topic Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:19:59 GMT

a) I got a used Canon 600D.

When I take pictures with it. The Images on the Camera Screen have High Contrast. When I downloaded and save the Images on my Computer. the Images are Low Contrast, Dull Images.. ... I have to adjust increase the Picture Style Contrast on the Camera to make a a Bit better.

why is this ?

I use a Transcend 4G Card which came with the Camera.

is this because its a Old or Used Camera or the Card is not so good ?

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b) Is the Yongnuo YN 560 IV the Best Value Speedlite.

I am doing to buy one for my 600d

I am a Hobbyist 🙂

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Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

RobertTheFat — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:02:54 GMT

@Brian205 wrote:
a) I got a used Canon 600D.

When I take pictures with it. The Images on the Camera Screen have High Contrast. When I downloaded and save the Images on my Computer. the Images are Low Contrast, Dull Images.. ... I have to adjust increase the Picture Style Contrast on the Camera to make a a Bit better.

why is this ?

We sometimes see this complaint if the user has his camera (or photo editor) set to the wrong color space, i.e. Adobe RGB rather than the more "normal" sRGB. Adobe RGB actually has a broader gamut and can register fine color distinctions that sRGB cannot. But the printer or display device has to be specifically set up for it; otherwise the images look dull. It sounds as though you're not using a photo editor, and I don't know whether the 600D is even capable of using Adobe RGB. But it's worth looking into; maybe the previous owner left the camera with a setting you don't want.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

cicopo — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:44:30 GMT

As soon as I read your complaint I thought "wrong color space" too.

If your file numbers begin with the underscore ( _MG ) then the camera is set to Adobe RGB which you don't want. Your files should start with IMG.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ScottyP — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 13:54:33 GMT

Hi Brian.

Are you shooting in RAW or JPEG?

If you are shooting in RAW that is great for many reasons, but your out of camera product will be very dull compared to the preview you saw in the camera LCD. You must do some post processing just to make it look acceptable.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ScottyP — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:04:42 GMT

And if it is used, you might just take 10 seconds in the Menu to reset all settings back to default, just in case the previous owner has some peculiar things set up in there that could give you problems.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ebiggs1 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:07:13 GMT

Would it be possibile to see an example? Can you u/l one? I am going to disagree with the other two and say it is not your color space. But I am not goin gto offer a different answer until I can see a sample. You might try a full reset of the camera. Use the green square and shoot in broad daylight and see what happens.

As to color space, although some or even most, consumer printers do not use AdobeRGB, they still can benefit from the larger color space. The areas that are within their specs will look fuller and brighter. Photos for the web may not, however.

Personally I would/will never buy a Yongnuo YN 560 IV for your Rebel T3i. Some folks like them just fine. They are not for me.

BTW, some folks cuss them, too. I see their quality as hit and miss. If you get a good one you are good to go. My recommendation for your camera is the EX 430 EX II.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ScottyP — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:12:25 GMT

And as for Yongnuo flashes I think they are great for a hobbyist. They are inexpensive enough to get two and some radio triggers.

A cheap flash setup off-camera will probably look better than a very expensive one mounted in the hot shoe on the camera. Straight-on flash makes flat images, awful shadows on the wall behind the subject, and red eye.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:04:31 GMT

Thanks for the Replies. the Images are in IMG. also in JPEG. Possibly its the Lighting and exposure with these pictures. but it generally lacks contrast. It Looks better on the LCD of the camera than in the computer.

here are samples.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 14:55:59 GMT

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

RobertTheFat — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:19:57 GMT

@Brian205 wrote:
Thanks for the Replies. the Images are in IMG. also in JPEG. Possibly its the Lighting and exposure with these pictures. but it generally lacks contrast. It Looks better on the LCD of the camera than in the computer.

here are samples.

Underexposed.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ebiggs1 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:21:49 GMT

The first picture is underexposed. It is not your color space as I thought. Did you reset the camera? Make sure you go into the menu and clear all settings. Format the SD card.

BTW, the second picture could benefit by setting the Rebel to Landscape.

Mr. Scott has a point about on camera flash but he failed to mention, don't shoot it straight on or without a diffuser. Aim at the ceiling. Just some more techique you must learn. Lot's of tricks to know. I doubt you are ready for multi-flash and remote trigger set-ups, yet.

The reason your camera LCD looks better is, it may be better than your monitor. You need to make sure the monitor is set correctky, too. Three settings. These are extrenmely important, brightness, contrast and grey-scale. On Windows you don't need any extras to accomplish this. I bet Mac's come with what they need also.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

RobertTheFat — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:23:03 GMT

@Brian205 wrote:

Overexposed, chromatic aberration, imprecise focus, all of which can make a picture look dull.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:32:13 GMT

These Pics are taken the 3rd day I got my camera, new to dslr btw. I am better now. but it seems many of my Pics Lack Contrast 🙂

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

RobertTheFat — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 15:39:03 GMT

@Brian205 wrote:
These Pics are taken the 3rd day I got my camera, new to dslr btw. I am better now. but it seems many of my Pics Lack Contrast 🙂

We can comment only on what we see. If those pix aren't representative of your current results, you'll need to show us something that is.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:18:55 GMT

Here is another. seems to lack contrast 🙂

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ebiggs1 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:06:45 GMT

Is this actually what the day looked like? Did you clear all settings. You must do that first. You may have exposure compensation set wrong (under). This photo also seems underexposed. If you underexpose, you lose contrast.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:11:38 GMT

It lack contrast compared to the day I shot it.

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ScottyP — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:33:15 GMT

Other than the underexposed leaf/stump image, the rest have a bright sky background and the foreground/subject is under exposed and/or desaturated from the backlighting.

Try changing the metering to either spot metering or center weighted average when part of the scene or the background is much brighter or dimmer than your subject. The sky, for example, will be blown out overexposed, but your subject will be properly exposed.

If the center focus point will be on the sky rather than on your subject, use the exposure lock button with the subject in the center, then you can set exposure based on the subject but then recompose the shot and take the shot.

Also avoid shooting into the sun unless you are intentionally going for a sillhouette or for the desaturated vintage look, or if you are using fill flash on a close subject to make up for it.

Also using a lens hood can keep harsh light from de saturating the image.

What lens are you using?

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

Brian205 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:36:41 GMT

just the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens Kit

Re: Dull Images on 600D and Speedlite Question

ebiggs1 — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 16:35:38 GMT

"It lack contrast compared to the day I shot it."

Brian,

Until you reset the camera with clear all settings, I can't help any further. It is impossibile to tell what is going on unless common ground is met.