Meadow Curves Center (Canon 5D II version, April 6)

--Lannie

Although color adjustments, not issues concerning resolution, are the reason for this and the two Kodak files of similar (but not identical) size and composition, it might be worth noting in passing that this file is 1500x1085 pixels, whereas the original files straight from the 5D II are 5616 x 3744 pixels.

--Lannie

Please note: the file size of the original 5D II file given in the post just above (5616 x 3744 pixels as displayed in Photoshop thumbnails) is the standard output from the 5D II for a total of 21.026 megapixels--the product of 5616x3744, not precisely the figure of 21.1 mp often given as "usable megapixels " for the 5D II.

This version shown, however, was cropped out from that larger file before resizing.  It is NOT, that is, a simple downsized version of the entire original file of 5616 x 3744, although it was cropped out from a file of that actual size before being further downsized to 1500 x 1085 pixels--the size of the file displayed here.

--Lannie

This just in from Mike Palermiti via Photo.net messaging:

HI Lannie,

I have followed the outdoor landscape work that you have been doing with the Canon and Kodak DSLR cameras.

As for "an easy setting" that you requested for the color levels, I always rely upon the companies "Auto White Balance " setting, followed by the Auto Color or Auto Tone"  tool in Photoshop.

This has been very reliable for the majority of natural lighting encountered when doing landscapes. These companies have established very well documented algorithms to set their sensors to the appropriate levels.

Now. there can be slight deviations due to the sensor settings, like ISO. I like to use ISO 100 or 200 as this is the baseline for the majority sensors being made today and in the past as well.

Some of the lens have their own transmission characteristics that do provide more or less contrast and saturation levels in certain colors, too. The better lens can have such a high degree of color correction, that sometimes the "richness" of colors is missing because there is not a third or fifth order chromatic aberration component that adds that extra color.

I also set all my cameras, Nikon, Canon and Olympus to normal color. No enhancements or special processing is allowed in the camera. I also like to under expose at least 1/2 stop to fully develop colors that otherwise would "bleed" or be "washed out".

I like to keep my f-stop between wide open (on my superb lens) to F/5.6, since most landscapes have nice details to offer, and too much f-stop causes too much of a lens performance compromise for my liking. If wide field lens are used, their inherently large DOF works from a few feet to Infinity anyway, so F/5.6 is all that I use. If I am using a longer focal length lens and I need to have a close focus ed subject, then I manually focus between the closest and furthest subject and use no more than F/8 if I can not change my working distance or perspective relative to the subjects.

Eastman Kodak has long be the leader in color photography. I have spent a few years in their research facilities characterizing the "color space" parameters that are used and the interaction between ISO, f-stop and exposure values employed during a capture.

Again, while anyone has the freedom to change color saturation levels , and presets, I have always found that the factory baseline set point and the use of the proper Photoshop color space provides a very consistent result from daily images taken.

Best Regards,  Mike

Look at the cedars on the left, guys.  Even down-sized, the Canon version is still showing more detail.  And look at that grass in the foreground. . . .

--Lannie

I prefer the perspective or shadow size or whatever that is of this one.  Six.  j