Does this happen to your camera?

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/29/2009 11:24:45 AM · #1

I've noticed lately that when I take pictures any area's that should be very dark or black look extremely pixalated. I get that redish/blackish look and it bothers me.
However when I save the image for web I don't see it anymore. I don't know if it's on my prints or not but if it is I will be extremely upset.

Okay here is an example:
If you look at the face it's nicely lit but the foot isn't and it looks like crap.

It looks even worse on one of my monitors and better on my older monitor.

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 11:26:35.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

03/29/2009 11:43:09 AM · #2

Most newer LCD monitors will show up more issues in the shadows, especially if they are set to their default brightness, which is usually too high.
Was this shot as JPEG, and is it directly from camera, or edited? Also, what ISO was this shot at? Was any in-camera image processing like d-lighting used? It looks to me like the shadow detail has been brought up, ant that has made the noise and pixelation more apparent

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

03/29/2009 01:35:48 PM · #3

All my shots are RAW, this picture was opened up in ACR 5.0 contrast and blacks were enhanced slightly and ISO was 100. No INP was done,

Can you see the problem on your screen?

hankk

Canon EOS-5D

03/29/2009 02:35:26 PM · #4

I can't see it on my monitor, but I haven't calibrated it (its a long story--interop problem after two years, replaced under warranty, replacement had problem...new one will be here soon, so I didn't calibrate.)

You will have noise in the dark areas. When you enhance the contrast and the blacks, you enhance the noise also. Exposing to the right helps this, but you can only bring the blacks up so far.

Also, Noise Ninja or Neat Image work wonders on this sort of thing.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

03/29/2009 03:03:20 PM · #5

I definitely see the problem. Bottom of baby's foot especially. It looks to me that the image was underexposed and lightened in post. That will mess up dark areas every time. Is your RAW converter doing any kind of auto-adjusting?

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/29/2009 03:07:31 PM · #6

Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:

All my shots are RAW, this picture was opened up in ACR 5.0 contrast and blacks were enhanced slightly and ISO was 100. No INP was done,

Can you see the problem on your screen?

Yes, I can see it. Moving the blacks slider to the left and adjusting contract, curves, etc. to bring up shadow areas *will* accentuate this.
You may find that most of the problem may be in one or two channels, and you may be able to deal with it by selectively changing the "bad actor" channel. Select the shadow areas and apply a blur to those areas on the channel where the problem is worst.
As previously posted, best practice is to expose to the right so you are never stretching your contrast in those shadow areas. There is little enough data there, without spreading it out over more levels.

03/29/2009 04:04:23 PM · #7

Cindi no it's not set to auto adjust,

I'm fully aware of noise being a problem in dark area's or when light can't get to where it needs to be. However I have a hard time believing that in this image it's there. Also I have shots like this where there isn't a not of noise. I'm just wondering if there might be something wrong with the camera or if it's a setting I on the camera I've messed with.

One more thing I have neat image and if I need it I use it but I'm just worried about the camera.

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 16:20:44.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/29/2009 04:20:35 PM · #8

Okay here is the original straight out of the camera and a crop of the foot.

Also here is the EXIF on the image

[Overview]
File type: Nikon Camera RAW
File size: 8,782.4Â KB
Creation date: 3/28/2009 14:26
Last modification: 3/28/2009 14:26
Make: NIKON CORPORATION (//www.nikon.com)
Camera: NIKON D40X
Lens: AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G ED II
Software: Ver.1.00
Dimension: 3904 x 2616Â pxÂ (10.2 MP, 3:2)
Focal length: 18Â mmÂ (equiv. 27Â mm)
Aperture: F4
Exposure time: 1/60"
ISO speed rating: 200/24Â°
Program: Not defined
Metering Mode: Pattern
White Balance: Auto
Focus Mode: AF-A
Image Stabilizer: Off
Noise Reduction: Off
Flash: Nikon SB-800, Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected

[Image]
New subfile type: Reduced-resolution image data
Image width: 160Â px
Image height: 120Â px
Number of bits per component: 8, 8, 8
Compression scheme: uncompressed
Pixel scheme: RGB
Manufacturer: NIKON CORPORATION
Image input equipment model: NIKON D40X
Image data location: 0x0001DDEA
Orientation of image: 90Â° CW (left/bottom)
Number of components: 3
Number of rows per strip: 120Â rows
Bytes per compressed strip: 57600Â bytes
Image resolution in width direction: 300Â dpi
Image resolution in height direction: 300Â dpi
Image data arrangement: Chunky Format (Interleaved)
Unit of X and Y resolution: inch
Software: Ver.1.00
File change date and time: 2009-03-28 14:26:40
SubIFD Pointer: 0x0002BEEA, 0x0002BF60
Pair of black and white reference values: [0, 255, 0, 255, 0, 255]
Exif IFD Pointer: 0x000001D4
Date and time of original data generation: 2009-03-28 14:26:40
TIFF/EP Standard ID: 1.0.0.0

