B&W Landscapes... Which is best?

JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
edited November 29, 2009 in Landscapes
Which version is best to you all? :scratch

V1

water_web_v1.jpg

V2

water_web_v2.jpg

V3

water_web_small_v3.1.jpg
Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated

Which B&W conversion looks best? 16 votes

V1
31%
JohnCcoldclimbMooreDrivenAllan FGJoshF 5 votes
V2
25%
annaelycmstirinthesauce[Deleted User]LoulouPix 4 votes
V3
43%
kresanonymouscubancraig_dtony0778Howe Creative PhotographyacowanNikonic1 7 votes
None of the above. Go back to the drawing board.
0%

Comments

  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2009
    I'm not sure I can tell the difference between the first two, and the third. The third definitely looks darker, so I'd say #1 or #2? As long as we can see details in the shadows, I'd be happy!
    SmugMug Editor / News Flash!
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  • MooreDrivenMooreDriven Registered Users Posts: 260 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2009
    V1
    The differences are very slight between them and I'm not sure you would tell the difference when printed and hung on opposing walls or in different rooms.
  • JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2009
    V1
    Thanks for the input, all. :D

    Just FYI, my screen isn't calibrated, so I hope what I see is what you all see.

    It's been pretty close thus far, though, since I have printed up to 24x36 on metallic and my pictures look close to what I see on my screen (just a bit less bright/vibrant). thumb.gif

    #1 Was strictly converted in Nikon Capture NX2 from a color Lossless Compressed 14bit NEF Raw.

    #2 Was the above saved as a Tiff and played with further in Adobe LR2.5

    #3 Was also like #1, but not converted to B&W with NX2. I used the Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 plug-in to convert it to B&W and then used a mix of NX2 tools and Nik to process it.

    The point of this exercise was to try and figure out which process produced the best looking B&W from a color 14bit NEF Raw. Like you all, I just can't tell enough difference to decide. headscratch.gif
    Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
    Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated
  • stirinthesaucestirinthesauce Registered Users Posts: 293 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2009
    V2
    couldn't tell much of a difference myself but I will say that the greenway is s fun place to go and shoot. That waterfall has endless opportunities for creative perspective. Had a bunch of fun there last winter.

    Liked #2 probably the best.

    -Jon
    My Website
  • JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2009
    V1
    stirinthesauce wrote:
    couldn't tell much of a difference myself but I will say that the greenway is s fun place to go and shoot. That waterfall has endless opportunities for creative perspective. Had a bunch of fun there last winter.

    Liked #2 probably the best.

    -Jon

    Do you live in Murfreesboro? :D
    Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
    Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated
  • stirinthesaucestirinthesauce Registered Users Posts: 293 Major grins
    edited November 25, 2009
    V2
    JohnC wrote:
    Do you live in Murfreesboro? :D

    No, just south in Manchester. I have spent some time up there though, I'm an MTSU alumni.
    My Website
  • AndrewTAndrewT Registered Users Posts: 22 Big grins
    edited November 29, 2009
    John,

    I would combine the #3 sky into #1.
    Nikon D300 | MB-D10 | Nikkor AF-S 105 VR | Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 | SB-600 | Gitzo G1227 MK2 | Arca Swiss Z1 | Nikon P6000
  • acowanacowan Registered Users Posts: 156 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2009
    V3
    At first I couldn't tell much of a difference between the three but after reading the comments and looking more closely I think #3 is the best. You have good contrast but not too strong, the sky in the upper left-hand corner looks good (maybe a little noisy) but the wall has more detail than in #1 and the overall picture has better contrast than #2 so I'd go with #3.
    Aaron Cowan

    www.aaroncowanphotos.com
  • JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2009
    V1
    acowan wrote:
    At first I couldn't tell much of a difference between the three but after reading the comments and looking more closely I think #3 is the best. You have good contrast but not too strong, the sky in the upper left-hand corner looks good (maybe a little noisy) but the wall has more detail than in #1 and the overall picture has better contrast than #2 so I'd go with #3.

    Thanks for the advice. I didn't notice the wall had more detail until you pointed it out. thumb.gif

    At first, I didn't think the Nik process was that great, but now the more I look at it and the more feedback I get, I think the Nik process is becoming the clear winner here.

    Thanks, all! :D
    Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
    Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated
  • JohnCJohnC Registered Users Posts: 222 Major grins
    edited November 29, 2009
    V1
    acowan wrote:
    the sky in the upper left-hand corner looks good (maybe a little noisy).

    To address this....

    I didn't do any noise reduction (color or ISO). I sort of forgot to. lol :D
    Nikon D300 l Nikon SB-600 l Nikon MC-30 Remote l Nikon AF-S 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5G IF-ED l Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D l Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM l Quantaray Pro U-100 backpack by Naneu Pro l Quantaray QSX 9500 Tripod by Sunpak
    Canon AE-1 Program l FD 28mm 1:2.8 l FD 50mm 1:1.8 l Sunpak Auto 821 Dedicated
  • annaelycmannaelycm Registered Users Posts: 88 Big grins
    edited November 29, 2009
    V2
    I like #2 the best.

    #1 is a tad too dark and you lose some detail in the shadow areas. #2 seems to bring out that detail. #3 appears to be somewhere in between and seems to take that detail back down a tad.
    Anna

    http://AnnaLeisa.smugmug.com/gallery/4752424_e4AsW/1/281905690_9QZEs
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