Which Picture Style to use in this scenario?

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/29/2008 04:26:08 PM · #1

Let's say I'm part of a group shooting for someone else and am on location, outdoors in bright sunlight, shooting all day long. The locations include not-too-dense forests, fields, grasslands, etc. I'm using my Canon EOS 40D.

The "customer" has card readers set up in the field because they want the images right away to either post to the web, send to the news wires, etc. Let's also assume they want JPGs. They will be doing minimal post-processing, if any at all (maybe a crop or something).

I would like to have the best possible quality (color, sharpness, etc) for these JPGs before turn over my CF card to them for downloading.

I normally shoot in Manual mode 90% of the time, in RAW. I'm thinking of using one of the "Picture Style" settings to help the JPG capture. I have a few questions around this.

First, what Picture Style would be the recommended setting given the aforementioned environment?

Second, if I shoot RAW+JPG (large/fine), will the Picture Style be applied to the JPG?

Third, if Picture Style is not the way to go, what else is there? I'll gladly entertain any suggestions.

Thanks!

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

05/29/2008 04:42:06 PM · #2

I think you got the right idea. Yes, the style will be applied to the jpg. You should experiment with the style settings before you go.

Message edited by author 2008-05-29 16:42:14.

Refwhett

Nikon D300

05/29/2008 04:44:19 PM · #3

On my Nikon thepicture style is applied to the JPG when I shot RAW+JPEG so I would assume its
's the same in your case. About what type of in camera processing you should go for I have no clue on a Canon but I usually use vivid ( but I toned it down a little bit).

Edit: too slow :)

Message edited by author 2008-05-29 16:44:53.

cryan

Nikon D700

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

05/29/2008 04:44:57 PM · #4

Stay away from the picture styles if you can. You state that you shoot manual 90% of the time, why change the way you shoot? Whether you shoot JPEG or RAW, how you shoot is still the same. Exposure is still exposure. Really the only thing I would worry about is white balance. In the sun shoot in auto WB, in the shade change the WB to the shade setting. Just because you are shooting JPEG should not alter the way you shoot. I hope this helps.

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

05/29/2008 04:51:05 PM · #5

Originally posted by cryan:

I understand this, but how would you control saturation, overall sharpness, and contrast with either Manual, Av or Tv modes? With sharpness, I can see where the DOF would come into play, but saturation and contrast?

cryan

Nikon D700

05/29/2008 04:57:18 PM · #6

You should be able to go into one of your menus and adjust saturation. Contrast is all in how you shoot the scene. You might have to over or in some cases underexpose by 1 to 2/3 stops. You should also have a setting that will alow you to control how much sharping is done in camera. I know you can do this with Nikons however, I'm not sure about Canon. I would think that Canon would have something very close to this.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

05/29/2008 06:29:22 PM · #7

Understood. But if tweaking saturation and sharpness is done, why not do it in a Picture Style? That way, all these tweaks can be saved in several custom styles.

Maybe the Nixon's equivalent feature is not as robust as Canon's?? ;-)

Message edited by author 2008-05-29 19:27:03.

awpollard

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/29/2008 08:47:54 PM · #8

Picture Styles are Stored in the Canon RAW somewhere; at least if you bring the RAW shots into Canons Digital Photo Professional. I shoot RAW only and 97% of the time it is in Full Manual, openning the RAW files in DPP what ever picture style was used at the time of the shot is selected as is Sharpness, Contrast and tone of the picture style.

There is no way to not use Picture Styles on 40D, if nothing else you are shooting in "Standard" Picture Style.

Also if you use one of the other (Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful) picture styles and didn't like the results you can switch that in DPP before raw conversion.

I haven't done this yet on the 40 but on the 400D I know we Uploaded a custom "Fall Colors" Picture Style in to my moms cam and it worked peachy. Canon now provides Picture Style editor where you tweak the picture styles to your liking and use them in DPP.

To answer your question about the location you mention is easy for me, I would use "Landscape" (Note: that I changed my sharpness as I found landscape too soft). If too saturated in DPP I would try Faithful or Neutral.

In really bright sunlight with lot's of people wearing white clothes, or white birds (herons) or the likes; I will go into the menu and turn on Highlight Tone Priority... It's weird cause it would let you go below ISO 200 but helps with detail in the highlighted areas.

ED: Some cool stuff about Picture Styles here: //www.usa.canon.com/content/picturestyle/index.html

Also note we (40D owners) cannot download the Picture Styles offered on the site there. We require newer *.ps2 files that are created in Picture Style editor but we can upload (3) custom PSs to our camera. There is a ton of stuff you we change in PSE...

Message edited by author 2008-05-29 21:26:57.