D7000 Questions

D7000Guy · Apr 28, 2011

Hello, All. I am new to the forum, but not new to photography. I have been away a long time (20 years) from serious photography. My last camera was a Bronica. Now I am shooting a Nikon D7000 and love the camera. I am still learning the finer points of using it and have 2 questions.

1. I used to shoot a lot of Ektachrome and I loved the look. I wanted to figure out how to get that look from the camera.

I have searched on the forum and I see that Photoshop can be used for that, but I was wondering whether anyone here knew how I could get an Ektachrome tone from the camera without having to resort to using PS. I will eventually spring for PS, but am more concerned with the time I will have to spend learning PS than the money I need to spend to buy it. The camera seems like it has the capability to do it. I asked Nikon and they said the camera can't do it, but I could have spoken to the wrong techie. If anyone here could point me in the right direction I would be thankful.

2. If I shoot a higher ISO sensitivity, could I get more grain out of my pictures (like shooting an ASA 400 instead of an ASA100)? If not, how do I get that grain?

Much appreciate your help in advance.

Saul

boomer · Apr 28, 2011

Don't know much about Ektachrome but i just did a quick google search and found these: Ektachrome - Google Search

As for adding grain/noise I would suggest using Lightroom or Photoshop. If you don't have one of these programs, you should really look into it

You can add grain after the picture was taken even if the photo has no/minimal noise.

Hope that helps!

ghache · Apr 28, 2011

Film grain and digital noise look totally different. get photoshop

OrionsByte · Apr 28, 2011

While reviewing your pictures on the camera, press the OK button. That will bring up an editing menu that has a handful of options. Playing with those might help you achieve the effect you're looking for, but honestly you're better off shooting in RAW and doing that kind of work using software.

Bynx · Apr 28, 2011

While you might have liked Ektachrome as compared to the other films available, I think you should open your mind to the digital world you have now as compared to the film world of yesterday. There are a few things you can do in your camera to degrade the image, but why would you want to do that? Why not just take the best shot you can. Once you have that you can do anything to it in Photoshop. But if you aim for a degraded image then thats the best its going to be. You can shoot B&W if you want that, but if you ever want it in color there is lots of work and it wont ever be right. Shoot in color and use Silver Efex Pro to convert to B&W. That's the order that things should be if you want the option of either B&W or color. Same goes for a degraded image that you seem to want.

D7000Guy · May 2, 2011

All, thanks for your good advice.

Bynx you make some good points and I agree that shooting RAW is the best way to go. That's how I set the camera up before even reading your advice. I did want all that RAW could offer, so I see I am on the right track with that. I was shooting some B/W, but again, you are right, better shoot color then change it over. And I will open up to new ideas in digital photography. I just wanted to get comfortable first and I guess I gravitated to that comfort zone of familiarity. Two questions: Why would me preferring the tones I got from shooting Ektachrome degrade the image? Or if you were referring to my desire to add grain, why would that be degrading the image? Sometimes I prefer a grainy effect, and sometimes smoother.

I was able to play with the touch-up function of the camera in the review mode and pretty much get the tones I like, but I guess i do have to get PS and learn the software.

Thanks again, All.

Bynx · May 2, 2011

I guess that ideally I would like to take a picture that was very clear, colors right on and having a 3D look to it that I feel I could reach out and touch the scene. Less than that is a degradation as far as Im concerned. Adding grain, or some film look would be making the image less than ideal. After you have taken that ideal image then you can do with it whatever it is you want to do to it. I'd never want the camera to do the work for me. There are plugins which simulate the different films like Kodak, Agfa, Fuji etc. Better to use these than to try to get the effect with a camera setting. And the main thing is you always have your ideal shot to go back to if you decide you dont want that grainy film look.