jettlich

I've been using my D70 for 2.5 years now, and bought an SB800 2 years ago. I

do minimal "studio style set-up" photos. Most of my work is using natural

light, i.e., environmental/outside portraits & candids of family, my children,

and friends. Some professionally, most of it, for fun & self-learning...

 

Anyway, I just took some 4-yr old photos of my daughter, tried setting her up

inside w/ natural light coming from the window. I took some sample pics to get

the right exposure, etc., and it turns out the speedlight on my D70 seemed

better at producing brightness than my SB800! From what I've read/heard, this

flash should be able to light up a room! I then put my SB80DX w/ diffuser on a

tripod for more room lighting. My pics all turned out so dark. I'm very

dissapointed. My camera - in Manual mode, said (even w/ the 800 on my camera)

I needed to have my lens WIDE open w/ a ss of like 1/4!! Tell me how to use

those for pics of a 4-yr old! I just can't believe this is right . . . ?

 

Anyway, my husband is now starting to wonder (I've been complaining about this

not-enough-light issue for at least a year now) if there's a technical

disconnect b/t my camera & flash. I've mostly used the flash w/ TTL or TTL-BL.

 

I'm getting so frustrated w/ it, that I'm tempted to just not do anymore

inside pics or places that require more light b/c I'm tired of the problem! Is

using a flash this much of an art?

 

Settings or ideas anyone?

 

Thanks a ton, Jenna

Exposure test, picture 4. Last one. Thanks, Jenna<div></div>

Exposure test, picture 3. Jenna<div></div>

Exposure test, picture 2. Jenna<div></div>

I'm sorry for the WAY TOO LARGE images I posted. My mistake. Here are the four images again in more reasonable, viewable size. Thanks for humoring me, Jenna<div></div>

Here's my 2nd of 4 photos for the Exposure test. Jenna<div></div>

Hopefully those of you who have responded to this will see this message & the photos. If this thread is virtually done w/ conversation, perhaps I'll start another one to analyze my photos.

This is my first try at including EXIF data in saved-for-web photos. I did a simple test a previous poster suggested.

 

With the manual shot (which is of course blurry w/ moving kids & a camera that dictated a SLOW 1/5"!), I looked strictly at the Electronic Analog Exposure Display in the screen and only took a pic when the display was right in the middle.

 

For the other program shots, I stuck w/ f/6.3 (interesting, completely different from Manual, A picked 1/60th to go w/ 6.3, which is much faster than what manual picked at 1/5 . . . . hmmmmmm).

 

Histogram- wise (I don't know if you get that w/ the EXIF data), all three other than manual were definitely tainted left, foregoing highlights, and a bit, if not a lot, underexposed. However, my manual shot was overexposed.

 

Do you think something's awry in my camera/ lens/flash? I was NOT using my SB-800 for these shots, just my speedlight. ISO was not on auto, and I think was 250.

 

Lastly, my husband & I compared several outdoor random shots I'd taken recently, and several indoor, and by and large, my camera does well outside (histogram, look of photo, etc.), but EVERYTHING, just about, inside is always underexposed. Even w/ my SB800. Looking in my viewfinder, the aperture/shutter/etc. don't change when I put on the 800. Today, my goal is to reread my 800 manual again!

 

Thanks for listening/reading/responding. Always willing and wanting to learn, Jenna<div></div>

Thanks for your answers, Thomas & Michele. I appreciate your expertise.

 

I'm hesitant to convert to sRGB after working in Adobe RGB b/c I've read there's a definite, yet not obvious unless the eye of a well-trained color management expert, reduction in color details in sRGB. In essence, if Adobe RGB is the creme de la crop, why settle for less?

 

Thomas - thanks for the insight on "it don't matter" re color space for RAW. Makes sense, now that I'm understanding more of the jargon!

 

Michele - I liked your idea of calibrating my monitor w/ the lab prints, AFTER I pick up the photos. However, interestingly, when I picked up my 6 test photos earlier this week, I noticed the main (only?) printer there opened up, completely overexposing, my images. My landscape shot suffered horribly b/c I think she was trying to open up shadows on the fronts of small cabins, when the majority of the photo was a beautiful (used to be saturated) blue sky, snow-capped mtn tops & a green meadow. Needless to say, I'm not overly impressed w/ her "eye" for "needed correction."

 

I guess I could calibrate my monitor (to what?), and then bring in my files & ask her to not do any corrections whatsoever.

 

Thanks you two, and others, for any further insights. Jenna

Alan and Dave -

 

Thanks for your prompt responses.

 

Alan - My histograms, specifically for almost ALL indoor pictures I shoot (not studio, just general family indoor), are tainted way to the left, indicating a loss of highlights, and a tendency toward underexposure. Thanks for asking that question. It's those histograms that have actually "proved" to me that it's not just my vision or lack-of-brightness on my LCD back-of-camera, but that they're truly underexposed. Further thoughts?