[Additional Image Data (1)]
New subfile type: Reduced-resolution image data
Compression scheme: JPEG (old-style)
Image resolution in width direction: 300Â dpi
Image resolution in height direction: 300Â dpi
Unit of X and Y resolution: inch
Offset to JPEG SOI: 0x0002C080
Bytes of JPEG data: 857202Â bytes
Y and C positioning: Co-Sited

[Additional Image Data (2)]
New subfile type: Not set
Image width: 3904Â px
Image height: 2616Â px
Number of bits per component: 12
Compression scheme: Nikon NEF Compressed
Pixel scheme: CFA (Color Filter Matrix)
Image data location: 0x000FD4F4
Number of components: 1
Number of rows per strip: 2616Â rows
Bytes per compressed strip: 7955655Â bytes
Image resolution in width direction: 300Â dpi
Image resolution in height direction: 300Â dpi
Image data arrangement: Chunky Format (Interleaved)
Unit of X and Y resolution: inch
CFA Repeat Pattern Dimension: Horizontal repeat pixel unit: 2, Vertical repeat pixel unit: 2
CFA Pattern 2: [Green, Blue], [Red, Green]
Sensing method: One-chip color area sensor

[Camera]
Exposure time: 1/60"
F number: F4
Exposure program: Not defined
ISO speed rating: 200/24Â°
Date and time of original data generation: 2009-03-28 14:26:40
Date and time of digital data generation: 2009-03-28 14:26:40
Exposure bias: Â±0Â EV
Maximum lens aperture: 3.6Â Av (F3.5)
Metering mode: Pattern
Light source: Unknown
Flash: Flash fired, auto mode, return light detected
Lens focal length: 18Â mm
Manufacturer notes: 0x000003E8
User comment:
DateTime subseconds: 0.1"
DateTimeOriginal subseconds: 0.1"
DateTimeDigitized subseconds: 0.1"
Sensing method: One-chip color area sensor
File source: Digital Camera
Scene type: A directly photographed image
CFA pattern: [Green, Blue], [Red, Green]
Custom image processing: Normal process
Exposure mode: Auto exposure
White balance: Auto
Digital zoom ratio: 1x
Focal length in 35 mm film: 27Â mm
Scene capture type: Standard
Gain control: None
Contrast: Soft
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject distance range: Unknown

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 16:27:24.

Simms

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

03/29/2009 04:29:32 PM · #9

To be honest I dont think it is that bad, I think you are worrying about nothing matey.

03/29/2009 04:33:50 PM · #10

looks to me like you've blown up an under exsposed area of the shot with your composite image.

it doesn't surprise me too much that you have noise there.

go the other way with it ( deepend blacks - dodge highlites ) - and the noise will go away :)

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 16:36:04.

03/29/2009 04:35:59 PM · #11

Oaky so it might just be my monitor then???

Is there a place where I can rent a monitor calibrator or can I borrow someone's? I would hate to buy one and only use is a few times here and there.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

03/29/2009 04:38:23 PM · #12

i see the noise. on a calibrated monitor - during daylight....

it's not atypical for the exposure in that area of concern to have noise - in the uncropped un-edited image.

you are talking about a d40...

ETA - i'm trying to start a canon/nikon debate. but it's a lesser grade product than say the d200...

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 16:39:42.

Lydia

Canon EOS-6D

03/29/2009 04:38:24 PM · #13

Are you still using that Barbie Mattel camera, Joe? That would be my first place to change. :)

03/29/2009 04:42:23 PM · #14

Originally posted by LydiaToo:

Are you still using that Barbie Mattel camera, Joe? That would be my first place to change. :)

LOL Son of a B, That might be the problem, I'll try that first. hahahaa

I actually had to trash it, I was playing around with it and broke it. You know how you tell you kids not to do play with "fill in toy name here" or you'll break it?? That's exactly what I did, except I was the kid playing with it.

Message edited by author 2009-03-29 16:43:48.

03/29/2009 04:45:55 PM · #15

Originally posted by soup:

The D40 is a 6mp camera where as the D40X is a 10mp camera. The D40x is closer to the D60 than the D40. Actaully the D60 is the D40X but with a few other useless features.

03/29/2009 05:45:07 PM · #16

i mentioned a d200 - not a d60.

noise is there in the under-exposed areas of any digital photo...

03/29/2009 06:22:06 PM · #17

Originally posted by soup:

i mentioned a d200 - not a d60.

noise is there in the under-exposed areas of any digital photo...

.

Okay sorry I saw this and thought you were asking if I had a D40

Originally posted by soup:

you are talking about a d40...