Despair: I really need some advice. When I take a picture it looks good on the camera.When I download it to the computer the picture is quite different and when I print the result is...

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

I really need some advice.
When I take a picture it looks good on the camera.When I download it to the computer the picture is quite different and when I print the result is different to the computer and the camera.
The camera is a D7000 and quite new so I assume that's the correct picture.

macro2009 Loc: Cheshire United Kingdom

Could you please go into a little more detail.
Are you shooting in Camera Raw or jpeg?
Are you downloading via your camera software to a program?

With Canon for instance we download via Eos utility then we can use a program called Digital Photo Professional, to do a batch correction before tweaking in Photoshop; for resizing and converting to jpeg for the internet.

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

I shoot in both Jpeg and raw. I download from my printer Canon MX350 to Serif PhotoPlusX6

macro2009 Loc: Cheshire United Kingdom

viscountdriver wrote:

I shoot in both Jpeg and raw. I download from my printer Canon MX350 to Serif PhotoPlusX6

I would go down the route of contacting Canon and Serif technical support for their technical appraisal of the situation. Not having any of your products.

Malcolm B Loc: Leicester (UK)

Macro2009, I don't understand why you download through your printer, if I have understood you correctly . Is it because you then print directly from the download? Why do you not download using a disc reader (SanDisk?) onto your hard drive and then look at them in whatever program you use, before printing?

I may not be much help but I have never heard of downloading in this fashion before.

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

There is a slot on my printer which takes memory cards. It saves doing it from the camera or card reader but is the same as a card reader. I believe the latest printers have the facility.
It downlaods to the computer in the normal way. I then open with Serif PhotoPlusX6 for editing

Elle Loc: Long Island, NY

viscountdriver wrote:

I really need some advice.
When I take a picture it looks good on the camera.When I download it to the computer the picture is quite different and when I print the result is different to the computer and the camera.
The camera is a D7000 and quite new so I assume that's the correct picture.

The picture on the camera will always look better than what you will see on the computer, no matter what camera. It's compressed. In order to really see what you've got, it needs to be on the computer and not just what you see on the screen..it needs to be viewed at 100 percent (which is bigger than a screen will allow) because it will still be compressed. Ordinarily, anything that looks good at full screen size should print well. The differences in what is seen in print is a whole other matter, seldom as striking as what is seen on your screen. The luminosity of the screen alone makes for better viewing. The print depends on the proper settings, the paper that is used and the quality and capability of the printer itself.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

viscountdriver wrote:

I really need some advice.
When I take a picture it looks good on the camera.When I download it to the computer the picture is quite different and when I print the result is different to the computer and the camera.
The camera is a D7000 and quite new so I assume that's the correct picture.

What do you mean by "different"? Colors are wrong? Over/under exposed? Blurry?

It could be your monitor displaying colors inaccurately too....

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

I'm thinking it is the monitor. The colours are overexposed. I've tried adjusting the monitor.I believe there is a proghramme

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

Here's a link to color calibration tools at B&H:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Monitor-Calibration/ci/12000/N/4220238354

I use a Spyder

viscountdriver Loc: East Kent UK

Thanks.Bit of a break through.I find ifI apply auto levels in the editing programme it seems to match the printer better

macro2009 Loc: Cheshire United Kingdom

viscountdriver wrote:

There is a slot on my printer which takes memory cards. It saves doing it from the camera or card reader but is the same as a card reader. I believe the latest printers have the facility.
It downlaods to the computer in the normal way. I then open with Serif PhotoPlusX6 for editing

I have also a similar system for my HP printer.

But to be honest I found the whole procedure more troublesome than downloading through the camera software. I prefer to re-size and use levels in Photoshop before printing.

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

viscountdriver wrote:

I really need some advice.
When I take a picture it looks good on the camera.When I download it to the computer the picture is quite different and when I print the result is different to the computer and the camera.
The camera is a D7000 and quite new so I assume that's the correct picture.

First check and calibrate your monitor. Try these free links;
http://displaycalibration.com/
http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html

Depending on your experience with the camera - this may be of use;
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth/photography/tips-solutions/getting-best-results-your-new-camera

mikeysaling Loc: essex uk

Hi there, The only program that will show you what you see in the camera (or pretty close to it) is the software that came with the camera , which for your Nikon is ViewNX. Other programs will initially show a slightly flat or dull image as they cannot interpret the Nikon code exactly. If you use third party software you can get the same results by a little experimentation. E.G. I use ACDsee pro5 and always need to increase the midtones and highlights and add some more contrast - then the image comes out just like the Nikon software. I suggest you load ViewNX (you should have a cd with the cam or if not it can be downloaded from nikon) . Process a few pics on that software , printing them as well as saving to your computer. That will show what to aim for as far as what you see in the camera (or almost). Then experiment with your third party program increasing/ decreasing brightness and contrast til you get similar and hopefully better results.

singleviking Loc: Lake Sebu Eco Park, Philippines

For purposes of understnding, I would need to know what monitor and type you use as well as the type of video card you have. Many older LCD and TFT monitors and laptop displays will not have capability to get colors as vivid as they appear on your camera display or from a good printer on photo paper. The camera display shows a compressed version of the photo your camera takes. Also, the display is typically enlarged on the monitor and shows every little flaw. We've had discussions here in the past about the advantages of calibrating your display and profiling your printer so these measures may be required in your system.