WTF is wrong with my camera - DPChallenge Forums

03/21/2006 01:51:46 PM · #1

Azrifel, that's exactly the problem I've been having with his camera. I don't know if it's a problem with my camera, my settings, what... I haven't really shot anything since I changed my settings, so we'll see...

Azrifel

Nikon Coolpix P340

03/21/2006 01:25:56 PM · #2

For ISO100 those samples have quite a lot of chroma noise.

03/21/2006 01:09:00 PM · #3

Hey ragamuffingirl did it work is your camera better?

03/20/2006 11:16:55 PM · #4

It should only affect future pictures. But why not copy all the images to your computer and start fresh. :)

03/20/2006 10:38:02 PM · #5

Originally posted by Prism:

Originally posted by kirbic:
Some advice on the uploads:
- Do post the shots like you have, but make sure the file size is between 100k and 150k; as previously pointed out, JPEG artifacts are making it very hard to judge quality.
- Select a high-detail spot in both and crop out a 640x640px area from the original. Post this without resizing and at a file size between 100 and 150k.
- Select an area where you feel noise is an issue and post a 640px crop as above.

The above is a good alternative to posting the originals, and will give us a better chance of diagnosing the problem.

Try posting a shot using what Kirbic has detailed above. How are you releasing the shutter with your camera on the tripod? Are you using the camera self timer, a remote release or still pushing the button?

Those examples are out of camera. They haven't been altered at all except to crop them.

If I change my camera to TIFF will it effect the pictures already in the card, or just fiture pictures?

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 22:38:42.

Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR

03/20/2006 10:26:42 PM · #6

Set you camera to 3264 x 2448 Uncompressed Tiff. It will give you the max file size and resolution around 23 meg . Then you can size and save as suggested earlier in the post.

Your settings SHQ 3264x2448 mode, gives an average image size of around 3Mb - 3.5Mb.

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 22:27:20.

Prism

Pentax K-30

03/20/2006 10:25:10 PM · #7

Originally posted by kirbic:

Some advice on the uploads:
- Do post the shots like you have, but make sure the file size is between 100k and 150k; as previously pointed out, JPEG artifacts are making it very hard to judge quality.
- Select a high-detail spot in both and crop out a 640x640px area from the original. Post this without resizing and at a file size between 100 and 150k.
- Select an area where you feel noise is an issue and post a 640px crop as above.

The above is a good alternative to posting the originals, and will give us a better chance of diagnosing the problem.

Try posting a shot using what Kirbic has detailed above. How are you releasing the shutter with your camera on the tripod? Are you using the camera self timer, a remote release or still pushing the button?

03/20/2006 10:07:04 PM · #8

Here's a couple of examples of what I've been talking about. Both of these are at ISO 100, f8. The first one was shutter speed 1/40, using a tripod, no flash. The second one, is shutter speed 160 using a flash:

Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR

03/20/2006 06:51:40 PM · #9

I'll try it as soon as I get home.

Prism

Pentax K-30

03/20/2006 06:21:00 PM · #10

Even with using size for web, you can still optimize it to 150kb. At the small file size you are uploading, your shots will appear a lot more pixelized from the compression. Can you save at a higher file size with some of the samples that you posted earlier just to see if it makes a difference?

Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR

03/20/2006 06:18:04 PM · #11

Grandwazoo, my manual might as well be in Greek for all the sense it makes to me.

Prism, I do tend to use "Size For Web" just because I've got a crappy dial-up connection, and pictures take forever to upload otherwise. Though, I did not use "Size for Web" on 2 second challenge.

I have to bring my laptop to work tomorrow because I have pictures I want to upload to the stock sites (one picture can take up to an hour at home). I have a couple of print requests that I have to e-mail to Costco because they can't handle prints that big in store. Here at work, I can pick up our neighbor's high speed wireless signal. It's a good thing I'm not into bootlegging music or movies.

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 18:20:29.

Prism

Pentax K-30

03/20/2006 06:06:25 PM · #12

Looking at some of the shots that you have uploaded for challenges, you seem to have really high compression on them. For instance, on your Square Crop entry, the file size is only 15kb (not 150kb as allowed). It may not be your camera that is the problem at all but your post processing steps.

03/20/2006 06:02:58 PM · #13

This is the Manual for your camera. I found this in there

I think you may have found your problem!

