Why is the color so flat in the D300?
EphTwoEight
Registered Users Posts: 552 Major grins
Out shooting this weekend, and as the sun was setting the mountains were the brightest redish color I've ever seen them so I took a few pics and on the cameras screen the colors were terible. I figured when I put them on the copmuter maybe they would come out normal, nope! Just as bad.
All of them even the green fields were drab. Yeah I can adjust them but...
is that normal? I tried both adobe and 's' color space. No difference I could tell.
All of them even the green fields were drab. Yeah I can adjust them but...
is that normal? I tried both adobe and 's' color space. No difference I could tell.
0
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Without seeing image samples it's kinda hard to know what to recommend.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Also your exif data and in-camera settings would be helpful also.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Somehow I had the WB set to incandescent, A1, 0
(didnt notice that earlier)
Not sure how that happened.
I suppose that would explain it.
Delete my post if you want.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Are they RAW files? If so you can change the WB in post.
Does anyone use them expodiscs? (sp?)
You've got to be kidding. Guy's got an $1800 body, and you want to take chances with a frigging piece of plastic that is in no way calibrated?? May as well stick with auto WB.
Get the ExpoDisc. I use it several times a day, and it is spot on. I just shot a project for a bunch of knitters (crazies!) involving dozens of skeins of yarn. All the colors you could imagine. All shot outdoors under changing light conditions over a few days. The cool thing about it was that I could compare the colors of the yarn with my shots just by holding the skein up next to my monitor. Using the ExpoDisc, every one was perfectly color balanced, and I did not have to tweak ONE in post (for WB anyway).
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/whibal.shtml
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/WHB/WHB.HTM
http://www.expoimaging.net/
http://www.colorbalancecoach.com/home.htm
I personally use the Colour Balance Coach, but I use the smallest one that is 8 inches diameter when folded out full size. It easily folds into its little pouch that will literally fit into my shirt pocket, so it's very convenient to use in the field. One side is white, the other 18% grey.
If you are serious about colour photography, get some white balance tool, whatever it is.
When shooting at times of the day when the light temperature is unknown (late afternoon or cloudy day), I simply take a shot of the target under the same lighting as my subject. In PP (either Photoshop or Lightroom), just click on the picture of the WB target, and the correct temperature and tint will be displayed to use with the images.
I agree with Icebear - my target costs $20 which pales in comparison with the cost of a lens or body. Even one filter is fives times that cost. Don't go cheap, the person you are cheating is you.
Maybe I'll put a few up. Ghost towns are awesome.
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
No, I'm not kidding. Unless he is doing proffesional work it's a great way of getting close to correct WB in bad lighting that would otherwise cast bad lighting tint. If he finds he uses it a lot, then getting the real deal would not be a wasted investment. It's better than AWB.
AWB
Plastic Lid
Wow, can't disagree that your result is better than the auto WB if that's an example of what you're getting from your camera's auto. I'd have to take gentle issue with you though about your implication that only professionals need to get it spot-on.
There's a reason some of us spend three or for times what others of us spend for a body. It's 'cause we want better results from the whole system.
I'll give you this though. If I were caught in the field in a difficult lighting situation and hadn't had the foresight to schlep my Expodisc, I wouldn't refuse the offer of your Pringles lid
I ran a test this morning on several plastic "Cheapspodisks.". Invested a couple of hours, so I'd really appreciate it if y'all would go over to the Techniques forum and have a look at it here. I think you'll find it interesting.
John
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
I almost bought an expodisc. However, I know myself and I would lose it within a week. I just get too distracted by what I am shooting and I would put it down and leave it. So far, I haven't been able to lose the plastic lid. If I do, I just go buy a can of peanuts that have the frosty lids.
I understand about getting the most and the best out of equipment. For me, I would rather spend the money on better glass. If I can get the colors in the ballpark, it makes it easier in post processing to get the colors correct.
This may be a separate topic, but I'll start here anyhow. That ExpoDisc sounds great. I'm about to do some similar photography. Some of it will be viewed on computers (web-site), so that sounds perfect. But others will appear in print (brochure). How do I match the 'actual' and 'monitor' colors, to print? (Have I opened a can of worms? Can you answer this in 30 words or less?)
Thanks in advance...
Differnent can of worms. This isnt just WB, but monitor calibration and ICC profiles. You will want to make sure your monitor is calbrated, using a Huey or Sypder device (search Dgrin). You also want to make sure you soft proof using the ICC profile for your printer or service (see here) . Do some searching here on DGrin, plenty of info.
I use the Whitbal, and rather happy with it. Its great to drop into my scene as a white balance reference to use in post. I don't often use Custom WB on my camera, as I often forget to update it as time passes or forget and leave it on resulting in screwy photos later. I just prefer to handle in post later, but this depends on haveing a WB reference in a photo. I shoot only RAW anyway, so this works for me.
This leads to another question. How do external printing services (such as SmugMug) handle color correction? I did a test print and was very impressed with both the quality and the color 'closeness', although some of the shots seemed slightly over-saturated (which is fine for a computer monitor but not for a print).
http://www.smugmug.com/help/too-red
http://www.smugmug.com/help/print-problems
Others have already responded, so I'll just add that you can never control the "crappiness level" of the viewers' monitors. Just get YOUR system properly managed, so YOUR monitor matches YOUR prints, and you have to hope your viewers have reasonably close monitors.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm always losing lens covers. The Expodisc has a little loop on it that you can run a lanyard through. I have a quick release on mine, but it usually resides in my breast pocket, with the lanyard around my neck.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.