What is the difference between shooting in B&W compared to colour and then...

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Eklund

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...transforming it to B&W? Here's a question that I have wondered. Whats the difference in shooting in B&W compared to shooting in colour then making it B&W?

Say in a digital sense and in a film sense.
 
It is the way the pixels capture the image and the interpolation used.
In digital, I always recommend shooting in color, RAW images, and later translate to B&W. This gives you total control on the way the B&W images look as you can emphasize a color and use the RGB layers as you would filters on a lens to create the exact effect you want.

In film, I would recommend shooting in B&W and use lens filters to create effect. You would have all the silver halides available to capture your image. Why? Because color film has three separate layers (sensitive to Red, Green, and Blue light). You would actually negate the color effect of some of the layers when using lens filters)
 
Shooting in color requires different lighting, different background so the color contrast is more evident without overpowering the facial features.

Black and White has a more subdued lighting and personally, it is just as hard to take a b/w. Again, the lighting is so much more important.

As for digital, it does not have the warmth of a film no matter what anybody says.

P.S. You can always convert to b/w from color. Now, take that same pic in b/w and compare it. You will see a noticable difference.
 
If you let the camera decide what to do, you are depending upon the algorithms designed by engineers ... not necessarily visually creative.

By shooting in colour, you are capturing RBG data (nearly three times the data when comparied to the "in camera black" and white files.

Using the saturation feature to desaturate the colour image, then using the levels tool, set the black threshold, white threshold and then adjust the mid-tones to the best looking black and white range.
 
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