Not the exact manual but you get the Idea

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 18:05:31.

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

03/20/2006 05:52:41 PM · #14

I just found something in my menu called Pixel Count Compression. I put it at 3200x2400, but what should I put the second box at? It gives me 1/2.3, 1/8, and 1/4 as options. It WAS set at 1280x960 and 1/8. I'm pretty sure I don't want it at that considering it's supposed to be at SHQ 3264x2448. I'm wondering if this is yet another setting that person monkied around with...

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

03/20/2006 04:05:45 PM · #15

--Edited to remove dumb question....

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 16:06:26.

sabphoto

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

03/20/2006 03:36:45 PM · #16

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

...I did loan it to my little brother once, and he let his girl friend's brother screw with the settings. But, he SWEARS it wasn't bumped, dropped, or banged...

You mention she played with the settings, were pictures good before this happened? There should be a full reset of settings to put them back at the factory defaults. I would do a full reset and then set them the way you think they should be. I also don't know that camera very well but still wonder if having the sharpness all the way up is necessary, I have the 5050 (I know huge difference here) and have it dialed down -2 on sharpness to control some of the noise. Was also wondering if the pixel remap would help any...not sure, just wondering out loud.

Hope you get it fixed/figured out soon.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

03/20/2006 03:26:21 PM · #17

Originally posted by nards656:

Just curious, what if you used a different camera to make the same shot as you make with the E300, then compare the two pix on your monitor? Maybe even have your brother PP them, then see if you can even tell which is which???

Maybe it's ALL the monitor. If we could see some full rez chunks 640x640, we might be able to help more.

I'll try to talk my brother into loaning me his D70 after his D2X comes in. I told him to call me when it comes in, so I can go over and admire it. He keeps saying one of these days we're going to go out shooting together. He wants to go out with me because I'm the most not-bashful person he knows. If I want on private property, I have no problem going up and knocking on the person's door to ask.

Message edited by author 2006-03-20 15:27:02.

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/20/2006 03:03:07 PM · #18

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

My brother suggested printing the pictures out...the original sizes, not resized or anything. I did, and I think the prints look fine... which is a huge relief. I'd rather have a crappy monitor than a crappy camera. Unfortunately, I have a laptop, so replacing the monitor isn't an option.

Sure it is. Nearly all laptops these days can be hooked up to a desktop monitor; you get the best of both worlds; portability and a big screen monitor at home. Ditto for mouse/graphics tablet, and keyboard btw. Some laptops have an optional docking module, where you have the screen, the keyboard, and the pointing device always attached; you just take the closed laptop and slide it in and it hooks right up. My IBM Thinkpad at the last place I worked was like that. I used it like a desktop at work, and then just unplugged it and took it home if I had to work late.

Robt.

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

03/20/2006 02:10:00 PM · #19

03/20/2006 12:30:03 PM · #20

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

03/19/2006 05:32:09 PM · #21

Now, I have to figure out how to set the evaluative metering.... I swear I read my owner's manual. You all are just easier to understand.

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

03/19/2006 05:25:43 PM · #22

What do you meter to? And is it on the evaluative metering mode?

If you're in spot meter, and you don't specify a metering point, it will meter to whatever you lock the focus onto.. if you lock the focus onto the ground or a dark object it will set the exposure to make that object a medium gray instead of black, and everything else will be way blown out. Maybe try setting the exposure compensation to +1stop or so, and if there's anything very light or white in the shot, try (spot) metering to that, and then focusing to wherever?

Also helps if you shoot RAW and overexpose a little, and then when you load it into photoshop or whatever, just drag the exposure slider down to make it look better. That reduces noise quite a bit I've found.

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

03/19/2006 05:18:25 PM · #23

It always over exposes in the auto settings. :(

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

03/19/2006 05:13:17 PM · #24

How about putting it in Auto mode, evaluative metering, auto white balance, default parameters, highest quality JPEG, etc, and taking a handheld shot outside, in the late afternoon so the lighting isn't terrible?
And then just load it into photoshop, apply unsharp mask with 110%, 1.2px radius, 0 threshold, then resize to 640px, save for web, 85% quality.

And see how it looks :P

Any camera should be able to figure out settings for that situation and it shouldn't look too bad, and there's no funky processing involved, just a little sharpening.