20D your setting recommendations

gpgold

Just got the 20D and am working my way through the manual. If you own one what are your preferred settings for sharpness etc.? If there are threads addressing this my search technique was not sufficient to find one. Please direct me if this has been covered.

regards,

Gary

gus

Garry most of us look after sharpness post shoot such as in photoshop. Do you have any such programmes ?

gpgold

Humungus wrote:

Garry most of us look after sharpness post shoot such as in photoshop. Do you have any such programmes ?

I am using PS6. Are you saying you leave the camera on the factory settings? What is your usual sharpening method in PS? Thanks for any input.

regards,

Gary

Blurmore

Settings
For portraits I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness -1 Saturation +1 color tone (with the 85 1.8) -1 tone with the 17-85 IS USM and neutral with the 28 f2.8

For general use I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness neutral Sat and Neutral tone.

But as stated, I shoot mostly raw, if I shot more .jpg I'd probably tweak parameters more.

gpgold

Blurmore wrote:

For portraits I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness -1 Saturation +1 color tone (with the 85 1.8) -1 tone with the 17-85 IS USM and neutral with the 28 f2.8

For general use I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness neutral Sat and Neutral tone.

But as stated, I shoot mostly raw, if I shot more .jpg I'd probably tweak parameters more.

This is very helpful. Do you also sharpen your portraits in post? If so what do recommend for that?

regards,

Gary

Osprey Whisperer

Always shoot RAW and tweak in PP. I've seen many articles on 20D settings. Try a "Google" search for setting camera parameters. You might also look into shooting RAW if you are not familiar with this or are not currently using this method.

On a side note. That photoshop version 6.0 is still upgradeable to PSCS2 for $150 if you get on it. That is the oldest version you can update without buying the complete version of PSCS2. (that's the way it was explained to me by Adobe rep) If you think you will be serious about your post processing , this might be a good idea if you can swing it. I'm debating if I should also upgrade my Adobe Illustrator version.

Congrats on the camera and enjoy.

Osprey Whisperer

gpgold wrote:

This is very helpful. Do you also sharpen your portraits in post? If so what do recommend for that?

regards,

Gary

I do all sharpening in post. I have a difficult time deciding if it's too sharp or not....but this allows you great flexibility. You will want to sharpen each image accordingly. There is no "set standard" for straight across the board sharpening. Sharpening will vary depending on many factors including original image, size, ect. There are a couple good articles on sharpening.....HERE:

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=9541

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=9739

Good luck.

Blurmore

gpgold wrote:

This is very helpful. Do you also sharpen your portraits in post? If so what do recommend for that?

regards,

Gary

I only spot sharpen eyes in post production. If the whole image is a little soft I use a sharpening plug-in called Deadman's custom sharpen. Basically a USM which can be specifically applied to the areas which need it most.

TristanP

Blurmore wrote:

For portraits I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness -1 Saturation +1 color tone (with the 85 1.8) -1 tone with the 17-85 IS USM and neutral with the 28 f2.8

For general use I use +1 Contrast +1 Sharpness neutral Sat and Neutral tone.

But as stated, I shoot mostly raw, if I shot more .jpg I'd probably tweak parameters more.

Aren't jpeg settings ignored completely when shooting RAW? Or are you saying that when you shoot in jpeg with those settings you don't use the RAW files at all?

Blurmore

TristanP wrote:

Aren't jpeg settings ignored completely when shooting RAW? Or are you saying that when you shoot in jpeg with those settings you don't use the RAW files at all?

From the EOS20D manual....

Raw images are processed according to the WB, color space, and processing parameters set at the time of shooting.

so no...parameters & WB in camera still effect image processing.

rutt

Sharpen, contrast, &etc only matter for jpegs. If you are shooting RAW, just ignore and leave at camera default. If you are shooting jpegs at all, you have to decide how much post you are going to do on them. Generally, the more you are willing to do, the better results you will get, but you pay with more work. If you do plan to do that work to jpegs, turn all that stuff down as far; in camera manipulation only limits your options in post processing.

On a very different topic: One thing that took me a long time to find is this: Set Custom Function 13 to 1. This allows you to make one touch focus point selectons. After you do this, the "Multi-controller" (the little joy stick) picks a single particular fp and the button at the top right turns on auto fp selection. Once this gets to be a finger habit it really helps close the gap between what this camera has and the much more sophisticated 45 FP system on the 1D cameras.

Another really good CF to change is to set CF 16 to 1. This allows the camera to override the aperature setting in AV mode or the sutter setting in TV mode if this is required for proper exposure. It's called "Safety shift" but really it enables somthing pretty nice. It means you can tell the camera to shoot as with as fast a shutter speed as possible, for example. Or as wide an aperature. Or slow or narrow. You get the idea. Gotta love this one.

CF 8 enables ISO 3200 and L, whatever that means. No reason not to. ISO 3200 can yield acceptable results in otherwise impossible situations.

rutt

Blurmore wrote:

From the EOS20D manual....

Raw images are processed according to the WB, color space, and processing parameters set at the time of shooting.

so no...parameters & WB in camera still effect image processing.

Well, yes and no. They don't effect in camera image processing. They provide a clue for the raw conversion software to use a starting point. So they do nothing irreversable, which is unlike the effect on jpegs.

JimM

rutt wrote:

Sharpen, contrast, &etc only matter for jpegs. If you are shooting RAW, just ignore and leave at camera default. If you are shooting jpegs at all, you have to decide how much post you are going to do on them. Generally, the more you are willing to do, the better results you will get, but you pay with more work. If you do plan to do that work to jpegs, turn all that stuff down as far; in camera manipulation only limits your options in post processing.

