Pic on camera screen vs after computer download

[Ladyhawke]

Why is it that the pictures I download can be extremely darker than how they are viewed on the camera display screen?

I was told that your camera display screen will be a tad darker than what you see with the naked eye. I was also told that what you see on your camera screen should be very similar to what you see on the computer screen.

Not so. I took some photos with my DRebel of deer in a field. I was deliberately watching my camera screen so that I could adjust my camera settings. When I came home and downloaded them via ZoomBrowser, I was so dissappointed because I could hardly see the deer. I could adjust the gamma setting and then was able to view them but I should not have to do that.

I am using the software that came with my camera. Have I overlooked some software setting that would compensate for the specific camera? This is very discouraging for one new to advanced digital photography.

Please tell me what I am doing wrong. Thank You.

[sGu]

try adjust LCD brightness, which can be easily fool your eyes, also don't rely on the picture on screen, but read histograms, that way, you'll know if you bag the shot or not

[scottbergerphoto]

How images appear on the LCD screen is very variable. It can change by the angle you look at it and the ambient lighting. The LCD is usually brighter then the actual images. Don't use the LCD image to judge exposure. That's what the histogram is for. On your Menu, select Review>On(info). That will give you the histogram with each image. You also need to calibrate your monitor to get a consistent appearance of your images on the computer monitor.

For a discussion on histograms:
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

Regards,
Scott

[Arnie]

In addition to what everybody here has correctly suggested, use only your LCD screen to check for composition only.

[Ladyhawke]

Thanks for the replys and suggestions. And thanks for the link to the histogram site - it is obvious that this is a valuable tool that I need to understand.

I never heard about calibrating my monitor so will have to find out how to do that.

If anyone else has information or turorial sites that may assist me in understanding exposure and such, please point me in the right direction. Sometimes, when a novice like myself gets looking, the information can be overwhelming and end up being discouraging. Little sizable chunks works best.

Thanks again all. I sincerely appreciate your help and am very grateful to this forum. The whole experience so far has been a positive one. Everyone is supportive and does not put us novices down.

[scottbergerphoto]

The best book I ever read on exposure:
The Confused Photographers Guide to Photographic Exposure and the Simplified Zone System by Farzad. It's available at Amazon.com .

As far as monitor calibration, it's the only way to make sure that what you see on your monitor is what you get from your printer. If you have Photoshop or Elements on your computer, you already have a basic calibration program installed called Adobe Gamma. Go into the Windows Control Panel and double click on it. Follow the directions and you're set. There are more advanced ways to do it, but that's a good start.
Regards,
Scott

[Ladyhawke]

Thanks again Scott. I will scope out that book. I appreciate the help.

[Bruce Foreman]

Why is it that the pictures I download can be extremely darker than how they are viewed on the camera display screen?

.

First off, I second what everyone else has said.

Especially about not trying to judge exposure by the LCD image. Mine on my DRebel is also quite a bit lighter than what I see on my monitor.

Some monitors can be calibrated and some can't. I have the contrast and brightness set so my monitor and inkjet prints kinda agree. A better way is to take a typical flash shot closeup of one or two folks and a typical outdoor shot then have a lab you trust make prints of them. Compare with how the prints match your monitor with the images displayed in something like Photoshop before trying to do any adjusting on your monitor.

I'm lucky, my monitor matches what I've been getting on an older Epson printer and an evaluation print from ProPhoto in Lakeland FL shows I match their print standard very closely.

Hope this helps.

Bruce Foreman

[Bruce Foreman]

Come to think of it...What ScottBerger said about the Gamma control in PhotoShop rings a bell. I think that's why I'm lucky that my monitor is close to pro lab print standards.

I went through the Gamma bit when I first installed an older version of PhotoShop.

You got PhotoShop Elements with your DRebel, so give that a try.

Bruce Foreman