What U see on LCD (D70) not what U get??

[Photonet18]

Hi, recently I bought a Nikon D70 follow by updated the firmware to version 1.02. Furthermore, I even downloaded a custom curve from Alfredo onto the camera.

However, during my recent photo shoot, I notice that whenever I taken a shot that looks perfect on the LCD screen of D70, the actually display onto my computer was at least half to two-third stop under-exposed.

I am not what had caused these to happen and appreciate if anyone ever came across and overcome it, please do enlighten me and others who came across this thread on the solution.

Thank you.

Photonet18

[Gymrat76]

The LCD is for general reviewing your shots, you can't really use it to check for sharpness or exposure accurately. Plus, I find the default contrast setting on the D70's LCD is a bit bright, I use -2 most of the time. As for your home monitor, is it profiled, i.e calibrated? If its not, then you really can't tell if the D70 is wrong and your monitor is right (or vice versa)

[Silverelf]

Hehe. And how should one go about calibrating the monitor? Same problem here, looks great on LCD, lousy on monitor, but I don't know which is the problem, so waiting for prints to come out, but I think printing process will also have variation, so may not be best idea....

[Gymrat76]

Get something like ColorVision's Spyder to calibrate your monitor if you really need to. $199 from CP

[kelster]

Originally Posted by Silverelf Hehe. And how should one go about calibrating the monitor? Same problem here, looks great on LCD, lousy on monitor, but I don't know which is the problem, so waiting for prints to come out, but I think printing process will also have variation, so may not be best idea....

well...althou me not using D70...but I feel a more reliable gauge to your pic's exposure should be the histogram instead of the LCD monitor lah...just my 2 cents...heh

[tmc17479]

calibrate either your monitor to your LCD or your LCD to your monitor. Easiest way. Then compare either one with your fav lab's calibration when you develop.

[Silverelf]

Originally Posted by kelster well...althou me not using D70...but I feel a more reliable gauge to your pic's exposure should be the histogram instead of the LCD monitor lah...just my 2 cents...heh

damn. Now I got to learn to read squiggly lines???

[johnyu]

As kelster said, you almost always rely on the histogram to check your exposure.

[espn]

Originally Posted by Silverelf damn. Now I got to learn to read squiggly lines???

It's not that difficult, it's a matter of whether you want to or not. You cannot trust the LCD on the camera for it's exposure & colours, if you don't believe me, check out the LCD for the D2H.

As Gymrat has mentioned, the LCD is for reviewing & composition checking purposes, exposure & sharpness will be dependant on the histogram and viewing at 100% on the PC's display.

You don't expect great out of the box images on DSLR bodies, post processing is something you can't avoid. Face it

This is true even for the D1X and D100 bodies. Am pretty sure of that on the Canon DSLRs even 1Ds as well.

[mpenza]

Use the histogram. LCDs generally are too bright if left at the default settings. I usually, turn down the brightness for my cameras.

[kiong23]

Besides the Histogram, another good information screen available on the D70 is the highlights. It shows which areas in your shot are over exposed.

Generally speaking ... it easier to recover details in PS from an under exposed than an over exposed shot.

[D2Hpeter]

Originally Posted by kiong23 Besides the Histogram, another good information screen available on the D70 is the highlights. It shows which areas in your shot are over exposed. Generally speaking ... it easier to recover details in PS from an under exposed than an over exposed shot.

don't quite agree on this pt. Those "white-out" area may not be a good indication.

what i usually do is to shoot in NEF [RAW] and then adjust the EV value for the exposure and WB if required in PS, for those tricky lighting situation.
Anyway, for the D70, the response is quite fast even shooting in RAW mode.

It would be perfect if fine-tuning is also allowed for the WB

[Adzz]

Originally Posted by D2Hpeter don't quite agree on this pt. Those "white-out" area may not be a good indication. what i usually do is to shoot in NEF [RAW] and then adjust the EV value for the exposure and WB if required in PS, for those tricky lighting situation. Anyway, for the D70, the response is quite fast even shooting in RAW mode.

i am wondering about ur point on shooting in RAW and adjusting the EV value, but I dont think it will be as good as getting the right exposure. underexposed areas can be saved, but blown out areas should be a goner. i do agree about playing ard with WB.

hence, could it be better to do bracketing as compared to shooting in RAW and adjusting its EV again?