On a very different topic: One thing that took me a long time to find is this: Set Custom Function 13 to 1. This allows you to make one touch focus point selectons. After you do this, the "Multi-controller" (the little joy stick) picks a single particular fp and the button at the top right turns on auto fp selection. Once this gets to be a finger habit it really helps close the gap between what this camera has and the much more sophisticated 45 FP system on the 1D cameras.

Another really good CF to change is to set CF 16 to 1. This allows the camera to override the aperature setting in AV mode or the sutter setting in TV mode if this is required for proper exposure. It's called "Safety shift" but really it enables somthing pretty nice. It means you can tell the camera to shoot as with as fast a shutter speed as possible, for example. Or as wide an aperature. Or slow or narrow. You get the idea. Gotta love this one.

Thanks Rutt, both of these are very useful (I already knew about 3200).

Red Baron

To Rutt's suggestions, I would add setting Custom Function 4 to either 1 or 3 - (1 if you want to lock exposure by half-pressing the shutter button and 3 if you want exposure determined at the point the picture is taken). CF 4 moves focusing from the shutter button to the * button on the upper-right back of the camera. This takes a little getting used to at first but once you do you'll never go back to focusing with a half-press of the shutter button. You'll find CF4 set to 1 or 3 particularly useful, for example, when shooting sports or other action. With the camera in AI Servo mode, you can hold the * button to focus track on a moving subject; if the subject is stationary, a quick push of the * button locks focus leaving you free to fire the shutter whenever you want without fear of the camera refocusing.

gpgold

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

I do all sharpening in post. I have a difficult time deciding if it's too sharp or not....but this allows you great flexibility. You will want to sharpen each image accordingly. There is no "set standard" for straight across the board sharpening. Sharpening will vary depending on many factors including original image, size, ect. There are a couple good articles on sharpening.....HERE:

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=9541

http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=9739

Good luck.

Thanks I will study these tonight!

regards,

Gary

binghott

Red Baron wrote:

To Rutt's suggestions, I would add setting Custom Function 4 to either 1 or 3 - (1 if you want to lock exposure by half-pressing the shutter button and 3 if you want exposure determined at the point the picture is taken). CF 4 moves focusing from the shutter button to the * button on the upper-right back of the camera. This takes a little getting used to at first but once you do you'll never go back to focusing with a half-press of the shutter button. You'll find CF4 set to 1 or 3 particularly useful, for example, when shooting sports or other action. With the camera in AI Servo mode, you can hold the * button to focus track on a moving subject; if the subject is stationary, a quick push of the * button locks focus leaving you free to fire the shutter whenever you want without fear of the camera refocusing.

wow. i just tried this out. it'll probably take me a shoot to get used to it, but this is going to be extremely helpful. thanks!

erich6

Red Baron wrote:

To Rutt's suggestions, I would add setting Custom Function 4 to either 1 or 3 - (1 if you want to lock exposure by half-pressing the shutter button and 3 if you want exposure determined at the point the picture is taken). CF 4 moves focusing from the shutter button to the * button on the upper-right back of the camera. This takes a little getting used to at first but once you do you'll never go back to focusing with a half-press of the shutter button. You'll find CF4 set to 1 or 3 particularly useful, for example, when shooting sports or other action. With the camera in AI Servo mode, you can hold the * button to focus track on a moving subject; if the subject is stationary, a quick push of the * button locks focus leaving you free to fire the shutter whenever you want without fear of the camera refocusing.

Yeah...this is one of my favorite custom settings!

erich6

rutt wrote:

CF 8 enables ISO 3200 and L, whatever that means.

What did you mean by "L"?

rutt

erich6 wrote:

What did you mean by "L"?

It's like ISO 50 or 60 or something. Never used it, actually.

asd

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

On a side note. That photoshop version 6.0 is still upgradeable to PSCS2 for $150 if you get on it. That is the oldest version you can update without buying the complete version of PSCS2. (that's the way it was explained to me by Adobe rep)

Not to threadjack, but I think this is wrong. Their store tells you that you can upgrade from any previous version. What the rep may have been telling you is that if you try to upgrade from a version that's below 6, you have to phone in to get help installing your upgrade the first time.

I recently did the "buy an old version on ebay and then use it to buy an upgrade edition" thing and had to call in for help installing because I have version 5. It's a one time deal: the rep tells you to run the installer with a special argument "blah.msi UNLOCK=1" and then enter a special code which the rep gives you over the phone. Write the code down and you're set for any future (re)installs of that upgrade edition.

erich6

rutt wrote:

It's like ISO 50 or 60 or something. Never used it, actually.

Really?? How do you get it? I've got mine setup with CF8 for "ISO expansion" and all it does is add the 3200 option. Are you still talking about the 20D?

rutt

erich6 wrote:

Really?? How do you get it? I've got mine setup with CF8 for "ISO expansion" and all it does is add the 3200 option. Are you still talking about the 20D?

Only checked on 5D and 1DMII. Maybe 20D doesn't have.

John Mueller

rutt wrote:

Only checked on 5D and 1DMII. Maybe 20D doesn't have.

Not on the 20D

JCDoss

Red Baron wrote:

...I would add setting Custom Function 4 to either 1 or 3 - (1 if you want to lock exposure by half-pressing the shutter button and 3 if you want exposure determined at the point the picture is taken). CF 4 moves focusing from the shutter button to the * button on the upper-right back of the camera...

Definitely a great CF. I've used this since the D30. I set it to 1 if I want AE lock, and 3 when I don't want AE lock. I don't think I could ever go back. :

System

very informative thread-

thanks all-

george