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Upgraded (I think) from the D40 to the D7000
I've been using a D40 for about 5 years now and just upgraded to a D7000. I am self taught and still consider myself a newbie. BUT, I did LOVE the way my pics looked straight out of the D40. I RARELY messed with ISO/WB and they came out with amazing color almost EVERY time. And now with the D7000, my skin tone looks flat and slightly gray-ish. And my teeth and whites of my eyes look yellow. I have changed the WB/ISO to every setting and I'm still not happy with the colors. I've also tried to set the PRE setting and took a pic of a completely white piece of paper which then made my pics have an even YELLOWER tint. Also, if there are any greens in the pic, the camera picks them up as almost highlighter green. I do not want to have to spend hours post editing to get the colors right. Any tips/suggestions (in laymans terms)?
Also, 99% of my pics are self portraits using a tripod & remote (fashion blog). My D40 seemed to focus better than the D7000. Even though I now have 39 FP's?!?!
I know this is a good camera but I'm getting frustrated and am tempted to just go back to the D40. Sorry for the loaded Q. =(
Also, 99% of my pics are self portraits using a tripod & remote (fashion blog). My D40 seemed to focus better than the D7000. Even though I now have 39 FP's?!?!
I know this is a good camera but I'm getting frustrated and am tempted to just go back to the D40. Sorry for the loaded Q. =(
Post edited by Genopher on
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Comments
Yeah the D40 has nice colours..
Part of it is the difference between CCD sensor (D40) and CMOS (D7000). The old CCDs were awesome in terms of colours.. I think that may be why Nikon was one of the last to switch from CCD to CMOS. Having said that the D7000 isn't that bad.. I understand what you see.. I was very frustrated with it and it was part of teh reason i never got the 90 / D300.. I just couldn't bring myself to "bond" with the colours. I now have the D7000 as well.. and I still see what you see. BUT check your settings.. and colour spaces.. mine is set at sRGB .. some people like Adobe RGB and i think you need to set the monitor to display the colour space that you use.
Also go have a loot at KR's website on how he sets his colours I used his as a basis for mine.. but with much less saturation.
If you still dont like the Nikon colours.. go have a look at the Fulifilm X-Pro or X-E1. They are awesome!
Good Luck !
Being a photographer is a lot like being a Christian: Some people look at you funny but do not see the amazing beauty all around them - heartyfisher.
@Ironheart I'm judging the colors on my computer. Which is the same place I viewed my D40 pics. I use all of my images for my blog and now I look half dead (gray & green). =(
@Genopher: Start to shoot in RAW and all your problems in WB and skin tones well be easily addressed in post. And yes you will have to spend a little time 1-2 minutes to have the tones you like using and PP software.
at the risk of stating the obvious ; have you do a two button reset?
how are you looking at the results? have you calibrated your monitor
@Golf007sd @spraynpray Isn't there any way to just have my whites be more white without having to do post editing? Like my D40 provided? Changing WB just adds tints that make it worse...using direct sunlight option actually makes colors look better but then my skin has an unnatural orangish tint. And setting it to vivid...even worse. Although this is embarrassing...here is a link to a blog post of mine that shows the difference in colors (see the last pic) http://www.thestylishhousewife.com/2013/07/tanya-scheer/. I just feel like the D40 has better color. I did not spend $1000 on a new camera to have to do MORE post editing did I? =(
if you want your D7000 images to look more like the D40 you need to crank up the vibrancy
I shoot RAW and would do this in post with Lightroom; I think there should something in the D7000 sub menu to do this, may be some who has a D7000 and shoots jpegs can help
The D7000 photo is less saturated than the D40 photo.
The D7000 photo white balance is cooler than the D40 photo.
I know you've said both those things but seeing it is 1000x better.
Some things I would try:
- For the purposes of getting the images to match, try not using flash first. It's an extra variable that, while you'll have to figure out eventually, makes things more complicated up front.
- Your problems might start before jpg settings, with how the D7000 is metering the scene. I'm assuming you're shooting in aperture priority mode, so try using exposure compensation to slightly underexpose the D7000 image ever so slightly... like 1/3 of a stop. This should punch up the colors slightly without darkening the image considerably.
- Since you're shooting jpg, I'd like to take a moment to address that. I think you SHOULD shoot jpg, unless you want to take your post processing skills to another level. For those who don't publish a daily blog, it may seem like the easy answer is 'shoot RAW', but shooting RAW takes time for post processing you wouldn't be spending in a jpg workflow. If you have time to do post, I encourage investigating RAW, (it ain't so tough), but I also feel you should be able to get the result you want with jpg.
- White balance is one of those things that RAW makes easier than jpg in post, as you can adjust the color temperature and tint after the fact. However, I think shooting a custom white balance and jpg should net out to a time savings, so I wouldn't switch just for that. I think the problem is that you don't want accurate white balance for the D7000 scene to match the D40, but slightly warmer (bigger temp number).
- Try adjusting contrast to the photos to increase the whiteness of the whites.