[D2Hpeter]

Originally Posted by Adzz i am wondering about ur point on shooting in RAW and adjusting the EV value, but I dont think it will be as good as getting the right exposure. underexposed areas can be saved, but blown out areas should be a goner. i do agree about playing ard with WB. hence, could it be better to do bracketing as compared to shooting in RAW and adjusting its EV again?

that is even better. thanks for the additional idea.
but as i said, it is pity that no fine-tuning is allowed for WB [or is there which i am not aware] in PS. Only discrete choices given.

But if I am not wrong, RAW actually dump all data in, ie adjusting ev on the RAW equivalent to bracketing ????

[Adzz]

Originally Posted by D2Hpeter that is even better. thanks for the additional idea. but as i said, it is pity that no fine-tuning is allowed for WB [or is there which i am not aware] in PS. Only discrete choices given. But if I am not wrong, RAW actually dump all data in, ie adjusting ev on the RAW equivalent to bracketing ????

not that i know of any idea for WB in PS. hehe.. but maybe its possible with such actions for PS?

RAW saves data from censor sites. but i dont think it works the same for EV. I notice better exposure with bracketing then using RAW and to tune the EV.

Maybe better players to explain the part on "adjusting EV on RAW vs Bracketing"? Espn? hehe

[smallaperture]

Originally Posted by Photonet18 . However, during my recent photo shoot, I notice that whenever I taken a shot that looks perfect on the LCD screen of D70, the actually display onto my computer was at least half to two-third stop under-exposed. Thank you. Photonet18

Yes, what you see if correct, like 2/3 to a full stop under-exposed, depending on the situation. I have done comparo with a digicam, with scanned slides and scanned negatives and even scanned 8R photo to compare. This is one of the least publicised fact. No one said that in the on-line reviews, those photo magazines, whatever. Of course, you can get your monitor calibrated very accurately, but what's the point when 1/2 a stop over or under could be desirable in the first place, depending on your personal preference or taste.

My suggestion: use the exposure compensation if you do not want to do post-processing. The risk is to get blown-out highlights if your picture has got high contrast, and lots of it.

Of course, you can do post-processing, and spend lots and lots of precious time in front of the monitor and touch up each and every pic. Not forgeting that we tend to shoot more in digital, that mean much, much more time doing post-processing. Personally, I prefer to do it right and do as little post-processing as possible. If you're a pro, should be spending more time making money and have more leisure time rather than siting in front of the monitor doing so much post processing.

[deadpixel]

Originally Posted by Adzz not that i know of any idea for WB in PS. hehe.. but maybe its possible with such actions for PS? RAW saves data from censor sites. but i dont think it works the same for EV. I notice better exposure with bracketing then using RAW and to tune the EV. Maybe better players to explain the part on "adjusting EV on RAW vs Bracketing"? Espn? hehe

PS CS Camera Raw version 2.2 works pretty well with lots of fine tuning for the D70 and other Nikon NEF files' WB settings, (works with other camera raw as well).

As for exposure, you'll get the best results if you can get your exposure as accurate as possible. There's only so much you can do by playing around with the EV in the RAW files. Burnt highlights cannot be recovered and even dark areas of under-exposure will start to look "grainy" when you push the EV with software.

Bracketing with RAW and then post processing is a little better but without some understanding of how to read the histogram, you'd still only be getting potluck by bracketing, eventhough this increases your chances of getting a good exposure.

Try getting your hands on Ron Reznick's ebook. His section on reading the luminosity off your histogram is fantastic and helps you to get accurate exposures through in-camera compensation, without the need for bracketing.

Cheers,

Matt

[Witness]

eh i got this prob tt the pic dun look too sharp on my screen but sharp again when i print out hahah....y???

[Silverelf]

How do you read those damn histograms??

[gooseberry]

Originally Posted by Witness eh i got this prob tt the pic dun look too sharp on my screen but sharp again when i print out hahah....y???

If you are viewing the image at 100% and lets say your screen resolution is 1024x768, that means you are viewing the equivalent of almost a 30 x 20 inch print of your image (if your image is size 3008x2000). That's why it doesn't look too sharp on screen.