How do you set up your camera?

[Fiendish Astronaut]

In the Picture Style menu on my Canon 40D one can choose from a number of set ups. i.e. "standard", "portrait", "landscape", "neutral" etc. Each has four settings: sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone [damned American spelling...;-) !] each of which has a value.

I think most digital SLR's have this. So how do you set yours up?

Because I shoot in RAW I've gone for neutral which has every setting on 0. Although then I upped the sharpness and found I'm just using the same as the standard which is the default!


Does any of this post make sense???

 

[Big Mike]

I think most digital SLR's have this. So how do you set yours up?

It's actually a rather new feature.

Well 'Picture Styles' are new. Most cameras do have those same adjustments....but they are pretty much void when shooting in RAW.

 

[azruial]

Do RAW images even hit the image processor circuitry?

 

[Big Mike]

I'm sure it all goes through the same path...it saves all the 'as shot' setting. The difference is that when you shoot RAW, those settings are only saved as settings...which can be applied or changed later. When you shoot JPEG, those settings are applied to the image, and then it's saved as a JPEG, which throws out the embedded settings and compresses the data in favor of smaller file sizes.

 

[DSLR noob]

I use parameter 2 (Canon 20D). Neutral settings on every slider. Smack dab in the middle. The software in the camera isn't doing anything I can't do in Photoshop and have more control over.

 

[D-50]

Are you editing in RAW in Photoshop? if not you should be using the in camera settings.

I typically bump my contrast and sharpening in my camera, do small RAW edits in Nikon Capture and then take a Tiff to PS for final touch ups.

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

Yeah I suppose it's for when the camera does it's own processing into jpg. I hadn't even thought of that! Obviously really...

I often find when I use jpgs that they have been a bit over saturated for my tastes in the past so happy with neutral. I usually only use jpgs when I have to give the images to someone straight away and don't get the chance to do ANY post-processing. So actually this setting is quite important I guess because I really need to nail these images straight off the bat and not rely on Photoshop.

 

[THORHAMMER]

what you see on the lcd screen on the camera is a jpg processed with the parameters you selected.

If you are shooting raw then you should make a lightroom or bridge develop setting that best pulls the raw images in to match your camera screen settings, then you know what your getting when your out shooting. This can be done by simple trial and error. You can shoot jpg and raw at the same time for a few shots and figure it out that way back on your computer.

the other option is to shoot with the settings all straight, nothnig up or down, then you see what your working with more accurately,

lastly , if you insist on shooting the same way, at least you are seeing whats POSSIBLE after some mandatory photoshop manipulating.

just knowing what your looking at can help you ........

 

[Fiendish Astronaut]

That's really interesting Thorhammer - seems that fully neutral is the way to go for me then. Although that is every setting on 0 which is the lowest it goes - there are no negative numbers. Now I have to work out if that is everything "down" or if it is just nothing added... I'll experiment I think!

 

[THORHAMMER]

Yes your correct ! 0 is the neutral.

Glad to help !!!

 

[dangerwoman]

i would neverrrrr ever sharpen in camera, and when shooting raw just shoot with everything neutral because why not?

 

[chris_arnet]

what does "color tone" do in my 20D? ive never actually used it....
although i do have parameters set for contrast and saturation in both the color and b/w modes. b/w mode also has a red filter set...

 

[Sw1tchFX]

RAW

 

[Stranger]

I change my settings depending on my reason for shooting.
For me and my photos - sharpening and contrast tuned down.

if shooting just for kicks at my girlfriends house i often up these so she can go straight to myspace or whatever without me having to worry about editing.


Do you guys shoot adobe RGB or sRGB???

 

[D-50]

Why not sharpen in camera? Adjusting a RAW image is going to give you much better results than adjusting a JPEG or Tiff. Also if your shooting RAW you can always take the sharpening away after the fact. Personaly I always like my photos to be no the sharper side so I save a step in post processing by sharpening in camera.