Lack of clarity/grey cast on pictures taken with D5000 with Nikkor 17-55 mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S DX

I am attaching two pictures, one taken with my D5000 and Nikkor 17-55 mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S DX lens and another with iPhone 5. These were both taken at the same time from the same place.

 

The colors/contrast etc. all look better on the iPhone picture. What am I doing wrong?

 

You're not doing anything wrong. The DSLR just does less-aggressive processing on the sensor data to produce the output image. DSLR makers are more conservative in image processing than phone makers because some of their best customers are people who want their out-of-camera images to be as "flat" as possible, because such images have the widest latitude for post-processing without loss of quality. By contrast (pun not originally intended), pretty much all users of phone cameras want punchy, exciting images straight out of the phone, so that's what the vendors give them.

 

If you want your DSLR images to be more like your phone ones, you have two basic choices. First, if you are having your camera output JPEGs, try using one of the more aggressive Picture Control profiles, such as Vivid or Landscape. Use your camera's menu system to set that up.

 

If that's still not enough, you need to have your camera output RAW files, and then you need to use post-processing software on your computer or phone. Most such programs have convenient presets that will deliver something like the look you want. If you can't find a suitable preset, you'll have to manipulate the image parameters yourself. How to do that is far outside the scope of this post, but, if you take charge of image processing in this way, you can get pretty much any result you want.

Quick adjustment of tone and curves in Nikon Capture NX-D ver.1.3.0. (I got the program with the camera, a new version may exist).

Sorry, can't upload the file ;-(

Edited May 28, 2018 by Miha

Quick adjustment of tone and curves in Nikon Capture NX-D ver.1.3.0. (I got the program with the camera, a new version may exist).

I am unable to see this attachment.

Second try - correction made with NIK software (Free).

It's a bit too strong for my taste - you can edit the picture to your likeness. This sample is just to show what can be made with a DSLR photo. I'm sure a lot of other posters will do better - but this correction took only a few seconds.

I am attaching two pictures, one taken with my D5000 and Nikkor 17-55 mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S DX lens and another with iPhone 5. These were both taken at the same time from the same place.

 

The colors/contrast etc. all look better on the iPhone picture. What am I doing wrong?

 

[ATTACH=full]1247536[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1247535[/ATTACH]

 

[uSER=10961839]@chulkim[/uSER], thanks for your reply. I suspected the same but then I tried to enhance(?) the image in Mac Photos (the starting point was jpeg from the camera). The best result I could get is attached below. Not sure, but the richness of color is missing here as well. May be I need to take a class in post-processing :)

[ATTACH=full]1247543[/ATTACH] Second try - correction made with NIK software (Free).

Thanks. That looks great. Let me try to get the Nikon software. Can you tell me the steps that used?

Mobile phone cameras often process captured images automagickally before saving to phone or card.

 

Boosting neutral or flat DSLR image in post processing is very common, it works usually better with raw images. Capture NX-D is one option for such program. Other option is to visit camera Picture Controls and select suitable profile and settings for jpeg rendering.

@ alok_k:

Download for the NIK collection here: Homepage - Nik Collection by DxO

Then just choose the profile (preset) to your liking.

 

In Nikon Capture NX-D ver.1.3.0 you click the tone adjustment icon and proceed as you like. You can always revert the photo to the original state.

@ alok_k:

Download for the NIK collection here: Homepage - Nik Collection by DxO

Then just choose the profile (preset) to your liking.

 

In Nikon Capture NX-D ver.1.3.0 you click the tone adjustment icon and proceed as you like. You can always revert the photo to the original state.

Thank you. I can get similar results with Nikon Capture NX-D.

The 17-55 should yield good results out of the camera, your image looks overexposed to me.

 

Rick H.

I think it's a little overexposed, and would benefit from a bit of compensation, or if you're stuck with the JPG, lowering the highlights. Here's a quick and dirty redo of the JPG done in the freeware Faststone Image Viewer, with a little highlight lowering, a tiny bit of shadow raising, and a little bit of contrast.

 

Simplest to just use your phone instead of a camera.

Ouch!

For years people have been comparing the images out of their cameras with those taken by others on their particular equopment.

 

For the reasons cited above, this only works if the cameras are set to the same general parameters on the default jpg (or other) images.

 

Most people who work over their images will save the most neutral kind of "originals" to serve as a sort of analogue to a film negative.

 

In the privacy of their own home, consenting photo editors can do whatever terrible things they feel like at the time without screwing up the "faux negative".

If someone gets results they like with one device, sensible to use that instead of lots of pp and other effort to get the same results with another one. Common sense?

Simplest to just use your phone instead of a camera.

If “simplest” is your goal!