 

Dave - I have my ISO on A (auto), but I also have it set generally anywhere from 200 to 400; today it's on 250 or 320, can't remember.

 

Thanks again. This issue has been the most frustrating part of my dSLR experience. :) Jenna

I have not been very happy about many of my hard-copies from shooting w/ the

D70. I'm convinced it's not the camera, b/c I hear so much good about it, and

in many ways I love my camera . . . but I'm constantly wondering if I'm just

missing the boat on some color management issue.

 

In my reading this week, I discovered my Adobe PhotoShop CS color profile is

indeed set to Adobe RGB. HOWEVER, my default D70 has been set to sRGB these

last two years. I also discovered that the lab I'm now considering having

print my photos is also sRGB only. Ugh!

 

So, last night I immediately changed my D70 to Adobe RGB, but now I'm stuck w/

the issue of the lab. Where I live, there are only two custom/studio labs.

They use sRGB. Does this mean that I will inevitably lose some detail, color,

etc. b/c they'll print my Adobe-RGB-taken-photos as sRGB?

 

My uncle has the Epson Stylus R2400 Photo Printer and suggests that

ultimately, as I learn RAW (I shoot RAW) processing, color management, etc., I

should go the route printing on my own.

 

Before I spend all that money though, I'm wondering - would a mere calibration

of my computer monitor w/ my D70 help? Then again, that calibration (and money

spent) may not even matter if ultimately my lab's sRGB and therefore cannot

calibrate equally w/ my Adobe RGB system.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I obviously need some direction on this issue.

Thanks, Jenna

 

P.S. I should mention that I do a lot of personal work (I have a 1-yr old and

a 3-yr old), but I also do some professional family/children/couples

portraiture.

Hello again,

I have reviewed the threads pertaining to D70's and exposure and don't believe

I've found my answer, so here goes . . .

 

I wrote a few days ago stating I am unsatisfied w/ the look of my photos/hard-

copies coming out of my D70. So, I have thoroughly read through (again) most

of the manual to make adjustments, etc. I see from the photo.net threads that

many others have commented on D70 underexposure, which others have commented

is in order to preserve details in the highlights. That said . . .

 

I took a couple shots of items in my kitchen and noticed:

 

1) I get MUCH better results if I use MANUAL exposure. However, if I simply

follow the Electronic Analog Exposure Display, ironically, my pics tend to be

a bit OVER-exposed. Interestingly, at f/6.3 for an inside shot, the exposure

display's calling for a 1" to 4" shutter speed, crazy slow!

 

2) In contrast, if I use A, S, or P modes for the same picture, they are

inevitably slightly or much UNDERexposed. And oddly, the camera fixes the

aperture & shutter speed to more "normal" settings like f/6.3 and 1/120th.

 

I'm confused about such a discrepany between M and the other 3 modes.

 

I feel I therefore have to either pick MANUAL and just know to close down a

step or two on the analog display, OR, I need to photograph in A, S, or P and

fix my Exposure Compensation to +.3 or +.7

 

Thanks for your help & time. Jenna :)

Shoot - I meant to say I have both the 80DX AND the 800 flashes & I actually DO use the 800 w/ my D70, whoops (I originally wrongly said I used the 80DX w/ my D70)! Thansk & now I'm going to read all your helpful responses. JENNA

(Sorry - I just posted this to the Digital forum, when I probably should've

posted it here since it's a specific question for Nikon. Thanks.)

 

I've e-mailed this forum before, about a year ago w/ questions about lighting,

and here I am again.

 

I've had my D70 for 2 years and I've never been wholeheartedly satisfied w/

the hard-copy print look and quality. In fact, still - for 2 years, I've been

questioning whether or not to go back to my N80 (film). Digital just does not

seem to produce the same saturation of color and lack-of-flatness that film

does.

 

I think the part that does worst is my photos INdoors. I even have the SB80-DX

flash from Nikon and I just do NOT like the way my photos look. I feel I'm in

this constant state of figuring out what I may be doing wrong, so that I can't

work on the art of my photography.

 

In a nutshell, I think you can tell, I'm very frustrated. Any hints from

anyone? Is there some magic setting I should use?

 

Typically, I use the P (multi-program priority) when I taking pictures. But

even if I change to shutter priority or one of the other manual-types, I don't

get what I want. I've learned that digital is VERY unforgiving for any small

error in exposure.

 

Perhaps film is just still best. Thanks a lot for any encouragement. Jenna :)

With my Nikon D70, I'd like to know from any other users, if you can photos in

RAW or Fine Jpeg. I've been doing RAW for 2 years, then going into Adobe

Photoshop CS to crop them to save as jpegs for ordering purposes, etc. It

would be much easier to just take them as Fine jpegs, but I think having the

RAW file as a back-up would be beneficial, right? Although, I've recently read

online that jpeg is a much more universal, probably longer lasting (in terms

of future computer programs being able to read the files) format. Any help

would be great. Thanks, Jenna

I've e-mailed this forum before, about a year ago w/ questions about lighting,

and here I am again.

