Digital colours really dull

[estulin]

Just having switched from film to digital, I find colours are really dull and boring.

Now I know that I should shoot in RAW mode and make any necessary adjustments to boost colours but still, nothing compares to what I saw in a Velvia slide.

Maybe I made a mistake and should have stayed with film?
I have a 5D in case anyone asks.

Is there a method in creating colors that pop or is digital color dull and boring?

[RogerW]

You need to look at some of the prost-processing tutorials to find out how to get the best out of your raw files.  Straight from the camera these will be dull as they are, in a sense, the undeveloped images.  Learn to process them correctly and you'll get all the "pop" you want.  If you wish, then you can make them pop so much that Velvia will look dull in comparison.  I much prefer Provia.

[DiaAzul]

Now I know that I should shoot in RAW mode and make any necessary adjustments to boost colours but still, nothing compares to what I saw in a Velvia slide.

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From your description it sounds as if you need to increase contrast rather than boost colours. Slides typically have higher contrast and if the settings on your camera give a low contrast image it will appear slightly dull. Doesn't matter if you are shooting RAW or JPEG you need to work your way through the settings until you have an image that you are comfortable with - I would suggest leaving the saturation slider until last (start with adjusting tone curves then brightness/contrast).

[estulin]

When you say work with the settings, that means post-process.
Lightroom or ACR?

[CatOne]

When you say work with the settings, that means post-process.
Lightroom or ACR?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=139398\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You can do saturation adjustment in LightRoom.  You can't do it in ACR -- with ACR you tweak in ACR and then do other adjustments in Photoshop.

Have you tried LR yet?  Try running a couple shots through there and boosting the vibrance a bit -- just to see what it does -- and maybe tinker with the targeted adjustment tool for local saturation.  Velvia boosts some colors LOTS more than others... I bet if you Google you can find a Velvia preset for LR that boosts green to like +60  

[DiaAzul]

When you say work with the settings, that means post-process.
Lightroom or ACR?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=139398\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

It depends if you are shooting RAW or JPEG. For the former use settings in whatever conversion programme you are using, for JPEG use the in-camera settings.

It may be quicker for you to shoot a couple of RAW images and then play with the settings in whichever RAW conversion programme you are using until you get the desired effect that you are looking for - then apply them to your in-camera JPEGs.

[terence_patrick]

Believe me when I say you're going to be chasing your tale for a while if you're always going to desire that Velvia look on your digital files.  There are many color presets out there for Lightroom, Photoshop, etc, but digital is going to always offer a baseline and it'll be up to you in how you want to alter it.  I shoot about 60/40 film to digital and love the way Portra 160VC looks.  I've tried for ages to match that look with my 5D.  Sometimes I get it to match, other times, I don't.  I could probably hire a professional retoucher/color expert to do it for me, but I'd rather just shoot the film if that's the look I need.

Keep in mind also that you're comparing slides which I'm assuming you're viewing through a loupe & lightbox(?) versus digital images on a screen that may or may not be calibrated.  Digital images give incredible flexibility in terms of color tweaking, which can be overwhelming if you're always trying to match a film's color that may shift depending on other physical variables (temperature, age, chemicals, etc).

[The View]

New medium, new look.

That doesn't necessarily mean this is bad. Just different.

And different can meam better.

How long did it take you to get that look you love from Velvia? (I loved the Kodak E 100 VS)

I'm sure it took you a while of shooting, testing, disappointments, joyful discoveries.

Well, you're in for a new ride. And it will let you discover great new characteristics. Just different.

I guess you are making the "mistake" everybody makes when switching from film to digital: you are applying your film experience to a totally different medium.

Take your time, and don't be disappointed. Learn how much you can do with curves, black levels, and white balance. And that's only the start.

Usually, once you get it, you won't necessarily want to go back. Digital photography means more creative freedom you might ever have dreamed of.

[sniper]

Are you shooting RAW or jpeg and what colour space are you shooting?

