Accurate B/W preset

[Jarulex]

Hello Folks

I whish to add a preset to B/W regulations but I’m not able. I follow the process (’Step 1' photo), the pop up window appears, I give a name to the preset ('Step 2’ photo), but finally I’m not able to find the present I early saved (Step 3).

Was different in AP 1 (photo), I was able to see the preset ‘Accurate B/W’.

How it comes?

Thanks. Paolo

[Callum]

Hi Jarulex,

Please could you provide a copy of the document in question so I can try this here at my end? Please could you also tell me if you can open a JPG  apply a black and white adjustment tweak it slightly and then save a preset from that adjustment?

Thanks
C

[Jarulex]

Hi Callum! thanks for your quick reply. It’s weird because I’m able to save other presets, in Levels for example, but not in B/W. I should try to reinstall AP2, I guess. Sometimes reinstall gives issues, but I think I have to take the risk. 

[Jarulex]

Nothing to do, I reinstalled the software, nothing changes.

[Chris B]

@Jarulex

Can you please confirm if what Callum suggested works?

1. Open a JPEG
2. Add a B&W Adjustment
3. Make a slight change
4. Attempt to save the preset

This is the second report we've had of this and both were using Italian language.

If the above steps work, please attach the file you were working on so we can investigate and hopefully reproduce the issue.

[Jarulex]

No. It didn’t really work with the Italian version of AP2, but then I switched to the English UK version and it did work! (photo A)

But I realised a second issue (even in the English version). Clicking on the mask icon (photo 1) doesn’t gives me the option between different types of masks, which is the new feature of the AP2. Can I do something about it?

[Jarulex]

My Mac works with Mac OS Catalina 10.15.7

[carl123]

45 minutes ago, Jarulex said:

But I realised a second issue (even in the English version). Clicking on the mask icon (photo 1) doesn’t gives me the option between different types of masks, which is the new feature of the AP2. Can I do something about it?

It's now right-click on the mask icon (Windows 11) or you can also find them in the Layer menu

[Jarulex]

6 minutes ago, carl123 said:

It's now right-click on the mask icon (Windows 11) or you can also find them in the Layer menu

Hi there! Right-click doesn’t work on Mac Catalina, I have to find them in the Layer menu.

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, Jarulex said:

Hi there! Right-click doesn’t work on Mac Catalina, I have to find them in the Layer menu.

On Macs, use Alt/Option-click, not right-click to pop up the mask menu. Not very intuitive, so I do not know why they decided on that instead of right-click, which could be done one-handed....

[Jarulex]

9 hours ago, R C-R said:

On Macs, use Alt/Option-click, not right-click to pop up the mask menu. Not very intuitive, so I do not know why they decided on that instead of right-click, which could be done one-handed....

True! thanks. I hope we’ll have a complite update.

[Arnon]

I did some experimentation and I think I have a slightly better preset. It's very close to the one proposed above. As my guide for correctness, I uses a conversion using the LAB color space using curves with both A and B opponent set as a flat 50%, eliminating color and leaving only the luminance channel intact as in the following:

In LAB the luminance channel is perceptual. The actual mathematical formula used is quadratic, and cannot be fully replicated by the Black & White filter (I am not sure exactly how it works mathematically, but I have a guess or two based on the fact that any fully saturated single channel gets completely blown out to white slightly above 50%. 

I then used several reference images - some photographic color calibration images that are typically used for printer calibration, plus some synthetic images I generated to make "slices in the color space". I converted them to B&W using the LAB curves, and then manually played with the Black & white filter to get as close to possible to the luminance from LAB using the Black & White adjustment. 

For my purposes there was no point to hit an absolute optimal point as what I was after was to get a preset that would get me to a very good starting point that would be basically perceptual, would not suffer from blowing saturated colors to white and from which I can comfortably go ahead and tune an image to my liking. I use it for artistic purposes, not scientific purposes.

So here are two presets I ended up with:

 

 

for reference, here are examples of the difference between the LAB conversion and the Black & White adjustment conversion comparing the default and the preset:

Default Black & White adjustment difference from Luminance:

Preset 1 Black & White difference from Luminance:

[Affinity Info Bot]

The issue "[Win] Presets can't be added for just the black and white adjustment" (REF: AF-520) has been fixed by the developers in internal build "2.3.0.2083".
This fix should soon be available as a customer beta and is planned for inclusion in the next customer release.
Customer beta builds are announced here and you can participate by following these instructions.
If you still experience this problem once you are using that build version (or later) please reply to this thread including @Serif Info Bot to notify us.