Resolution & grain, what am I doing wrong?

[benji77]

Hi guys

I jumped into the GRD4 after a few months contemplation for a quick and responsive 'point & shoot' camera.
Its speed and 'distance' focusing drew me in as well as it would make an excellent companion to my M mount during travels.
Based on online reviews and a blog (which had wonderful B&W photos) was the final straw.

I had to get it

After the first battery charge, I experienced these:

• Super fast battery drain after about 280 shots
  The camera gets pretty warm to the touch
  Setting the menus took alot of energy out of me (and the camera)
  Resolution and dynamic range was compromised

I admit that I have been pampered in the area of resolution as this is my first point and shoot after 6-7years, or I simply have too high expectations from such a small sensor.

Can I ask -

1. How do I set the camera for better details instead of having too much blown highlights (see Pic 1)

2. I cant have the RAW settings shoot in my preferred B&W high contrast settings right?

3. Why do my Bleach Bypass shots all seem to have better dynamic range (without much blown highlights) as compared to the B&W setting?

4. Could all worries above be due to wrong exposure settings (camera)?

5. Besides removing 'Pre focus' and switching off the LCD, how else can I save battery consumption? (going on a trip, hence plan to charge it once daily only)

6. Did I oversharpen in-camera, hence I get funny looking grains/resolution?

I like the output of these shots -

I am pretty sure these should be user errors, where I really hope to have a better hang of the camera within a week as I plan to shoot crazy amounts with it

 

[streetshooter]

First off, Shoot Raw.
Second, welcome to the forum.
Third, back to the first...

Raw will give a much deeper range in the files.
I do it this way....

I do Raw, multi metering. Very accurate meter in the Ricoh's.
if your in any mode but "M", dial in -.3 in the EV. This will help the highs coming into your pp system. I prefer "M" mode and auto ISO. This allows us to FEEL the light and not make a mistake. The camera will adjust to your settings.

Use single point AF if not on Snap.

If your using jpeg, well use these settings but the B&W scene mode could scare ya.
I love it but use Raw anyway.

There are many here amongst us that swear by this camera and none that swear at it.

 

[5four]

use the moveble ae point.
put it on a bright spot in your frame ( sky or...)
put ev on + 0.7, +1 , +1.3 (own taste )

you get a overall underexposed shot with deeper colors.
your brightest spot is a little over exposed but you have no blown-out spots.
( does not work in all situations, experiment)

with the bleach bypass you also have blown-out spots but the camera puts vignetting on the pictures, vignetting covers the blow-out spots on the outside of the frame.
put some vignetting on a picture in lightroom that has a blown-out sky, you'll see what i mean.

i hope it helps.

B.T.W : don't save energy, bring spare batteries !!!

 

[Blow-in]

The camera is capable of much better B&W than you seem to be getting. Some EXIF data would help analyse what's going on.

Personally I'd want to sort out the issue in jpg before moving to raw & relying on PP.

I tend to avoid the high contrast B&W mode and instead up the contrast a couple of notches in standard B&W. I play around a lot with the exposure compensation and find that I'm getting better exposure results since I set the LCD illumination to max (yes, more batteries). I tend to use spot auto focus and centre weighted metering. Most of the time I use ISO80 and try to use F4 or F4.5 when possible (I shoot mainly in aperture priority).

Keep posting!

Richard

 

[Marcus E.]

I'm just a simpleton but it looks to me like you may be shooting in B&W high contrast in the scene settings. Try scrolling to the image settings menu (menu button) and use the B&W settings there, in anything but scene mode........

 

[thelps]

I tend to avoid the high contrast B&W mode and instead up the contrast a couple of notches in standard B&W.

Richard

I've done this also, and set it to a MY mode. I may see if I can dial in some -EV as well.

 

[benji77]

You guys/gals are cool. Thank you for the fantastic tips, I will explore all of them.

Yes I must have tweaked the High Contrast B&W to an extreme. Shall revert to the B&W icon and see how I can fine tune it.
As I'd like to reduce the amount of time I sit infront of the computer editing for shots from the GRD, I need to practice more on the different in-camera settings to maximize my time.

I am amazed at the 4:3, 3:2, 1:1 settings that this little beast has. I mean...sheesh! Even my Nikon DSLR doesnt do this!

It really looks like I have to read the manual today, or at least some time soon. I always hit the ground running with a camera, and avoid reading the manual. This one needs a change in discipline!

Too much film will numb you.....or should I look for a GR1