 

I've had my D70 for 2 years and I've never been wholeheartedly satisfied w/

the hard-copy print look and quality. In fact, still - for 2 years, I've been

questioning whether or not to go back to my N80 (film). Digital just does not

seem to produce the same saturation of color and lack-of-flatness that film

does.

 

I think the part that does worst is my photos INdoors. I even have the SB80-DX

flash from Nikon and I just do NOT like the way my photos look. I feel I'm in

this constant state of figuring out what I may be doing wrong, so that I can't

work on the art of my photography.

 

In a nutshell, I think you can tell, I'm very frustrated. Any hints from

anyone? Is there some magic setting I should use?

 

Typically, I use the P (multi-program priority) when I taking pictures. But

even if I change to shutter priority or one of the other manual-types, I don't

get what I want. I've learned that digital is VERY unforgiving for any small

error in exposure.

 

Perhaps film is just still best. Thanks a lot for any encouragement. Jenna :)

I've been doing professional outdoor portraiture for only about a

year now. I use a Nikon D70. I've been charging $75 for an hour

outdoor (beach) session for any size group, whether individual,

couple or family. $25 for each additional 1/2-hour.

 

My pricing list has not included the option to purchase a CD w/ the

digital negatives, as I've always thought I should keep my work as

just that - my work. HOWEVER, it seems that in the digital arena of

photography now in many ways it just makes sense to allow customers

to have the CD for a certain price.

 

My question is: HOW MUCH do I charge for the CD? My thought is $200-

$250. Clients would get about 60-80 photos. I'm guessing if they

ordered prints through me, I'd only make around $100-150. So, it

seems more financially beneficial to sell the CD anyway.

 

Any thoughts on pricing this way, marketing it, and if I do go the

CD route - can I just give up offering hard-copy prints altogether

to avoid the hassle, ordering, etc.?

 

Thanks for any & all input. I'm really struggling w/ this one!! Jenna

Thank you for your answers, everyone. I need to jot your responses down & do some practicing & experimenting. I will plan to post my questions to only one forum from now on! Thanks.

Thank you for your answers, everyone. I need to jot your responses down & do some practicing & experimenting. I will plan to post my questions to only one forum from now on! Thanks.

So sorry about the huge photo size I just sent. Here's a smaller one. Thanks.<div></div>

So sorry about the huge photo size I just sent. Here's a smaller one. Thanks.<div></div>

Thanks for your feedback. I'm attaching a photo that I believe is underexposed & thus not as sharp as it could be, using my D70 & SB800. Perhaps to you, the exposure's fine and it's just my Adobe Photoshop CS set-up that's wrongly adding light/exposure to the photos when I do the color balance & curves. The photo you're viewing have not been edited from the RAW version, except for changing it to jpeg to put on the site. Here's the info on the photo (oh - and in general my flash is set at TTL, auto, AF-ILL). Please tell me if you need more EXif info. Thanks a lot for your feedback.

Family: Ss 1/60, Ap f/5, ISO400, flash: fired, strobe-return-light detected, auto mode<div></div>

Thanks for your feedback. I'm attaching a photo that I believe is underexposed & thus not as sharp as it could be, using my D70 & SB800. Perhaps to you, the exposure's fine and it's just my Adobe Photoshop CS set-up that's wrongly adding light/exposure to the photos when I do the color balance & curves. The photo you're viewing have not been edited from the RAW version, except for changing it to jpeg to put on the site. Here's the info on the photo (oh - and in general my flash is set at TTL, auto, AF-ILL). Please tell me if you need more EXif info. Thanks a lot for your feedback.

 

Family: Ss 1/60, Ap f/5, ISO400, flash: fired, strobe-return-light detected, auto mode<div></div>

I've been happily using the D70 for a year. I've been using it w/

the SB800 for about 6 mths now. I use Adobe Photoshop CS for my

editing, including the color sample tool with curves color balance.

For the most part, I'm happy w/ my camera/flash unit. However, a few

recent photos I had printed made me question whether or not I should

go back to using my N80 more frequently. The D70/SB800 combo, at

least the way I'm using it, is not producing enough light to make

for good clear, sharp indoor photos. Outdoor photos generally look

pretty crisp, but not my indoor. Thanks for any/all assistance!

I've been happily using the D70 for a year. I've been using it w/

the SB800 for about 6 mths now. I use Adobe Photoshop CS for my

editing, including the color sample tool with curves color balance.

For the most part, I'm happy w/ my camera/flash unit. However, a few

recent photos I had printed made me question whether or not I should

go back to using my N80 more frequently. The D70/SB800 combo, at

least the way I'm using it, is not producing enough light to make

for good clear, sharp indoor photos. Outdoor photos generally look

pretty crisp, but not my indoor. Thanks for any/all assistance!