Canon S3IS...how to convert to B/W

[Soupermom]

I just received my new Canon S3 and I was wondering...what is the best way to convert photos to B/W? I read on another thread that it is best to take the photo in color, and then convert, but I have no idea how to do that. If it makes a difference, I have basic Snapfire software as well as some HP software on my Dell that I am pretty familiar with. My only other experience with B/W was with my 35 mm camera and BW film, and my older Canon PowerShot on the BW setting.

I try to get photos of my kids with BW every year or so, and just don't know where to go with this new camera. I have no idea if this is a simple or complex question, so thanks for any help you can give!

 

[Amy]

Hi Soupermom, and welcome to the S-3 family! I have PhotoShop Elements 4, so I use that to convert my photos to black & white. You might want to check your HP software and see if it has a hue/saturation adjustment; turn the saturation all the way down and you'll have B&W.

I checked in the Canon S3 Short Courses book (you should really get one, it's so much more detailed that the manual that comes with the camera). There is a My Colors menu under the function menu where you can shoot in B&W, sepia, etc. It only works in P, Tv, Av or M mode - press the FUNC button and then the up and down arrow to select the My Colors icon (a paint tube with a letter), and then the left or right arrow to choose which My Colors option you want. I've never tried it myself; post a picture so we can all see!

And be sure to add your pictures to the "My First Pictures with My Canon S3 IS" thread. Lots of photos there, even some bad ones to show what doesn't work. Have fun!

 

[AndrewWG]

I would probably just shoot in B&W. I just don't like having to mess with the photos in Photoshop. Of course, there are many advantages to having a photo in both color and B&W, so it would be your choice. Another cool (although somewhat useless) feature that the S3 should have (I have the S2) in the color menu is that you can isolate colors in a scene. Here are a couple very boring examples of this:

Other things you can do is change the color of an object. I have had very mixed resultw with this since you have to "show" the camera the before color and the after color. The before color is interpreted by the camera EXACTLY as you tell it. The problem with that is if there is any shadow on the object, the camera won't change the color in that part as the color is slightly different. Maybe I 'm making no sense here, but you will learn if you read the manual on that and give it a try.

Andy

 

[Soupermom]

Yes Andy, it does have that isolation feature I am pretty sure. With the holiday I haven't had much time to play yet. It snowed here in Illinois yesterday! BRRRRR! Thanks for both of your help. I'll let you know how it goes, once I get going! I've never posted a photo before, so I'll have to learn that, too.

 

[DueyDooDah]

With digital, I would probably never shoot in b&w. I can just imagine having set the camera to b&w, forgetting to switch it back to color, going to WDW and taking my first day's photos, all in b&w. I'd flip out.

Digital makes it simple to convert. Your software may or may not, but there are many packages out there, even for free, that can do it. If I didn't already have Photoshop Elements, I'd get one of those and a good book (Scott Kelby) and learn the best way to make a color image b&w.

BTW: the best way is NOT using the b&w converter included with many software packages, also they are the easiest.

 

[jenr812]

Thanks for the info on the short courses I am still trying to convince DH that I need this camera before our trip hehe