[BernardLanguillier]

DxO + filmpack has a Vevlia emulation mode that you might find to be a time saver.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Rick Donhauser]

After trying many raw converters over the years, I really am happy shooting raw with the 5D and using Canon's DPP software with the "standard converter".  Although not like Vevia, the results can be vibrant and like transparency film.  Downside is that it is a little slower than photoshop for editing (clone tool and cropping etc.)

Good Luck,

Rick

[macgyver]

After trying many raw converters over the years, I really am happy shooting raw with the 5D and using Canon's DPP software with the "standard converter".  Although not like Vevia, the results can be vibrant and like transparency film.  Downside is that it is a little slower than photoshop for editing (clone tool and cropping etc.)

Good Luck,

Rick
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I would agree with that.  Having use DPP for a week or two after getting a 40d I found the conversions much nicer than LR/ACR, but the program terrible to use.

[digitaldog]

Might I suggest this very good (and somewhat long) PDF on rendering:

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/p...renderprint.pdf

Well worth printing out in color, then reading.

If you want more (but not as long <g>):

http://www.color.org/ICC_white_paper_20_Di...ment_basics.pdf

[Deep]

I too am a big fan of slide film, but not of the hassle of scanning, etc.  One thing I have noticed is that, with a given exposure (I have done head to head comparisons), the digital holds more detail in the blacks and the slide more highlight detail.  This can make the digital files look quite flat in comparison.  Moving the dark slider a very small amount (in any programme I have tried) makes the dark tones much bolder and more slide like and has rescued many an image.  Don't overdo it though!

Incidentally, my CCD cameras easily produce colours like E100VS film, with little effort on my part, if I save in Adobe RGB.  My MOS camera is much duller by comparison (there will be a tweak there that will fix that though).

Don.

[The View]

Just having switched from film to digital, I find colours are really dull and boring.

Now I know that I should shoot in RAW mode and make any necessary adjustments to boost colours but still, nothing compares to what I saw in a Velvia slide.

Maybe I made a mistake and should have stayed with film?
I have a 5D in case anyone asks.

Is there a method in creating colors that pop or is digital color dull and boring?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=139334\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Your are not mentioning where the colors are dull.

On prints?

On your monitor? How good is your monitor and your monitor calibration.

You can do so much with colors in digital, using the color channels, the two kinds of saturation sliders, the black levels... I especially find this color work exciting. You can experiment until you get the right mood...

[nicolaasdb]

I think it is a mistake to think that you can just pick up a digital camera (pro sumer may I add) and expect it to be like shooting film!!

When you used film did you print anything youself? I don't think you did! You used a lab....if you did never printed an image yourself...you can't expect to do it now..just because you (think) whatyouseeiswhatyouget....because it isn't. Digital RAW images are dull...but undeveloped film is even duller (it is completely black) until you put it in a chemical and add some light etc.

I hated shooting digital about 5years ago...what I loved was the instand result..but over the years I found out that nothing is instant.....you got to develop a skill and the software is soooo much better (easier) now than it ws 5 years ago. LR and CS3 make a huge difference in colorcorrection....but it isn't easy or fast...sometimes I spend 2 days just to get the colors where I want them to be and still start over. Problem with digital is that you can make your image almost any color you want and there are so many tools to modify highlights and shadows (many more options than when shooting film and making a print) which makes it even more difficult to make up your mind!!

The only advice I can give is to practice practice practice and spend days, weeks, months even years to re invent yourself or hone your skill to where it was when you werre shooting film...I feel your pain...but to stay alive (make money) you need to stay in traffic and traffic is digital (except for the lucky few.....)

goodluck

[Nat Coalson]

Using ACR and Lightroom, one thing I've found makes a HUGE differnece in how the captures look straight off the camera is Camera Calibration.

SHoot eh X-Rite Color Checker targer, run Tom Fors excellent ACR-Calibrator script and enter the numbers it generates.

You'll get much brighter, more accurate color with less need for saturation/vibrance and tone adjustments.

If you're shooting raw, using ACR or LR, and not using custom Camera Calibration settings made for your own camera, you're missing a big piece of the color puzzle.