting as one of your custom settings? This way your camera will be ready for those occasions when you feel like shooting Monochrome :)
Plese share your experiences after trying out some of thes tips and approaches for your B&W photography. And share it with your followers if you found it to be helpful.
If you like to learn more about mirrorless cameras you can listen to our Photofocus Mirrorles Podcast.
And if you feel like you could use some good inspiration to motivate you in your photography ambitions, please listen to our Photofocus Inspiration Podcast.
I have an XT2 on order and I’m looking forward to trying out your settings. Thanks for sharing.
The X-T2 looks like a great camera, Jim! We have discussed it and made some comparison to the X-PRo 2 in our latest Photofocus Mirrorless Podcast from July 28th: https://photofocus.com/2016/07/28/photofocus-podcast-july-28-2016-mirrorless-with-scott-bourne-marco-larousse/
I enjoyed reading your article. I cut my teeth on shooting black and white, but other than converting the occasional RAW image over to B&W, I haven’t touched it in many, many years. Going to switch my mirrorless into B&W mode and do some experimenting. Will shoot RAW+JPEG just in case. Thanks for the inspiration.
Great to hear that the post inspired you to experiment some more with B&W, Wes! Please give me some feedback how the experience went for you.
I guess I don’t understand street photography but to me most of it looks like ordinary snapshots. However your use of negative space (dark shadows) sets apart from the ordinary and makes it fine art. Also enjoy your writing and podcasts. Than you for the instruction and inspiration.
Thanks for the kind words, Richard!
Street photography is a very broad genre with a lot of freedom – thus making it hard to grab sometimes. There are many different interpretations and styles out there. If you want to get a bit of a feel for it and understand what I see in a good street photo, you can read the comments that I write in my weekly curated street photographer of the day pick from Photofocus readers: https://photofocus.com/author/hamburgcam/.
Ok for apply these settings in camera because we have to view the result in BW in the viewfinder. But… I always shoot only in raw, develop in lightroom with exactly all the settings I want (more than all these you can choose in the camera !) , I correct all the différents zones with precision wich are under or over exposed etc… I always use ISO automatique wich sélect always the lower iso possible, how to do best? I always use Dynamic Range Auto wich select also the lower iso. how to do best? (lower iso mean lower noise)… Read more »
Hi Jean Pascal, I wrote this blog post for photographers who don’t get good results with their B&W photography, yet. My experience is that photographers who don’t have a lot of experience with B&W (digital or film) it is sometimes hard to see how the color image may turn out in monochrome. Thus seeing the preview in B&W already usually helps them with composition and exposure. And for that, you have to choose B&W and jpg. If you have found a good workflow shooting raw only and converting it to B&W in post processing, that is great. I have been… Read more »
As the owner of a X-A1 and X-E1, I am wondering how the above recommendations/instructions apply to those camera, if at all?
As the owner of a X-A1 and X-E1, I am wondering how the above recommendations/instructions apply to those camera, if at all?
I guess I don’t understand street photography but to me most of it looks like ordinary snapshots. However your use of negative space (dark shadows) sets apart from the ordinary and makes it fine art. Also enjoy your writing and podcasts. Than you for the instruction and inspiration.
Thanks for the kind words, Richard!
Street photography is a very broad genre with a lot of freedom – thus making it hard to grab sometimes. There are many different interpretations and styles out there. If you want to get a bit of a feel for it and understand what I see in a good street photo, you can read the comments that I write in my weekly curated street photographer of the day pick from Photofocus readers: https://photofocus.com/author/hamburgcam/.
I enjoyed reading your article. I cut my teeth on shooting black and white, but other than converting the occasional RAW image over to B&W, I haven’t touched it in many, many years. Going to switch my mirrorless into B&W mode and do some experimenting. Will shoot RAW+JPEG just in case. Thanks for the inspiration.
Great to hear that the post inspired you to experiment some more with B&W, Wes! Please give me some feedback how the experience went for you.
I have an XT2 on order and I’m looking forward to trying out your settings. Thanks for sharing.
The X-T2 looks like a great camera, Jim! We have discussed it and made some comparison to the X-PRo 2 in our latest Photofocus Mirrorless Podcast from July 28th: https://photofocus.com/2016/07/28/photofocus-podcast-july-28-2016-mirrorless-with-scott-bourne-marco-larousse/
Ok for apply these settings in camera because we have to view the result in BW in the viewfinder. But… I always shoot only in raw, develop in lightroom with exactly all the settings I want (more than all these you can choose in the camera !) , I correct all the différents zones with precision wich are under or over exposed etc… I always use ISO automatique wich sélect always the lower iso possible, how to do best? I always use Dynamic Range Auto wich select also the lower iso. how to do best? (lower iso mean lower noise)… Read more »
Hi Jean Pascal, I wrote this blog post for photographers who don’t get good results with their B&W photography, yet. My experience is that photographers who don’t have a lot of experience with B&W (digital or film) it is sometimes hard to see how the color image may turn out in monochrome. Thus seeing the preview in B&W already usually helps them with composition and exposure. And for that, you have to choose B&W and jpg. If you have found a good workflow shooting raw only and converting it to B&W in post processing, that is great. I have been… Read more »