Washed out pictures on Alpha350 - Lens or RAW format problem ? Or human mistake =*(

[Atarandas]

Hi Bros , recently been using more of my Alpha350 - 55-200mm . Cant help but notice that the pictures are kind off washed out and colors not very warm. Would need to do a PP to enhance the color

Is this normal ? I read somewhere RAW format will look more washed out than shooting JPEG with all the processing done in the camera.

I also wonder is it the quality of the lens , afterall its a kit lens. And strangely , it washes out more when shooting plants . Any advise on where I could have done wrong ? Many thanks in advance !

[unimatrix]

any sample picture for us to comment?
i don't think 55-200 is a bad kit lens to have

[Atarandas]

Originally Posted by unimatrix any sample picture for us to comment? i don't think 55-200 is a bad kit lens to have

Heres one . Just felt that the color not too saturated enought. Could it be over exposure ? =*( . need some critique . Thanks



http://www.flickr.com/photos/32461116@N02/3034438215/

[Rashkae]

Originally Posted by Atarandas Heres one . Just felt that the color not too saturated enought. Could it be over exposure ? =*( . need some critique . Thanks

Please remember to link to the JPG, not the flickr root directory.




Err. You hsot this on a cloudy day? What was your white balance? Can you please post all the exif data (settings, etc) for this shot?

[ngck12]

it looks normal to me, nothing is wrong really. Most pictures u see here or anywhere elses are usually PP-ed.

[Rashkae]

Originally Posted by ngck12 it looks normal to me, nothing is wrong really. Most pictures u see here or anywhere elses are usually PP-ed.

It's not normal; actually, it seems like the wrong white balance was selected.

[Atarandas]

Originally Posted by Rashkae Please remember to link to the JPG, not the flickr root directory. Err. You hsot this on a cloudy day? What was your white balance? Can you please post all the exif data (settings, etc) for this shot?

Yup taken on Sunday noon around 530 , pretty cloudy .

Exif data as follows :

Auto white balance , 70mm , F4, 1/20s - manual exposure

But I suddenly realised I put creative style as "Night Scene" Sheesh forget to change from previous night shoot. Is the "human error" that caused it ?

[eow]

look fine to me though

[synapseman]

Do more test shots, and select RAW+JPEG and then you can compare more easily.

Generally, JPEGs have already been "post-processed" within the camera (and even more so in consumer-grade compact cameras), with image parameters boosted in most instances. RAW doesn't do that, so it would inherently be a bit more dull.

[Rashkae]

Originally Posted by Atarandas But I suddenly realised I put creative style as "Night Scene" Sheesh forget to change from previous night shoot. Is the "human error" that caused it ?

Could be, yup. Try this when you have a chance:

1. Later on today, at around noon, go out and take a photo with "Night Scene" selected.

2. Try the same shot with "Standard" scene

3. Try the shot again but set white balance to "cloudy"

4. Compare your pictures.

[Atarandas]

Originally Posted by Rashkae Could be, yup. Try this when you have a chance: 1. Later on today, at around noon, go out and take a photo with "Night Scene" selected. 2. Try the same shot with "Standard" scene 3. Try the shot again but set white balance to "cloudy" 4. Compare your pictures.

Originally Posted by synapseman Do more test shots, and select RAW+JPEG and then you can compare more easily. Generally, JPEGs have already been "post-processed" within the camera (and even more so in consumer-grade compact cameras), with image parameters boosted in most instances. RAW doesn't do that, so it would inherently be a bit more dull.

Thanks alot Rashkae and Synapseman !

Will take more shots to compare . But not today I think going to pour soon haha.

[sulhan]

Hi there,

You could check this to see if there is anything wrong.
Use any of the metering modes - spot, center or average(evaluative).
Take a picture of a white paper (make sure its filling the frame).
Take a picture of a black paper (make sure its filling the frame).

Both should return greyish at non compensated EV setting = you metering system is ok.