- Vibrancy - which is basically adjusting the saturation of colors that would normally be saturated, while leaving those that aren't normally saturated alone - might punch up the orange in the dress but should leave your skin tones alone. It might help to punch that up too, if required
- Once you have the images matching without flash, rinse and repeat the process with the flash on.
- You might save time by using a 1/4 CTO (slight orange) gel to your flash, and leaving white balance set for the scene, but this is also a new world of pain/learning for someone just starting out. Like RAW, it's not hard... just more to learn.
There is a great font of knowledge here so I'm sure others will share their opinions.Good luck!
... And no time to use them.
@Genopher: What post processing software do you have or use? Shooting in RAW and editing for skin tones is very easy and not time consuming. Give it a shot.
With respect to your D7000, check to make sure you have the latest firmware on the body as well.
The D7000 is an amazing semi-pro DSLR, as you have so clearing pointed out, you have some learning to do. The dynamic range of this body (hence less need for flash) and its capability to take great images are well within your reach...you just have to push yourself in getting to know how to get the most out of it. Once you do...your D40 will become a souvenir.
@Elvishefer Thanks so much for taking the time to respond! At this time, I am definitely interested in perfecting my jpg pics before I switch to RAW. I am trying to avoid post processing as much as possible (and I haven't had time to figure out PS Elements yet). I will definitely practice w/out flash to see if I can get it to match better. Feeling inspired...thanks again for all of the tips...so much to learn!!! Next I need tips on how to get crisp photos while using a tripod & remote! I take all of my own pics this way (for the blog) and this new camera has really set me back time-wise. That D40 was like a point & shoot!
Check Nikon's website, often you can find settings to set custom picture controls to emulate older cameras.
Link http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/microsite/picturecontrol/other/approximation.htm
For "crispness" in portraits (something I rarely take) I have always tried to shoot at 1/125 or faster because tripod shake, wind, etc. can all cause just a bit of edge blur. Others that are better with portraits might have much better, or even contradictory, advice than mine but I'm ok with that because I'm an action photographer, not portrait photographer (shutter speeds below 1/250 scare me :-) )
Also, clarity (local contrast) and sharpening can help with "crispness"
I even don't edit most of my photos and I like my results. But then again, I rarely take photos of people, haha, so your mileage may vary.
It's quite an advanced camera, so you'll probably have to fiddle with your files a bit before you'll be satisfied, as other members above said.
It will take a few days, may be a week, to learn the basics in Lightroom , but once you have mastered it , the processing is very quick and you will never want to go back to shooting jpegs
the big advantage of RAW being you can do the "tweaking" later, in the comfort of you "office " rather then during the heat of the shoot
Had a look at the 2 images D40 and D7000. Most people wont notice the colour differences if the images are not side by side ( we all have a built in white balance, DR enhancer in our eyes ;-) ) Furthermore.. your viewers' monitors may have a much more varied colour profile than your images. :-)
What flash are you using ?
Try these options and see if it helps
1) Set the white balance
a) to "Flash" instead of auto
b) to Daylight instead of auto
c) to overcast instead of auto
2) Set the scene mode to portrait.
3) Use a real photographers gray card instead of a white piece of paper to set the white balance.
4) Use Raw ;-) its not that bad ... you can then change all manner of white balance and store that profile for later use again.
5) Try the Fujifilm X-E1 or the new X-M1. I have the old Fujifilm s5pro( and that spoilt me good) and the new Fjifilm X-Pro1, X-E1 and X-M have just as good(better?) colours.. check it out at the shop and see if you like them.
PS : You should look into getting a softbox for your flash :-)
PPS : there is a whole industry of hardware and software to manage set and correct colour profiles.
Being a photographer is a lot like being a Christian: Some people look at you funny but do not see the amazing beauty all around them - heartyfisher.
So briefly: underexpose, bump saturation up, bump sharpness up, shoot with white balance set to Flash. Then in iPhoto look for that magic adjust everything wand ;-)
If you can get it 'right' for your uses with JPG it will save a lot of time. Get the WB wrong and you're in for hours of processing to try to fix it. That's one reason RAW is preferred, you never get the wrong WB, you just roll your own.
> My D40 seemed to focus better than the D7000. Even though I now have 39 FP's?!?!
I moved from a D60 to D7000, used it overnight and then returned it the next morning and traded "down" to a D3100.
My problem with the D7000 was with the increased number of focus points to 39, which I found distracting and their presence in the viewfinder affected my ability to compose easily.
When I swapped the D7000 for the D3100 I was pleased with the, relative, "cleanness" of the D3100's viewfinder with only 11 focus points that were more "lightly" defined on the screen. And I went back to using single-point focus, generally in the centre location.
Thought about trying single-point focus?
Almost every pic on the first page of my FlickrStream, below, uses single point focus, whether on the D60 or the D3100.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/?details=1
Cheers,
Mick
You certainly upgraded for sure, about 4 generations and 2 body classes better. I keep reading animosity in this thread about change. You have been use to the same camera for many years and yes some things have changed - it just takes a bit to figure out the new body. Just keep in mind the D40 would be considered (at the time) an entry level, do everything for you, built for non-photographers. It was also built at a time when companies decided the "look" (color, saturation, contrast) that you wanted. That has changed and photographers now demand accurate "neutral" files. The D7000 is a few steps up and because of that, pulls everything to "neutral" and allows you to choose what settings and look you want.
