Infinite Tools has released a bunch of great plugins for Photoshop. As a lover of black and white, I decided to dig deeper into it and see how well it works. Will it help Photoshop compete with the growing and very good competition?
In the past, I mainly used Silver Efex Pro for black and white conversions. It’s a great show, but not perfect; Large areas of negative space can quickly end up with unwanted artifacts if I push the adjustments too far. Recently, I have switched to using ON1. It has some impressive black and white conversions and timbre controls. However, although I consider myself relatively adept at using them, I have avoided using Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom for black and white photos because I found the results to be lacking.
Therefore, it didn’t take me too long to do the black and white conversion in Photoshop. So Infinite Black and White got me curious. Can I get the best Photoshop results with other programs? I put the plugin through its steps.
Installation process
Installation is easy, and the process is pretty much the same for Windows and Mac. You download the plugin settings file; one can do it from Fstoppers store. Simply double-click the downloaded CCX file and it will install through Creative Cloud. There may be several confirmation dialog boxes to accept. You get it working in Photoshop by going to the Plugins menu and clicking Infinite Tools. There’s a license key to enter, and after that, it’s smooth sailing.
Difference between Infinite Color Suit and other plugins
Infinite Black and White applies adjustments inside Photoshop; it does not export the image to an external program. One click on the “Create” button will apply a series of modified adjustment layers. It’s not just one adjustment but a never-ending series of possible white and reverse transitions, hence the title “Infinite”. If you don’t like the result, you can press the create button again or adjust the newly created layers.
Infinite Black and White analyzes the image and produces a series of results that it thinks will produce a good black and white image based on the color tone of the image. It works by creating adjustment layers in a specific order and then automatically adjusting each layer’s settings. If you don’t like the result, press the Create button repeatedly for different effects. When you find a result you want, you can save it. This set of saved adjustments is unique to you. From then on, it’s easy to repeat your exclusive style across a series of photos.
Infinite black and white used
My workflow is as follows:
1. Open the image in Photoshop
2. Open the Infinite Black and White plugin.
3. In the Infinite Colors tab, click Create. That will apply different colors to the shadows, medium tones, and highlights. The image will look weird, but don’t worry.
4. Click the B&W . tab
5. Click Create. If you like switching, then all is well.
6. If you are not satisfied with the results, click Create again.
7. If minor tweaks are needed, I apply them now.
8. Apply tones using the Harmony tab, if that’s what you want.
9. Open the Tools tab and add other adjustments using the buttons at the bottom of the plugin window.
10. Make other corrections and adjustments in Photoshop.
Additional adjustments in the Tools tab help refine the image. Besides the tone curve adjustment layer created when you press the Create button, there is another button to add one to the tools menu. However, I find the create zone folder button more useful. Inside are three separate tone-curve adjustment layers, one for highlights, mid-tones, and shadows.
Mid-tone contrast can be added using a mid-tone adjustment layer. That works similarly to clarity in ACR/Lightroom or Structure in Silver Efex Pro, but with more control and precision. Only Dynamic Contrast in ON1 Photo Raw has the same level of control.
Another button adds a contrast adjustment layer, and there’s also a button to add grain to the image. Grain adjustment is interesting, as it reduces the amount of grain applied in the lighter parts of the image and increases it in darker tones, thus mimicking how film grain works.
The plugin includes Infinite Harmony, which is great for adding tone to images. Again, a few clicks can add some super tones and split tones.
How does it work?
I ran a bunch of photos through it and the algorithms produced great results. Sometimes the first click on the Create button isn’t what I want, so I just click it again. I also applied the additional settings available.
This tool is not only intended to be used for one genre, but it delivers excellent results in all genres of photography I have tried. I mainly shoot seascapes, abstractions and wildlife. So I ran a bunch of different shots through it and was pleased with the results.
I have tried similar images through other software I own to see if I can get good results and I can say that Photoshop has organized itself using this plugin. I also pushed the software to its limits by going out on a dreary day and capturing the following scene with a low-quality plastic red filter. The results were impressive.
What I don’t like
At $129, it’s not cheap compared to other plugins. You can buy the entire Nik collection for $149, and the ON1 plugin pack is currently $129.99. ON1 Effects alone, which does excellent black and white conversion, is only $49.99. But, despite that, Infinite Black and White is great value for money if you’re a dedicated Photoshop user and aren’t on a tight budget. One thing I’d like to see with the plugin is include hover labels for the buttons.
What I did like
This is a great plugin for Photoshop users who want to delve deeper into black and white conversions. It is simple to use and the finished results are very satisfying.
Infinite Black and White not only produces finished transitions, but can also be used as a starting point for adjusting one’s image. It is therefore not only suitable for beginners and advanced users but also a great learning tool, as one can manually test the adjustment layers, see how they are set up. and then edit them.
Most importantly, the results are amazing. Is the investment worth it? If you’re a Photoshop user and like black and white, then sure. You can buy your copy here.
