There is no beating about the bush with this one is there?  B/W digital photography has really come a long way from the early days and really into its own in the last couple of years.  Contributions to its evolution have come from the software designers, the ink and paper manufacturers, and not to forget the world of printer manufacturing and has brought this aspect of photography into the 21^st century in a big way.  That this has happened in such a short space of time only goes to show that digital is here to stay.  Silver Efex Pro and Pro 2, for instance, have gone a long way in giving us as near as possible the silver halide effect that all b/w digital, as well as film photographers are aiming for.   But can digital b/w give the photographer that same subtle look that black and white film manages to do so well?  I look at my digital b/w stuff and often think that it is too in-your-face.  Sometimes I just want to get a similar look to say that of Alfred Stieglitz’ Spring Showers c 1900 and that’s where digital lets me down.  http://www.robertmann.com/artists/stieglitz/image_01.html

I will keep trying until I do though, that you can count on.  The image below was converted from colour via Photoshop.

Bicycle Riders - Seaview Isle of Wight