DNGMonochrome - an experiment - I

One of my latest projects involved an idea I had, based on an assumption, inspired by the new Leica MM.

That new 'all black & white camera' got me thinking about RAW converters and at some point I realized it was possible to turn M9 DNGs into monochrome DNGs.

...what's lurking in your DNG files that you haven't seen yet?

Turning M9 color DNGs into monochrome DNGs

A series about the development of an experimental piece of software, called DNGMonochrome, able to convert color DNGs into monochrome DNGs...

The software is available here.

The regular and most used way (possibly the only current way) of turning M9 color photos into B&W is by clicking on the B&W button in programs like Lightroom. But the color interpolation that was performed by the RAW converter doesn't go away. The photo isn't 're-interpolated' specifically for monochrome. In fact, it's not monochrome at all: It's a color photo turned black & white, containing color noise and it is fully based on the heavy duty color interpolation that preceded it. It allows for color mixing within the black & white photo - that way you can create very cool effects, which is impossible to do with a true monochrome DNG - but it might not be the best way to get to the highest resolution monochrome.

That's where my assumption starts.


The Assumption

Creating a color photo out of a RAW file requires more processing than creating a monochrome photo out of the same RAW file.


The Idea

If you turn a photo B&W in Lightroom, it's still based on the processed color photo. What happens if you use a lighter method to turn the RAW into monochrome?

Because the colors in your photo are not thrown away when you click on B&W in Lightroom. So there's essentially the same possible loss of detail or color noise as in your color version, where that might not be necessary.

If you want monochrome, couldn't the interpolation be simpler, possibly leading to better results?


DNGMonochrome

It led to an experimental piece of software I call DNGMonochrome... which I will put online when I finish up the first version... and in coming posts I will write a little bit about my struggles with it and show you some of the results...

... continue with part II