Nikon D5300: LCD vs RAW in computer


MachCurve

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Oct 26, 2011
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Guys,

When I shoot in RAW, the photos shown in my D5300's LCD look pretty different when I open up the RAW files on my computer.

The main difference (as I see it now) appears to be the brightness. The photos viewed on the D5300's LCD are much brighter than the RAW files viewed on my com (even when I max brightness on my Mac, it still doesn't match up in brightness to the D5300's LCD).

My concern is that while on camera (LCD), the exposure looks good but in the comp, the image is much darker than expected.

Is this a common problem?
 

this is something you need to read up before you go to shoot in RAW.

#1, you need to get your computer monitor calibrated, even it is a high end model, and it is not an ONE time affair, you need to calibrate your monitor regularly.
#2, your camera monitor is displaying a jpg, whereas it processed according to your picture profile you set on camera.
#3, RAW is RAW, they are unprocessed images, so it just shows up "at it is" on computer monitor, than you apply whatever processing setting you want in the post.

it is not a problem, you need to understand how it works.
 

Also, u may like to consider setting up your camera to display the histogram so you know if your shot is exposed more to the white ie bright maybe overexposed or exposed more to the black ie underexposed or the histogram is stack more in the middle area.

If u are shooting night scene then of cos histogram will be exposed more to dark or if u are shooting into bright area then it would be more to white side.

There is no right or wrong but as a guide to your exposure.
 

Guys, When I shoot in RAW, the photos shown in my D5300's LCD look pretty different when I open up the RAW files on my computer. The main difference (as I see it now) appears to be the brightness. The photos viewed on the D5300's LCD are much brighter than the RAW files viewed on my com (even when I max brightness on my Mac, it still doesn't match up in brightness to the D5300's LCD). My concern is that while on camera (LCD), the exposure looks good but in the comp, the image is much darker than expected. Is this a common problem?

Can try shooting raw + jpg.

Open them both up and see if you can better the jpg output in the raw developer.

If you like the jpg output from the camera, just use that, can save the hassle of developing raw too.
 

The image you see on screen is the JPG image embedded in the RAW file. The JPG was processed based on RAW with all the picture presets you have set in your camera. RAW is 'raw' - only what the sensor has captured without any further processing. Secondly, the camera display is not calibrated, do not trust the image that you see there.
 

If you like the jpg output from the camera, just use that, can save the hassle of developing raw too.
Which raises the question why TS shoots in RAW in the first place.
 

Never ever trust the brightness of the lcd, always use the histogram to judge your exposure.
 

Usually pictures look very good on the LCD screen. Besides JPG processing, I think most camera manufacturers make their LCD screens bright and contrasty, so your images look very nice. Same for your phones. Just take some time to process your shots. It doesn't take very long once you get used to it.
 

Or shake it like polaroid pinhole :D

Umm.. where were we? Oh yes, camera LCD not matching RAW.
If you use Nikon's RAW converter, it should be able to get you an image with the same jpeg processing parameters as your in-camera setting where the LCD jpeg image is derived from.
But you're still not going to get the exact same looking image cos the display medium has changed. Your camera LCD are often viewed in direct sunlight etc. and may be calibrated to give a bright punchy image that's easier to see in hard to view environments.
Funny enough a lot of computer LCD monitors, especially consumer ones are actually too bright and contrasty by default and is often a reason prints come out too dark. So if your images are still too dark with brightness turned to the max on your computer LCD, you may indeed be underexposing your shots. As others have suggested, learn to read the histogram too and not just trust your camera LCD. Your ambient room light also affects the perceived brightness of the image. Ideally the room lighting should be quite dim when editing photos.