Focusing - read the manual (sorry but it is the only way and Nikon does a great job of making it simple) and just do some test shots with each setting. It will nail focus if it is set correctly. It is a bit tricker for you since I'm sure you are either A) pre focusing,
Color - try setting the camera to Portrait (in the menus) and bump contrast all the way up, and saturation all the way up. Do test shots and pull back on saturation first to get the punch you want, then contrast. As you move contrast down, you may need to move saturation backup. Portrait will smooth some stuff out and warm the image a bit which is more pleasing. If it is not to you liking, choose the "standard" color and do the same.
This may sound like a pain, but some of us who make our living at photography and want the images out of the camera to be as close as possible will do this on every color setting. It took me 2 months before I fully figured out the color settings I wanted to stick to. Thankfully for you, you are not trying to set it up for many different types of shooting.
White teeth - well anything white is best achieved when you set a white balance point. This will also give you more accurate colors for the clothes as well. I use Expodisc (neutral) for my work but on most of my lenses that I shoot family/friends I use Promaster White Balance Lens Cap. It is not as "Perfect" as the Expodisc but at only $10 it does a good enough job.
With some testing, and a bit of trial and error you can get the out of camera Jpegs to look good. Think of it this way, you could spend 30 min-1 hour on each image on the computer OR bite the bullet and play with the camera for a few hours, for a few days, and get the settings you want so you don't have to do much editing at all. Said with tongue in cheek, Raw is for lazy camera people who want the camera just to pump out a neutral image to edit on the computer. Jpeg is for Lazy editors (I throw myself in this group) who want to spend as little time on the computer as possible.
For the original poster- it does take a lot of learning to move from a D40 to a D7000. I don't think focus is all that much faster with the 35mm 1.8 or the 18-135mm kit lens. That's mainly because they're both low end lenses. I feel that the AF system is definitely more accurate and hunts far less than before. However, I did notice a massive difference in the 105mm macro Nikkor, especially when autofocusing around macro reproduction ratios. The D40 may just give up or rack forwards and backwards again. The D7000 will actually find the subject or get close. Then I can use the manual focus to finish off the last bit. It's certainly helpful as the focus ring has a long throw.
Other things I certainly like- the metering with AI-S lenses means I can use the 50mm 1.2. Plus there's a AF confirmation light which helps.
I certainly haven't mastered the D7000 yet for sure, but I feel that there's definitely room for me to grow with the camera, as I felt that I had approached the limit of the D40's abilities. And for sure, if you look at my Flickr, I've definitely been able to keep more macro shots than previous. And with the 16 mp, I can crop like a madman and even be able to leave my macro lens home in a pinch, even if I shot in jpg.
Tao- I agree with you 100%- jpgs are for lazy people.
Genopher- give the D7000 a chance, I think you'll enjoy the capabilities.
Great blog; I like your use of composition and lighting! As someone who also photographs fashion (both editorials and streetstyle blogs), its always nice to meet someone else who else a great eye for aesthetics and composition.
I too used to own a D40 and have moved up to the modern generations and yes I have also noticed that the D7000 does have 'duller' colors with their JPG straight out of the camera (when compared to the D40). Some of this has to do with being used to the colors of the D40, however my suggestion is to focus more on the picture control settings of your camera for the JPGs (leave your white balance on auto). While it would be nice to just take RAW's of everything and edit them as others have suggested, the truth is that many people such as myself don't have time to edit everything, and I'm sure the same would apply to you. With that said, here's some JPG settings I use on my picture controls that I like:
-Turn off Active D Lighting (This can be accessed by pressing the info button on the back of the camera)
Use Neutral: Set: Sharpening to 5, Contrast to 0, Brightness to 0, Saturation to 2, Hue to 0.
Colors still not punchy enough? Try using the same settings, but with the 'Standard' mode.
Tones still grayish? Crank up the contrast setting to +1 or +2.
Colors too vibrant? Tone down the saturation to 0 or +1.
It might take a little bit of time to fiddle around with these settings, but I was able to reach a pretty similar color rendition that I had with the D40 and I'm sure you will be able to as well.
By the way, a trick to help reduce the presence of wrinkles and dark circles without using flash is to increase the exposure of your photo slightly. Using the exposure compensation button (+/- button on top of camera near the on/off switch) and set it to +0.3 or +0.7.
Anyways, hope that helps. Keep up the great work and let us know if you have anymore Q's.
Although i have been on this website promoting JPEG fine large, I think if you are really offended by the colors from the D7000 (which I find puzzling) you should try some RAW as well. I would also recommend checking WB and a number of other settings. DID this camera come to you from an outfit like B&H in an unopened box? If so it was probably set up with the factory default settings which are usually very good. My D40 and D40X were purchased both from the same local Ritz Camera and had been opened and readjusted which introduced dust spots I was never able to remove, even after going through two bodies each. Your D40 experience was apparently good. But there is no reason the D7000 couldn't be set to exceed anything the D40 did for you except getting you in the right place at the right time.