D4 vs D700 color difference


amachi

Senior Member
Jul 20, 2009
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I used to use two D700s for my wedding works, paired with 35mm and 85mm lenses. I usually shot with auto white balance and will correct it in lightroom. In lightroom, it's easy to correct this, I can just set the color balance right in one image and copy it to other images that were shot under similar lighting.

Now, recently I sold away one of my D700s and got a D4. Following the same practice, I use D4+35mm with D700+85mm for weddings, however, during post-processing in lightroom, I noticed that even after correcting the white balance to the same WB e.g. Both files from D4 and D700 are set to daylight in lightroom, and correcting other attributes to be the same too (picture control) , the results are different and I noticed that D4 images are slightly greenish. This issue has made my post-processing much slower than before because I can't simply copy paste the attributes anymore.

Anyone encountered such issue before? And if you did, how did you remedy this?
 

Hmmm... I do not have this problem.

Are you using the lightroom presets or are you using exact Ks and tint numbers?
 

I use both D600 and D4.

I find their color output similarities very close for my workflow to be the same.

No issues with green tint as you experienced. Got sample images to show?
 

It is the same as in the film days. Different cameras slightly different meter response. For digital since the cmos chip is different would you expect identical color capture characteristics ? Even among same model there is variation - it is a manufacturing process issue not a why a pay so much still it is like this.

Is it a monitor calibration issue, together with a user error situation in LR, setting WB to daylight is already an area for some difference as technology march onwards the exact setting for daylight, tungsten etc varies slightly - use kevins, cmos chip characteristics ? Look up camera calibration and what you need to do this calibrate both bodies so that at least the 2 now have some kinda cross index that at least you can narrow down the differences.

Some cameras require tweking my D800 had a green cast very slight but it is there. Learn what value of additional magenta will neutralize this and apply in yr post. There are other ways to do this - some better some have solve one create another. What works for you is some thing you will have to learn.
 

I always use the temp and tint in lightroom. And I always use the same picture control for all my images, usually it is VSCO picture control, see if it helps.
 

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I use both D600 and D4.

I find their color output similarities very close for my workflow to be the same.

No issues with green tint as you experienced. Got sample images to show?

I think the latest cameras from Nikon show similar colors (D800, D600 and D4) hence you won't notice the difference.
 

I think the latest cameras from Nikon show similar colors (D800, D600 and D4) hence you won't notice the difference.

Perhaps, but I've been using D3S and D700 also, I don't really see any greenish tint, that's why I'm asking for images. Hard to tell. Monitor's calibrated though.
 

Perhaps, but I've been using D3S and D700 also, I don't really see any greenish tint, that's why I'm asking for images. Hard to tell. Monitor's calibrated though.

Do you still keep your D3s and D700? Have you seen any difference between these two and your D4?

I will try to do some sample shots from both D4 and D700 later tonight. I will upload the NEF and DNG files for you.
 

I always use the temp and tint in lightroom. And I always use the same picture control for all my images, usually it is VSCO picture control, see if it helps.

The issue I had is that even after using the same temp and tint, and the same picture control, color from my D700 and D4 still turns out differently.
 

Both the D800 and D4 are a little greenish. When I do wedding shots I use the custom menu and set the WB to M1 in the custom setting and I didn't have to deal with the greenish hue.

I used to use two D700s for my wedding works, paired with 35mm and 85mm lenses. I usually shot with auto white balance and will correct it in lightroom. In lightroom, it's easy to correct this, I can just set the color balance right in one image and copy it to other images that were shot under similar lighting.

Now, recently I sold away one of my D700s and got a D4. Following the same practice, I use D4+35mm with D700+85mm for weddings, however, during post-processing in lightroom, I noticed that even after correcting the white balance to the same WB e.g. Both files from D4 and D700 are set to daylight in lightroom, and correcting other attributes to be the same too (picture control) , the results are different and I noticed that D4 images are slightly greenish. This issue has made my post-processing much slower than before because I can't simply copy paste the attributes anymore.

Anyone encountered such issue before? And if you did, how did you remedy this?
 

This M1 setting only applies to JPEG right? I mean, if you shoot RAW, and in lightroom when you change the white balance, let's say to daylight, the M1 setting isn't applicable anymore, right?
 

Do you still keep your D3s and D700? Have you seen any difference between these two and your D4?

I will try to do some sample shots from both D4 and D700 later tonight. I will upload the NEF and DNG files for you.

Nope, I use my friend's copies.

Apart from WB more accurate on the new bodies, the D3S and D700 vs D4 and D600, I don't have the issue you described. Best is if you can load some images for show (please resize them first).
 

So far, I know the WB setting influences the temp and tint in RAW and when you export it LR, the data is kept.

This M1 setting only applies to JPEG right? I mean, if you shoot RAW, and in lightroom when you change the white balance, let's say to daylight, the M1 setting isn't applicable anymore, right?
 

So far, I know the WB setting influences the temp and tint in RAW and when you export it LR, the data is kept.

True. I think TS's problem is that he wants to apply the same settings across a number of files, some from D700 some from D4.

I think it is easily solvable. Just need to find a workflow to sort and change settings according to camera, which is a breeze with the tools available in LR.
 

So far, I know the WB setting influences the temp and tint in RAW and when you export it LR, the data is kept.

Hm, this is new to me haha.. I thought setting the temp and tint again will overwrite whatever WB that we set in the camera.
 

True. I think TS's problem is that he wants to apply the same settings across a number of files, some from D700 some from D4.

I think it is easily solvable. Just need to find a workflow to sort and change settings according to camera, which is a breeze with the tools available in LR.

Yeah, surely I can play with the sort and change settings according to camera, but I thought there is a simpler way than that and I can make use of the same workflow as the one I used back when I am using two D700s.
 

I can probably understand where TS comes from.

D700 and D4 gives different WB and it is a problem when one use 2 bodies to shoot in a single event and the colors come out different with the D4/D800 having a slight greenish tint. Somehow, I felt that the greenish tint was much reduced and acceptable after I updated the firmware to the latest. In fact, I didn't had to use M1 in my latest shoot and just exported most of the RAW files to jpeg. Those that I didn't were for other purposes.
 

I can probably understand where TS comes from.

D700 and D4 gives different WB and it is a problem when one use 2 bodies to shoot in a single event and the colors come out different with the D4/D800 having a slight greenish tint. Somehow, I felt that the greenish tint was much reduced and acceptable after I updated the firmware to the latest. In fact, I didn't had to use M1 in my latest shoot and just exported most of the RAW files to jpeg. Those that I didn't were for other purposes.

I use the exact combo. While the 2 bodies gave slightly different wb, syncing files from both to the same wb values gave very similar results and the difference is negligible to me.

I think you brought up a good point. TS needs to update the firmware of the d4.
 

Phew, I've asked around and turned out this is not happening to me only. That's a relief at least :p

Anyway, I will follow the advice from fellow photographers to sort the images by camera and edit accordingly, until I find out the best way to make all the files look similar. Maybe by purchasing another D4 :p *wishful thinking* haha..

Thanks much all :)