 

It’s worth questioning whether the iPhone jpg, as it comes out of the camera, is something to aspire to. It is pleasing, expected, saturated like most postcards and Hallmark cards, and generic.

 

The white balance on the D5000 seems off so I’d start by looking into the settings in camera for that. If not, it’s a pretty quick adjustment in post. The D5000 has given you a naturally and realistically soft, more nuanced start that you can take in any number of directions. I’d also experiment with exposure in the future to get closer to what you may want to begin with. Again, question what it is you want periodically.

 

I’d not look at iPhone jpgs as any sort of standard to emulate. Instead I’d look at photography and painting books and think about what YOU want out of a landscape photo, not what some Apple software developer has given you. Look at photos of Meyerowitz, Eggleston, Kander, Kenna. Look at landscape painters as varied as Monet and Turner.

 

Your D5000 allows you to choose a nuanced path. It gives you flexibility. Your iPhone, accepted as it comes out of the camera, puts you safely behind guard rails.

In the D5000, if you're not getting the results you want using the preset controls, you can also create custom settings in the Set Picture Control menu (under the Shooting Menu options). I recommend you start with one of the existing settings (such as Landscape), save it with a new name, and then start messing with the settings (in the new settings file) until you find what you like. You can do a number of these to fit various shooting types and conditions. You can also find recommended settings on various websites, including that of He Who Will Not Be Named. Beware, there are many people who like severely over-saturated settings, so you'll need to decide what YOU like and act accordingly. Personally, I prefer to start with a suitably exposed RAW file and do all my work in PP. I know many others who just want the best JPEGs they can get straight out of their camera.

Personally, I prefer to start with a suitably exposed RAW file and do all my work in PP.

 

+1.

While the default DSLR image may look more washed out, it also has a lot more leeway to tweak it exactly to your liking in a decent piece of software, and get the best from it. JPEGs from camera are not the best point to get started though, since it means you already started with throwing data away. With a raw image, you gain a fair amount of additional flexibility, at the cost of having to convert on a PC from raw to jpeg or tiff when you want to share or print. But with good software, again, that is very low effort.

 

May be I need to take a class in post-processing

 

Might not be a bad thing.

I would advice though to immediately start with a program that will grow with you. Capture NX-D is nice(ish) for a freebie, but in the long run getting something like Lightroom or Capture One is money very well spent. Likewise for Affinity Photo or Photoshop if you need more heavy-lifting editing tools. You will also easier find courses (online or in the 3D world), tutorials and books on these software titles.

Alok_K , I adjusted your first image with respect to contrast and clarity in Adobe Light Room to my preference. Nikon out of the box tends to render images typically more neutral until you make adjustments to JPEG settings on you DSLR or in post processing. Good hunting.

[ATTACH=full]1247681[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1247681[/ATTACH] Two or three things to check:

 

1) What colour space do you have set on the camera? Only sRGB will look good on most mobile devices/monitors.

 

2) What Picture Style do you have set in the camera? Neutral or Standard give slightly muted colour saturation. Changing to Vivid will enhance the colour and contrast.

 

3) Is the lens absolutely clean and free of internal misting? The result you've shown looks typical of a smudged, dirty or misted-up lens to me. It's easy to get condensation in or on the lens without realising. You just need to hold a sweaty hand underneath the front element, or take the lens from a cool air-conditioned environment to a warm, humid one.

 

But as others have shown, a simple tone-curve adjustment makes a world of difference.

Edited May 28, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

Ok. Let's try uploading that adjusted file again.

+1.

While the default DSLR image may look more washed out, it also has a lot more leeway to tweak it exactly to your liking in a decent piece of software, and get the best from it. JPEGs from camera are not the best point to get started though, since it means you already started with throwing data away. With a raw image, you gain a fair amount of additional flexibility, at the cost of having to convert on a PC from raw to jpeg or tiff when you want to share or print. But with good software, again, that is very low effort.

Very well said, Wouter.

 

To the OP, it is all up to you. If you would like to learn how to take full advantage of your DSLR, I would capture RAW and learn a bit about post-processing. Also learn about Exposing to the Right (ETTR): Exposing to the right - Wikipedia

 

I viewed the OP's original image in PhotoShop. Since there is no clipping in the highlights, it is not over-exposed, but most of the information is indeed on the right side of the histogram, and we need to adjust the tone curve to normalize the image.

 

On the other hand, if one would just like to take some simple snapshots and is not interested in post-processing, simply shoot JPEG on the DSLR or perhaps use a phone camera could be the better choice. Modern mobile phone cameras can capture some very nice landscape images.

 

You can shoot RAW and adjust it in some kind of PP software like Photoshop or even the free Nikon software. Otherwise, you can make adjustment in the picture controls to get better result with the JPEG. However, if you still like the cell phone better use it.