Images looking washed out

[biertje]

Thanks for the tip I have just tried this with another 70-300 Tamrom lens as you suggested. I never found this lens to give particularly good results. The photos are a bit more similar now, although it's started raining now and was hard to get focus out the window. I will try again once it has cleared up a bit outside. Perhaps get my tripod and do some proper comparisons and report back on different lenses.

 

[weepete]

Looks like your 60D is metering differently, overexposing by around a stop. Try setting up on a tripod and take the same shot of the same static subject to eliminate user error. Use a nice big simple target to start with and the same lens. Get the framing as close as you can.

In your posted shots there's camera shake in the first and it looks like you've missed focus on the cubs and got the background instead. That explains the blur.

 

[Derrel]

Auto ISO...not sure why you have that set to on...that could be a part of the problem...you mentioned your "settings " but didn't mention your exposure mode ( M, Av, Tv, or P, or Green Box). Pick a fixed ISO value.

 

[JBPhotog]

This is the reason one should own a known grey target, it is indispensable to check the built in camera meters accuracy.

As other have mentioned it looks like an over exposure of @1 stop. Additionally unless one needs ISO800 I'd suggest staying as close to the cameras native ISO to assist with the greater DR.

FWIW, your images are not lost causes, much can be done in post to normalize the exposure and bring back the contrast especially if you have Raw files.

 

[vStiles]

At iso 800, the settings are wayyyy wrong in daylight..f/5.6 @ 1/125...not right! Is it possible that the exposure compensation control is set to a plus value?

This is what I was thinking as well? But OP says EV was zero.

800 ISO is way too high, but I agree it looks more than just high ISO because it doesn't appear to be actually over blown. But... 1/125 at 800 ISO doesn't help either.

On your sky tests... what's your shutter speed? Try to frame a piece of a tree against a blue sky. Go F8 + 1/250 for shutter, 200 ISO see what you get. If you don't get a nice, rich blue sky, I would say there is something up with the camera.

Don't let your camera pick ISO. Keep it around 200.

 

[Original katomi]

Have you tried a news paper photo test.
Set up on manual all settings inc ISO use flash
For colour if you don’t have a colour test card use a known colour/combo. Eg crisp packet, some sort of food packed with lots of colours. Or down load a colour test card and print it to photo it
Here is one site Test TV screen stock vector. Illustration of monitor - 23038365

 

[Original katomi]

You will have a reference point even if it’s not perfect

 

[biertje]

Hi all. Thanks for all the tips. I usually shoot in Aperture priority mode.
I setup a few tests of shots round the house: some natural light, some unnatural etc. The main difference, as pointed out by many, was the ISO. Both cameras were set on auto ISO, but the 60D was between 800 - 6400 whilst the 760D was down at 100 or 200. During these tests I used P.
I went through my snaps from my last trip and yup even in daylight most of my shots on auto ISO were 2500 - 6400 for some reason.

I think the only reason that cub photo was so "low" was that I set an ISO limit.
Is there a reason why the camera is wanting to shoot at such high ISO compared to my other camera? Should I set an upper ISO limit on my cameras? I find it hard when shooting wildlife to have multiple settings in a manual mode due to the constantly changing dynamic. Is there a compromise on this or is it manual ISO or nothing?

 

[480sparky]

...........I find it hard when shooting wildlife to have multiple settings in a manual mode due to the constantly changing dynamic. Is there a compromise on this or is it manual ISO or nothing?

I shoot in manual with auto ISO. I choose the aperture and shutter speed and the camera picks the ISO.

 

[Derrel]

Auto ISO in manual mode generally works well.A key is being able to pick settings that are not way out of line.

 

[Derrel]

If you pick something "off" like f/4 @ 1/1600 indoors, you might wind up with a very high ISO...

Try ISO 100 or 200, and turn Auto ISO OFF.

 

[Derrel]

Not to offend, but it does not sound like you know what you are doing. Incorrectly using Auto-ISO can lead to problems...

 

[smoke665]

I was in a car,

Were you by chance shooting through glass? Pulled it into LR, it's about 1-1/3 overexposed but the contrast is non existent. Setting the white and black point helped, but the big change was bumping the Dehaze Slider up +33. Since there doesn't appear to be haze in the scene, and there's a general lack of sharpness on the subjects, I'm assuming it might be coming from a dirty window.

 

[biertje]

Well no I don't know what I'm doing, but I am trying to learn. I have always used auto iso as I've moved from pre-sets to P then onto Av and Tv modes. Never had any massive issues on my other cameras with it setting auto iso so high. I guess moving to setting ISO will be my next learning curve.

I still find it strange that the camera is setting the iso so high. My other camera in the exact same environment, settings, lens keeps a relatively low iso whilst the 60D pushes it high. I guess I might just be unlucky to have got one that is slightly faulty and not metering quite right.

I was in a car,

Were you by chance shooting through glass? Pulled it into LR, it's about 1-1/3 overexposed but the contrast is non existent. Setting the white and black point helped, but the big change was bumping the Dehaze Slider up +33. Since there doesn't appear to be haze in the scene, and there's a general lack of sharpness on the subjects, I'm assuming it might be coming from a dirty window.

Thanks for having a look. No, I had the window down, but was in the driver's seat, seatbelt on and leaning backwards at an awkward angle so most likely was shaking all over the place. It's all quite strange.

 

[JBPhotog]

The main issue is, you have not checked the calibration of the meter. Until you do this any suggestions to resolve your issues will be fruitless.

If you want help with calibration then a number of people are willing to help you.