color space questions...

matthewo · Jun 30, 2012

i know this doesnt really matter cause i shoot raw pretty much all the time, but for previewing its kinda important.

i find that with the camera switched to srgb it previews better on the lcd screen, IE the colors are more true to life and vibrent. with adobe color space selected the colors look dull. i also find that once i put the files on the computer in pro rgb with camera raw or lightroom they look closer to how the camera shows them on the lcd in srgb.

so im guessing to get the closest to what it looks like on the computer on my cameras lcd screen using sRGB is best.

i know this really shouldnt matter cause im shooting raw, but i just like to have the lcd screen show as close to what im going to get home and edit while im out shooting, so i know what to do better.

I also understand that what is displayed on the cameras LCD screen is just a JPG repersentation or conversion of the raw file, and im guessing thats what im seeing. i also guess that the picture control settings on the camera also play a role in the preview, but not in the actual file as its a raw.

i guess i want the lcd on the camera to show me as close to possible what the actual raw file is going to look like on my computer when i get home, without all the added jpg rendering done in preview.

thats one of my main gripes with cameras, even these higher end cameras, like my d800 has so many setting that work well with jpg files, which is fine, but if im shooting raw i need all those turned off cause it really effects how the preview looks.

also even with A-dlighting, if your running aperture priority but shooting raw, it may under expose your picture, cause it knows its going to pull the shaddows using a-dlighting, and you end up with a dark photo when you get back to adobe lightroom, cause it doesnt read picture controls or extra settings like view nx and the nikon software does. anyways i figured out that a while ago, just wanted to vent. LOL

480sparky · Jun 30, 2012

The camera has to show you the processed jpeg because that's all it's capable of displaying.

You may want to look into uniWB.

KmH · Jun 30, 2012

The rear LCD is only capable of showing sRGB. The rear LCD is useless for gauging color for a number of reasons. #1 being it's small size. One reason is the variable ambient light used to look at it, and another is the bit-depth it displays color at. The rear LCD is really only useful for verifying composition, framing, and focus if you zoom into the photo to check focus.

Each Raw file has a JPEG Basic embedded in it. That is so the camera has something to show you on the rear LCD. The histogram the camera generates is also from that JPEG basic.

Until the Raw file is uploaded to a computer and converted, it is not yet an image, and then different Raw converters render the file using unique algorithms, each of which render the image data file somewhat differently.

Ysarex · Jul 1, 2012

If you can't process a raw file to an RGB image that's superior to the camera JPEG then let the camera do it, otherwise stop chimpin' the LCD and take pictures. What do you think we used to do back in the day when we loaded a roll of KR 135-36 and started shooting? Are you confident you know what you're doing or do you need a crutch? You can't preview a raw file. It has to be processed and there's really no way around that. The camera processes it wrong so why bother looking? Doubt?

Joe

matthewo · Jul 1, 2012

i think you guys are not seeing what im saying. i understand that the rear lcd isnt showing the raw file, but a converted jpg.

i think sRGB will get me pretty close. i have no problem with raw files once i get them on the computer, they look much better and i have been able to get exposure very close.

thanks for the info guys

KmH · Jul 1, 2012

No doubt you do not communicate clearly with the written word.

matthewo · Jul 1, 2012

i probably have more statements and less questions. as i seemed to have answered my own questions while typing the post LOL.

i guess what setting works best for me i should just use like sRGB if i feel good with it i will just use it.

Ernicus · Jul 1, 2012

I'm gathering, from your writing, that you are using your LCD as a guage for your quality of your photo. If that is true, you are going to fail. Use your lcd for viewing your histrogram to judge, but not by how your pic looks...regardless of format you are viewing it in...even if you feel sRGB is "closer" to real on your lcd. Countless times I think I have a good shot on my lcd only to see crap on my computer.

I only use the lcd to check the histogram and occasionally check if I got the framing I want, or delete insta deletes from over or under exposure.

MTVision · Jul 1, 2012

matthewo said:
i think you guys are not seeing what im saying. i understand that the rear lcd isnt showing the raw file, but a converted jpg.

i think sRGB will get me pretty close. i have no problem with raw files once i get them on the computer, they look much better and i have been able to get exposure very close.

thanks for the info guys

I think everyone gets what you are saying but......why do you want your RAW files to look like the JPEG preview on the LCD? Raw files don't have a color space until you give them one anyways.

And I've never noticed a huge difference between the LCD preview in aRGB or sRGB.

matthewo · Jul 2, 2012

no i want the lcd preview to look as close to the raw file in pro-rgb once on the computer.

thanks for the help, it seems to be working the way i like now.