Can I readjust my camera to get better color?

[opus]

I was complaining recently about noticing the dynamic range of my camera seemed to be a tad deficient. I've got the original Digital Rebel (Rebel 300) and I was blaming the sensor. But maybe there's something I don't know about. Perhaps I've screwed it up along the way somehow.

Any advice on the subject is appreciated.

Feel free to also talk about ICC color profiles and color management, etc., but if you do, please explain what you mean in depth, as I feel I've never truly understood the technique.

[JSPhoto]

I was complaining recently about noticing the dynamic range of my camera seemed to be a tad deficient. I've got the original Digital Rebel (Rebel 300) and I was blaming the sensor. But maybe there's something I don't know about. Perhaps I've screwed it up along the way somehow.

Any advice on the subject is appreciated.

Feel free to also talk about ICC color profiles and color management, etc., but if you do, please explain what you mean in depth, as I feel I've never truly understood the technique.

I'd have responded earl;ier but I had to dig out my DRebel and look at the menu haven't used it in so long I foget what it can or can't do
Try checking your Parameters and see if they got changed, that can, and will change your colors somewhat. You can set up personal parameters as well but I think you need it connected to the computer for that. But you can make changes that should make you happy.

JS

[mjs1973]

Yes, you can adjust the parameters for in-camera processing to boost the saturation.

It's been a while since I checked out those settings on my DRebel, but I do remember not needing my computer to do it. Perhaps you can create custom settings with the computer... I'm not positive, but I think the parameters are used for in-camera processing of jpg files and I don't think they affect RAW files. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Are you shooting jpg's or RAW? RAW files look a little duller straight from the camera because of the lack of in-camera processing.

[another view]

Actually, I see three very different topics here: dynamic range, color management (profiles are part of that) and in-camera processing.

Dynamic range has to do with what the sensor itself can record. It shouldn't change over the life of the camera, but newer sensors usually have a higher dynamic range than older sensors.

I'm not a color management expert, but basically you're making sure that the same color red (example) that you're seeing with your eyes carries all the way thru your workflow to the final print. Of course, maybe the color you want is different and with a calibrated system you can be sure that your changes will still give you the print that you want. Two of the exact same model of camera might record colors slightly differently, same is true of scanners. Printers print differently depending on model and paper you're using. The big one is the monitor - color can change how it's seen over the life of it, and by quite a lot. Biggest bang-for-the-buck is in monitor calibration. I saw a huge improvement when I started using it a year and a half ago, and it should be a requirement when you're working with RAW files, IMO. Monitor calibration might set you back $200, but a full-blown color management system will cost you several times that. Monitor calibration alone might take care of 80% of the problem.

In-camera processing is easy enough to change, I've done it accidentally. I guess you could think of this as "in-camera Photoshop".

[Norfindel]

The rebel manual lists the default parameters. You can choose one with more saturation to boost the colors, or you can create your own. Digital SLRs do less sharpening to the photos to avoid over-sharpening, an usually is a good idea to forget about JPG and shoot RAW, that way, your camera won't touch the pictures, and you can decide every step of the processing yourself.
But for now, you can check the manual, and set a parameter with more saturation and/or more contrast. Avoid adobe rgb unless you edit the photos afterwards (adobe rgb will show less saturated colors in programs that won't support it, for example: a web browser).

[Sebastian]

Kelly,

With all my cameras the first thing I do is turn down the saturation, sharpening and contrast. This results in softer, more washed-out and less saturated pictures, but it makes sure that more data is recorded. If the saturation is turned up too high, color channels start clipping sooner. And if contrast is turned up, shadow and highlight detail is lost sooner. Mind you, this mostly applies to JPG, RAW files don't face these issues. After the shoot I process the JPGs to look the way I want them to look.

[JSPhoto]

kellybean,

Do you have the manual? If so, check out pages 55-57, they explain the parameters and they say the first will give the highest quality color, saturation and contrast. You can adjust them without the computer by selecting the settings 1, 2 or 3 and adjust to ypour personal wants.

You can set:
Contrast
Sharpness
Saturation
Color tone

If you do not have the manual email me and I will scan and email the pages to you.

JS