In your flying swan image - you should have EV compensated down about (-0.3) ~(-0.7EV).
Its a cloudy day and things are generally dark in scene.
Your metering system is seeing that its "blackish" and increased exposure to make it "greyish" hence the scene is a little washed out = greyish.

A forced negative compensation may have pulled the exposure a little under on purpose to get the right image as per your vision.

Hope this helps...

[Atarandas]

Thanks Sulhan for the tip ,

Will go back and test out all the settings mentioned in this post !!

[LittleWolf]

Originally Posted by Atarandas I also wonder is it the quality of the lens , afterall its a kit lens. And strangely , it washes out more when shooting plants . Any advise on where I could have done wrong ? Many thanks in advance !

Sounds like a white balance problem. If the camera and/or the raw converter uses automatic white balance, it may get fooled by the greenery and compensate by shifting everything towards magenta.

[satay16]

Originally Posted by Atarandas Yup taken on Sunday noon around 530 , pretty cloudy . Exif data as follows : Auto white balance , 70mm , F4, 1/20s - manual exposure But I suddenly realised I put creative style as "Night Scene" Sheesh forget to change from previous night shoot. Is the "human error" that caused it ?

i think the problem lies in 70mm and 1/20s

[Atarandas]

Originally Posted by satay16 i think the problem lies in 70mm and 1/20s

Hi Satay , care to elaborate more on the focal length and Shutter speed selection ?


Hm I have tested the camera metering according to Sulhan's advise, camera turned both black and white paper grey . So I guess the meter is ok.

I did a couple of shots using creative style - night view versus vivid , as recommended by Rashkae and Trash . Turns out that indeed , the night scene settings , sort of washed out the pictures by casting a layer of greyness on the picture .

I am not sure how the creative style settings changed the picture , but from the comments made by bros , seems like its affecting the white balance , when I select Night view.


Hence , maybe to conclude - Washed out pictures on Alpha350 ---- culprit = myself due to human error

[TME]

Originally Posted by Atarandas Hi Satay , care to elaborate more on the focal length and Shutter speed selection ? Hm I have tested the camera metering according to Sulhan's advise, camera turned both black and white paper grey . So I guess the meter is ok. I did a couple of shots using creative style - night view versus vivid , as recommended by Rashkae and Trash . Turns out that indeed , the night scene settings , sort of washed out the pictures by casting a layer of greyness on the picture . I am not sure how the creative style settings changed the picture , but from the comments made by bros , seems like its affecting the white balance , when I select Night view. Hence , maybe to conclude - Washed out pictures on Alpha350 ---- culprit = myself due to human error

The Creative Style alters the tone and perhaps even colour curves... as for the Night Scene style, looking at your picture, I'm guessing that it boosts exposure so as to allow the background ambient light to be captured in the picture...

Don't sweat it mate... happens to be best of us... I can find that I am shooting at -3EV flash compensation and then wondering why my flash fires but the picture turns out almost black.... hahaha... or shoot for a while then realise that I forgot to switch my spot metering back to centre-weighted... or forget to change the ISO back from 800 to 100... you know simple things like that...

[Atarandas]

Originally Posted by TME The Creative Style alters the tone and perhaps even colour curves... as for the Night Scene style, looking at your picture, I'm guessing that it boosts exposure so as to allow the background ambient light to be captured in the picture... Don't sweat it mate... happens to be best of us... I can find that I am shooting at -3EV flash compensation and then wondering why my flash fires but the picture turns out almost black.... hahaha... or shoot for a while then realise that I forgot to switch my spot metering back to centre-weighted... or forget to change the ISO back from 800 to 100... you know simple things like that...

Thanks for the encourage bro .

Yeah I guess from this small small things we hope we can learn and dont repeat them anymore =D Maybe thats wise they say too much reliance on automation not too gd, learn the manual ways then it becomes second nature to do all the correct checking to ensure the correct exposure u wanted.

[Galdor]

Anyway the subject you have chosen has very dull colours and contrast, maybe you can chose something more contrasty to see the effects.