Photos look washed out (Page 4): Mystery solved, we've been looking at unprocessed RAW files. They always look woeful before being processed. The second image of the labrador looks...

Kinopless Loc: Mandurah, Western Australia

Mystery solved, we've been looking at unprocessed RAW files. They always look woeful before being processed.
The second image of the labrador looks perfect, the first is just a technique problem. You had us all mystified for a while though.
Go shoot some more jpg's and let us know how you got on..

Sunflowerman Loc: Great White North - Ontario Region

[quote=Meives]

authorizeduser wrote:

Raw photos are not designed to look good. They contains all the camera capture and the raw data cane be used to brighten dark photos and produce the sharpest JPEG that is possable. I have the camera data from the faded picture #1.

How did you retrieve this info? Now, that would be useful when reviewing pictures.

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

Sunflowerman wrote:

How did you retrieve this info? Now, that would be useful when reviewing pictures.

I only know on a PC. When the picture is on your PC or you download from "store original". Open the picture in "window explorer". Righ click on the picture and open "properties". Then detail. Date, time, Camera, ISO, f-stop, shutter spead and lens and flash info is in your meta data. David

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

This is getting interesting. I just switched to Nikon and have a D3200. I shoot Raw+Jpeg and both look the same when I open in Nikon's View NX2. In the two different above pictures, you mean they were taken during the same shutter snap? I can understand if you changed to Jpeg only there might be a difference. Another possibility is that on my Nikon there is a "Portrait" setting among several options in one of the menus: 'shooting menu' under 'picture control'; Portrait mode gives muted color, but good detail in the shadows for post processing; "Landscape" mode gives much more contrast and color. There is also a Neutral and Standard, Vivid and Monochrome in addition to Portrait and Landscape. And even as I type this I have discovered something else as I examine my camera: when I choose Portrait or Landscape, etc. mode and 'right click' on the circular pad with an 'OK' button in the middle, a new window pops up with adjustments for saturation, contrast, sharpening, hue and brightness, that I didn't know about. If your camera has this,( and I haven't heard it mentioned yet), it may offer more options to find the right tones for your washed out photos.

authorizeduser wrote:

Thanks everyone for all the help you have tried to... (show quote)

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

georgevedwards wrote:

This is getting interesting. I just switched to Ni... (show quote)

The Nikon D200 does not have a dial on top for these modes but I do have color saturation, sharpness and vividness settings. No matter how I set the camera up the JPEG ALWAYS looks better than the RAW file but Photoshop can easily make the RAW file look as good as the
JPEG and many times it comes out better. I guess this is the advantage of RAW.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

authorizeduser wrote:

The Nikon D200 does not have a dial on top for these modes but I do have color saturation, sharpness and vividness settings. No matter how I set the camera up the JPEG ALWAYS looks better than the RAW file but Photoshop can easily make the RAW file look as good as the
JPEG and many times it comes out better. I guess this is the advantage of RAW.

Hmm, I'm no expert when it comes to Raw format, but correct me if I'm wrong... (those who know)... doesn't RAW always look 'less vibrant' than .jpg until it's processed? Just by the nature of the Raw format, since it's not yet been processed?

photogmom Loc: Royal Palm Beach, Florida

authorizeduser wrote:

I just bought a nice D200 but I am having trouble getting photos which do not look washed out. Everything seems to be working. I can run the photos through Photoshop and make them look super. Any suggestions? I am, obviously not a pro ..... LOL

I have attached a sample - JPG right from the camera. No filters were used.
All the settings are set to normal. No sharpening.

Did you check your settings under camera-optimize image and make sure it is set to normal and not softer? I have a D200 and I have never been happy with it's color processor so it might just be the camera. I have a D3 and pretty much shoot everything with it.

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

Yes, you are correct.

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

Here are JPG straight from my D200 camera. I believe I have finally got the settings right or at least better than they were. These are BASIC JPG and I will play with the RAW files and see what the can be made into.

jimmymack1

If I shoot with the vivid setting can it be undone in photoshop?
In reference to the submitted photo washed out........

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

authorizeduser wrote:

Yes, you are correct.

Use the "quote reply" button to respond so we know to whom you are replying.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

jimmymack1 wrote:

If I shoot with the vivid setting can it be undone in photoshop?
In reference to the submitted photo washed out........

If you shot in raw format, absolutely!
Jpeg... you can probably adjust it some, would depend on the photo.
I get hundreds of images submitted to me in jpeg format.
I adjust them in Adobe Camera Raw first to tweak exposure, color balance, etc.
You can do a lot with a jpeg in ACR, but there is just not as much information there to work with as a raw file.

Dlevon Loc: New Jersey

GoofyNewfie wrote:

If you shot in raw format, absolutely!
Jpeg... you can probably adjust it some, would depend on the photo.
I get hundreds of images submitted to me in jpeg format.
I adjust them in Adobe Camera Raw first to tweak exposure, color balance, etc.
You can do a lot with a jpeg in ACR, but there is just not as much information there to work with as a raw file.

I also use Canon raw to work on JPEG images It works fine. I love using the word JPEG. This is such an interesting looking and sounding word.