Preventing Washed Out and Unsaturated Shots

[btym3011]

just wanted to check if canon 450D users out there face the same problem as me and how to prevent this kinda problem. pls take a look at the 2 shots, taken one after another. they are cropped down as my friends are on the other side of the pic.

1.


2.


i like the colours on the first shot alot more than the 2nd. settings were not changed but the camera did something funny to the exposure. exif info should still be intact so pple can check it out. was shooting on aperture priority at f/3.5, 0EV.

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

know your metering. and where to meter

anyway, you can always ps it later.

[chalib]

No exif data

Depend on what metering mode u use....

It is not the cam did something funny, it is just u dun understand how the camera metering works....

Read ur manual on how each metering mode works

[Dream Merchant]

Besides what the others said, I noticed that on some EOS bodies, as you take successive shots, and if you're on say Auto WB and some kind of Auto exposure, the camera may read and re-adjust settings to accomodate for what it thinks is a change in conditions. This may occur with color temperatures further away from the standard daylight setting (which is never standard anyways) more when the temperature is higher, and also in backlit situations where a very slight change in the camera position may result in the metering cells reading differently.

How to prevent it?

The simplet\st, most straightforward way I can think of (for me anyways) is:

Go fully manual, and shoot in RAW for a wider latitude of adjustments.

But being in control means knowing what to identify and how to control settings.

[calebk]

You prefer the first image? I actually prefer the second image because of more detail in it, and I don't think it's "washed out". However, both images would appear to me as lacking in saturation of colour, but that is due to the quality of light in the shot.

[btym3011]

Originally Posted by Del_CtrlnoAlt know your metering. and where to meter anyway, you can always ps it later.

it was on evaluative metering and i didnt really shift the camera that much between the first and second shots. just wondering why the camera decided that the scene was so different and adjusted the shutter speed that much.

Originally Posted by chalib No exif data Depend on what metering mode u use.... It is not the cam did something funny, it is just u dun understand how the camera metering works.... Read ur manual on how each metering mode works

i checked with canon digital photo professional and the exif data was intact. what software are you using to read the exif data? is it the nikon program or adobe photoshop? the metering mode was evaluative, as i stated. i'm dont think that the amount of light decreased that much between the two shots to make the camera change the shutter speed that much.

Originally Posted by Dream Merchant Besides what the others said, I noticed that on some EOS bodies, as you take successive shots, and if you're on say Auto WB and some kind of Auto exposure, the camera may read and re-adjust settings to accomodate for what it thinks is a change in conditions. This may occur with color temperatures further away from the standard daylight setting (which is never standard anyways) more when the temperature is higher, and also in backlit situations where a very slight change in the camera position may result in the metering cells reading differently. How to prevent it? The simplet\st, most straightforward way I can think of (for me anyways) is: Go fully manual, and shoot in RAW for a wider latitude of adjustments. But being in control means knowing what to identify and how to control settings.

thanks, i think this makes alot more sense than the previous responses. but is there a more convenient way of doing this? or is manual the only way to go for consistent shots?

Originally Posted by calebk You prefer the first image? I actually prefer the second image because of more detail in it, and I don't think it's "washed out". However, both images would appear to me as lacking in saturation of colour, but that is due to the quality of light in the shot.

yup, i agree that the quality of light that day was not very good. i feel that the green of the grass in the first pic is a more accurate representation of the scene. and i also agree with you that there is more detail in the second pic.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by btym3011 just wanted to check if canon 450D users out there face the same problem as me and how to prevent this kinda problem. pls take a look at the 2 shots, taken one after another. they are cropped down as my friends are on the other side of the pic i like the colours on the first shot alot more than the 2nd. settings were not changed but the camera did something funny to the exposure. exif info should still be intact so pple can check it out. was shooting on aperture priority at f/3.5, 0EV.

your metering got fooled, not a problem, the exposure is less on the first than the second, simple as that.

[Dream Merchant]

Originally Posted by btym3011 it was on evaluative metering and i didnt really shift the camera that much between the first and second shots. just wondering why the camera decided that the scene was so different and adjusted the shutter speed that much. i checked with canon digital photo professional and the exif data was intact. what software are you using to read the exif data? is it the nikon program or adobe photoshop? the metering mode was evaluative, as i stated. i'm dont think that the amount of light decreased that much between the two shots to make the camera change the shutter speed that much. thanks, i think this makes alot more sense than the previous responses. but is there a more convenient way of doing this? or is manual the only way to go for consistent shots? yup, i agree that the quality of light that day was not very good. i feel that the green of the grass in the first pic is a more accurate representation of the scene. and i also agree with you that there is more detail in the second pic.

Canon's algos work in strange ways sometimes!

Under such situations, going manual is the fastest, most convenient way.

Here's why:

Unless you're comfy fiddling with EC settings, shooting and checking LCD AND histograms, then re-adjusting till you get the desired exposure ... what's happening is that you're desperately trying to override the camera's programming, which is cascading sort of.

By going manual, you are keeping the two main exposure controls - shutter speed and aperture constant and under YOUR command, and if the scene does not present you with rapidly changing light*, going manual gives you the most control.

When my camera starts acting like that, and under certain challenging light conditions as mentioned earlier, I also switch over to manual WB and dial in the color temperature I feel is correct instead of letting the camera's Auto WB run loose over several frames. Practising this also forces you to learn how to 'see' and identify color temperatures. Of course, it helps if you understand the basics of light as well.

Alternatively, shoot a burst of more than 3 or 4 shots. This will allow the automatation to 'settle' into what it thinks is 'correct', which may not be the result you want anyway, and THEN you have to do the above-mentioned fiddle with EC bla bla bla ...


Note: * Looking at the horse's mane, I suspect it was a windy day. Was it? If it was, the leaves in the tress could have been moving enough (with the backlight hitting your metering sensors) to throw your readings, and thus explaining the shift in shutter speeds as the leaves moved. That's one possibility anyways. I'm sure you could think of others.

[btym3011]

Originally Posted by night86mare your metering got fooled, not a problem, the exposure is less on the first than the second, simple as that.

yup, got it.. thx for ur input.

Originally Posted by Dream Merchant Canon's algos work in strange ways sometimes! Under such situations, going manual is the fastest, most convenient way. Here's why: Unless you're comfy fiddling with EC settings, shooting and checking LCD AND histograms, then re-adjusting till you get the desired exposure ... what's happening is that you're desperately trying to override the camera's programming, which is cascading sort of. By going manual, you are keeping the two main exposure controls - shutter speed and aperture constant and under YOUR command, and if the scene does not present you with rapidly changing light*, going manual gives you the most control. When my camera starts acting like that, and under certain challenging light conditions as mentioned earlier, I also switch over to manual WB and dial in the color temperature I feel is correct instead of letting the camera's Auto WB run loose over several frames. Practising this also forces you to learn how to 'see' and identify color temperatures. Of course, it helps if you understand the basics of light as well. Alternatively, shoot a burst of more than 3 or 4 shots. This will allow the automatation to 'settle' into what it thinks is 'correct', which may not be the result you want anyway, and THEN you have to do the above-mentioned fiddle with EC bla bla bla ... Note: * Looking at the horse's mane, I suspect it was a windy day. Was it? If it was, the leaves in the tress could have been moving enough (with the backlight hitting your metering sensors) to throw your readings, and thus explaining the shift in shutter speeds as the leaves moved. That's one possibility anyways. I'm sure you could think of others.

thx again for ur input. looks like going manual is the way for me to have more control over my exposure. thanks.