[ramesh.chandr]

Yesterday, I shoot some of the pictures using my Pentak K-3. But all the photos look like dull in color. Last time I have taken the pics are perfect. But this time, something went with the camera settings. Below is one of the picture and EXIF data. I would like to know the about the setting tweaking and I have to do in post processing software like GIMP to fix these pictures.

Thanks
Ramesh Chandra




EXIF —
=================
Make RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.

Camera Model Name PENTAX K-3

Orientation Rotate 270 CW

Software PENTAX K-3 Ver. 1.11

Modify Date 2015:02:21 15:19:29
1 day, 20 hours, 28 minutes, 40 seconds ago

Artist Ramesh Chandra

Y Cb Cr Positioning Co-sited

Copyright Ramesh Chandra

Exposure Program Aperture-priority AE

Standard Output Sensitivity 200

Exif Version 0230

Date/Time Original 2015:02:21 15:19:29
1 day, 20 hours, 28 minutes, 40 seconds ago

Create Date 2015:02:21 15:19:29
1 day, 20 hours, 28 minutes, 40 seconds ago

Components Configuration Y, Cb, Cr, -

Exif Image Size 6,016 × 4,000

ISO 200

Sensitivity Type Standard Output Sensitivity

Exposure Compensation 0

Metering Mode Center-weighted average

Flash Off, Did not fire

Exposure Time 1/160

F Number 5.60

Focal Length 70.0 mm

Saturation Normal

Contrast Low

Sharpness Soft

Color Space sRGB

Maker Note Pentax 5 (20,392 bytes binary data)

Flashpix Version 0100

Interoperability Index R98 - DCF basic file (sRGB)

Interoperability Version 0100

Sensing Method One-chip color area

File Source Digital Camera

Scene Type Directly photographed

Custom Rendered Normal

Exposure Mode Auto

White Balance Auto

Focal Length In 35mm Format 105 mm

Scene Capture Type Standard

Subject Distance Range Close

GPS Version ID 2.3.0.0

Print Image Matching (350 bytes binary data)

Compression JPEG (old-style)

Resolution 300 pixels/inch

Thumbnail Length 7,704
====================================

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[Adam]

Looks like the photo is overexposed. Plus, there are lots of neutral colors in the scene. You can always boost the contrast in post to make the photo pop

[Finchj]

Your EXIF says that both contrast and sharpness are set to low and soft, respectively. Was this shot as a JPEG straight out of the camera? If so, double check which JPEG profile you shot with by pressing the right key of the 4-way pad. You may also need to check the specific parameters of whichever one is chosen by hitting the INFO button. Reset those to normal.

If you have the RAW file, you may be able to reduce the highlights a little bit, but from what I can see here, they are overexposed to the point of being blown out. Unfortunately I don't know how to do that with GIMP. IMO, shooting RAW and processing with a dedicated RAW editor is a better move. Darktable is an open source, free RAW editor for Linux and Mac OS X.

[Racer X 69]

Looks a bit overexposed, as Adam points out. I always shoot in RAW, and then pull the jpeg out afterwards. The problem with jpeg is the lossy compression. RAW is the pure, full image file, with no loss from compression.

Storage is very cheap, so there is no reason to start with the compromise of a file format that gives up some of the image data straight out of the box.

[AquaDome]

I suspect the center-weighted metering was measuring the dark area in the center of the background, allowing the areas of sunlight to be overexposed.

[stevebrot]

Wrong JPEG profile setting. This is altogether too easy to do since the camera does not require confirmation before applying a different option.


Steve

[Digitalis]

CWA metering covers a bigger area than that - plus there is so much light in the center of the image CWA wouldn't have ignored it. Incidentally my Exif data reader states that your shutter speed was 1/250th.

[UncleVanya]

CWA metering covers a bigger area than that - plus there is so much light in the center of the image CWA wouldn't have ignored it. Incidentally my Exif data reader states that your shutter speed was 1/250th.

Same here 1/250s

[rfg]

CWA metering covers a bigger area than that - plus there is so much light in the center of the image CWA wouldn't have ignored it. Incidentally my Exif data reader states that your shutter speed was 1/250th.

yes but it is center *weighted* and the shadowed area under the balcony in the background and the boys dark jumper look properly exposed, so I'm thinking this meter mode is a big reason for the overexposure. Certainly 1/250th (my EXIF reader agrees with yours) f5.6 and ISO 200 sounds well overexposed for full sun.

And Ramesh, definitely check your jpeg settings. I once accidentally set mine to "Muted" which, unsurprisingly, produced very unsaturated colours!

[Digitalis]

yes but it is center *weighted* and the shadowed area under the balcony in the background and the boys dark jumper look properly exposed, so I'm thinking this meter mode is a big reason for the overexposure

Skin tones are notoriously difficult to expose for, and this I suppose is a 5% situation where the metering can get it wrong. The rule of the thumb for photographing fair skin take a spotmeter reading of the back of your subjects hand. About -1 to -1.5 exposure compensation should do the trick when using Aperture priority like you were. Or if you are in a hurry, use AE-L (autoexposure lock) when metered from a bright object in the scene.

[asp1880]

And Ramesh, definitely check your jpeg settings. I once accidentally set mine to "Muted" which, unsurprisingly, produced very unsaturated colours!

My money is on Muted too.


Muted is quite nice with the right scene though.


Regards,
--Anders.

[stevebrot]

Wrong JPEG profile setting. This is altogether too easy to do since the camera does not require confirmation before applying a different option.

My money is on Muted too

ExifTool says:

Image Tone : Muted

Unintended camera setting...'Nuff said...


Steve

[rfg]

ExifTool says:

Image Tone : Muted

Unintended camera setting...'Nuff said...


Steve

So that's one part of the question answered. As to how to fix these images in post, increasing saturation will probably go a long way. However the overexposure in the posted image is a different matter - not much can be done with blown highlights in a jpeg.

[dicks]

Take the same picture with Green-Mode and compare. I had once a strange situation, until I noticed that the WB settings had changed, using a not normal setting. After setting it back to "Auto" all pictures were perfect again.