D 800 - dull colours

[confindelmundo]

<p>Hello folks,<br>

I have had now the D 800 for 2 years, but not yet any professional lens for it. Meanwhile, I use my old AI-S manual focus Nikkor fixed focal lenses such as 20 mm 2.8, 24 mm 2.0, 35mm 1.4, 50 mm 1.2 and 85 mm 1.4. Using these lenses, which were all introduced in the setup menu of the D 800 (Non-CPU lens data), the photographies come out always with dull colours.<br>

I sometimes take the same pictures with my other camera, a D 7000 with DX lenses, and all photos come out with nice colours that pop out. All the other settings on the menu are the same as for the D800.<br>

On both cameras, I use raw, and vivid colours.<br>

I just do not understand how to solution the problem to get good colour results with the D800. If anyone had the same problems, all help will be welcome. Thanks.<br>

Daniel Bruhin W. - Patagonia - Chile</p>

[ellis_vener_photography]

I suspect t it has to do with how you have your cameras set up and possibly your raw processing program set up.

 

Go through your cameras menu and check to see if the settings are the same, and do the same thing with your raw

processing programs.

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Daniel, if you use RAW, the setting for "Vivid" will be ignored unless you use Nikon's software. If you use something like Lightroom, however, it probably will revert back to the camera default. It could well be the colours of the D800 by default are more muted than a D7000 to start with. Either way, raw files nearly always need a bit of work.<br>

The older lenses (I have several of those as well) do deliver less saturated colours than more modern designs, and they can be somewhat lower contrast too. Comparing a modern zoom as the 24-120 f/4VR versus my 35 f/1.4 and 50 f/1.2, the zoom absolutely looks more punchy, rich in colours and contrasty if I do not process the images. However, in post-processing, there is no problem at all to make them look completely alike. (I actually prefer the more muted rendering of the older lenses, especially for B&W conversions. They're a lot more subtle and it's easier to add the satured look than it is to get rid of it in my view; but many people like the saturated look better).</p>

<p>The solution here is really to find good post processing; you're shooting raw files, so you'll need to do at least something to get the best from those files. Boosting saturation and contrast a bit, and you'll probably already be well underway.</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>For a check, if you do not have one already, test Nikon ViewNX2. It is free and it has a nice transfer functionality. It is not an extensive image editor, more like a sorter and classifier, but it lets you to see (close approximation) what your camera setting should look like if taken into use. See Wouter's first paragraph. (As a result: vivid-setting might be too much ;-)</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<blockquote>

<p>I sometimes take the same pictures with my other camera, a D 7000 with <em><strong>DX lenses</strong></em> </p>

</blockquote>

<p>To remove the optical variable, use the same lens at the same settings, including aperture (ignoring the DoF effect) just on different cameras. Maybe crop the d800 images so they have the same view as the DX.</p>

<p>If they now look the same, it's the newer glass and coatings on the DX lenses that make them more vivid.</p>

<p>If they still look very different, something in camera is very different.</p>

[confindelmundo]

<p>Thank you so far to Ellis, Wouter, Kari and Mike for their advices. Will take them into consideration on my next trip to Torres del Paine.<br>

Greetings from the frozen Patagonia. Daniel Bruhin W.</p>

[dan_south]

Daniel,

 

It might be a good idea to do some testing at home before you leave for your big trip.

 

Also, as mentioned above, the raw processor ignores the Vivid setting. Many photographers use the Standard setting and develop their

color contrast and saturation more fully in post processing.

 

The Vivid setting boosts the level of some colors in the JPEG preview image. This can cause inaccurate histogram readings. It might be

worth the effort to run some tests before you take a big trip into the mountains.

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Daniel, having used the D800 with some of the Ai-S lenses that you mention, and with more modern Nikkor zooms and AF lenses, I can tell you that the "fault" does not lie with the lenses. Unless, of course, your MF lenses are in poor condition, or misty, or have low contrast from some other cause.</p>

<p> Some time ago I posted two shots of the same scene taken seconds apart, using the 24mm f/2.8 Ai-S Nikkor and the 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S Zoom-Nikkor. I challenged anyone to say for certain which shot was taken with which lens. To my eye there was very little difference in colour rendering or contrast, and if anything the old MF prime lens looked slightly more "punchy".</p>

<p>In short, I'd say you need to look elsewhere than the lenses for the reason for any difference in colour rendering.</p>

[confindelmundo]

<p>Thank you Dan and Rodeo. Dan, Torres del Paine is my home so I go there any time. It is just round the corner, 1 hour from home. Best place to make the tests. Thanks again. Rodeo, nice to hear that both lens made the same quality picture. But I imagine you took both with the D 800.<br>

Greetings.<br>

Daniel Bruhin</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>Daniel, you did cross check the exposure levels between D7000 and D800?<br>

If your image workflow is the same with those cameras, then besides the lenses you were using with D800, there is the possibility of D800 exposing a bit more than your D7000.<br>

That might lead to less punchy colours.</p>

<p> </p>

[scott_murphy5]

<p>It is <em><strong>not</strong></em> the lenses, I can assure you. I use nothing <em>but</em> AI and AIS Nikkors with my D700 and have no problems whatsoever with de-saturated or "dull" colors. I suspect something is amiss with your camera settings or perhaps with the settings in the program you are using for post processing.</p>