any idea on why my pictures are all hazy

<p>I have a Nikon D5500. When I first bought it, I was getting nice crisp pictures. A couple weeks ago, all the pictures I took started to be hazy. I have try various setting and still have the same haze on every pic.<br>

I can adjust the picture in photoshop using camera raw - dehaze function (I have to adjust pic to around +35-+40) and the pictures become crisp again. <br>

If anyone has any ideas about what is happening, I'd love to hear them.</p><div></div>

<p>Did you try playing with the camera's Picture Control? Change it to Vivid and see what happens.</p>

<p>Using a UV filter on your lens? Maybe a simplistic explanation are your optics clean?</p>

<p>There several possibilities. Check what Bill Nelson suggested above.</p>

<p>Also, I would remove the lens, push the little lever on the rear end to open up the aperture diaphragm, and then shine a flashlight (torch) through it to inspect whether any lens element has fogged up. Moreover, low contrast and fogging could also be the result of lighting, some light shining directing on the lens front element.</p>

<p>Looks very low in contrast. Maybe try checking that? I also see that you have sharpness set to "soft" and that could be key.</p>

<p>Image exif says shooting aperture is f14, which may or may not be too small for high pixel density camera such as D5500. Try f11 or f8. To my eyes image does not seem too hazy as it is. As it seems to be studio image, be careful that lighting does not have stray enter to lens front element. Sorry if I am too obvious.</p>

<p>Worst case, if none of the other suggestions work, you can probably 2 button reset back to factory settings -- no experience with that model, so don't know for sure.</p>

<p>Not sure what is the lens that's doing this (sometimes is the lens), but overall I think Shun seem to nail it > the light may be entering the lens and bouncing. OK, make sure you have a shade on the lens....and sometimes the strong light could create this. Diffraction could be an issue as well (depends on the lens). Try applying one thing at a time and see what works out best.</p>

<p>Les</p>

<p>Check the exposure compensation. EXif shows a +.33 exposure bias. That''s only a third of a stop, but it could contribute.</p>

<p>e..t.a. It occurs to me to wonder too whether there was a change in the "Active D-lighting" setting. I find that at times the added dynamic range and consequent lower contrast of ADL makes shaded areas look kind of muddy, and prefer having it off. </p>

<p>Is it hazy? Just looks low contrast to me. Have you changed ACR/LR import settings? Change it to strong contrast and darken the shadows/blacks as necessary and/or add clarity and everything will be OK.</p>

<p>Simple solution. The histogram of your sample image has no absolute black point. Just a simple increase in ACR and no more haze...</p><div></div>

<p>This could possible be merely a low-contrast issue. Would be helpful if the OP can post a "before" image sample showing how crisp it used to be. The important thing is to compare similar images, i.e. under similar lighting conditions and similar subjects, during a "before" vs. "after" comparison.</p>

<p>I can't find much wrong with your picture it suits the subject very well, harsh contrast and vivid setting won't help nor will putting extra black in it, I would see what a tiny bit of extra clarity and sharpness did. I agree about not going far past F8.</p>

<p>I'd test the camera in a different way to how the others have suggested, I'd take a few shots of normal subjects like across the road, a garden etc if these look quite different in terms of softness, i.e. normal then most likely it's something to do with your lighting.</p>

<p>This just needs some better light to provide some sculpting, and a bump up to avoid the underexposure.</p>

<p>ctrl+l in PS</p>

Cannot see exif on the device i am on, but are you on an automatic, or high iso setting ?

<p>ISO is 1600. </p>

<p>No indication in EXIF if Active d-lighting is on, though.</p>

<p>For consideration, here ate the three-color histograms of the OP's image. They show very low contrast, which can easily be corrected in software. EDIT: metering was center-weighted average</p><div></div>

<p>If post processing the image removes the haze it suggests the sensor is recording a good image in the first place. It sounds like picture controls or contrast.</p>