Hi,
I’ve tried to use the new HSL tool to improve b&w conversion (e. g. darkening the sky by darkening the blue channel). I use PL3 Elite with FP5 Essential.
This is what I found:
Color Rendering, Style-Toning as well as overall Saturation from Color Accentuation all are applied before the HSL tool. This means the HSL tool is useless if e. g. a b&w film type is selected.
To achieve what I wanted I had to desaturate the picture in the HSL tool using the white chip. Then I could use the blue chip to change luminance of the sky.
I think it is somewhat understandable and in line with my previous findings about the HSL tool: It seems to sit rather at the end of the tool pipeline, while film simulations and overall color changes are rather at the front.
Still it is something to get used to. I would like to hear how others use the new HSL tool in b&w conversions with PL3. The selective nature of the tool makes it much more interesting than the more traditional color filters of FP5 or Silver Efex.