focus

When I shoot raw I set the camera to portrait, landscape, closeup etc for auto focus- does it matter? Paul

No, the focus is another choice in your camera's adjustments. The auto-focus might be decided by the camera if the modes you select are auto-modes, but you can usually change the focus options (but I don't know specifically with the 3300.

Your user manual should give you all specifics.

You shoot any way your happy with............

tea2085 said:

When I shoot raw I set the camera to portrait, landscape, closeup etc for auto focus- does it matter? Paul

Click to expand...

The settings for Portrait, Landscape, Vivid, etc. are all "Picture Controls" and Picture Controls modify things like color balance, contrast and saturation when the RAW data is converted, in-camera, to a JPG file. When shooting RAW you can apply these presets to your RAW file during post processing if you want.

I'm not familiar with a "Closeup" setting so I can't really address what it does specifically.

Lastly, none of these have anything to do with how your camera auto-focuses. Auto-focus is controlled primarily by the Auto-focus Mode setting (Single Servo, Continuous or Auto) and the Auto-focus Area Mode setting (Dynamic Point, Single Point, 3D Tracking, Auto-Area, etc.) and these apply to both RAW and JPG shooting.

Fish; I know I can make plenty of adjustments in PS and LR but I don't understand what you mean by apply presets. Are these "presets" made by the user or are there presets already there someplace? Paul

Maybe the OP can clarify if he is adjusting picture controls or scene modes. I thought he meant scene modes because he mentioned Closeup, which is a scene mode. I believe scene modes invoke picture control as well as auto focus and auto iso depending on the scene selected. If he desires the control and flexibility of raw, its probably time to avoid scene mode and take control of the picture taking process as well. Yes, scene mode might help him by automatically choosing a focus mode, but he gets auto iso and other uncertainties thrown in there too.

tea2085 said:

Fish; I know I can make plenty of adjustments in PS and LR but I don't understand what you mean by apply presets. Are these "presets" made by the user or are there presets already there someplace? Paul

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When I open a RAW file in Photoshop, the Adobe Camera RAW plug-in opens the RAW file initially. From here I can apply one of several presets should I choose to. Adobe, however, calls them "Profiles"; maybe that's where I'm losing you.

These profiles are under the Camera Calibration tab, Camera Profiles drop-down menu. I don't know where to find them in LR since I don't use LR but I'm sure they're in there somewhere. From the drop down menu you can select presets (or Profiles) such as Landscape, Portrait, Vivid, Camera Standard, Adobe Camera Standard, etc.

Fish; The plug in you refer to-is it something I need to add to PS? I can't find camera calibration anywhere? Paul

tea2085 said:

Fish; The plug in you refer to-is it something I need to add to PS? I can't find camera calibration anywhere? Paul

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Are you in Adobe Camera RAW? Not Photoshop, per se, Adobe Camera RAW...
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Sorry Fish, what do I need to do to get to adobe camera raw? I have creative cloud and don't see it listed? Paul

tea2085 said:

Sorry Fish, what do I need to do to get to adobe camera raw? I have creative cloud and don't see it listed? Paul

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Adobe Camera RAW is a plug-in that comes part and parcel with Photoshop, it's not a stand-alone application. Unless you've modified your settings, RAW files will open in Adobe Camera RAW by default. Double-click on a RAW file and it should open in Adobe Camera RAW. It's possible you're bypassing Camera RAW by launching Photoshop and then opening the RAW file you want to edit from within Photoshop.

EDIT: Okay, I've just tried and regardless of how I do it, a RAW file opens in Adobe Camera RAW. I'm not sure why that's not happening for you. I use Creative Cloud as well.

You *are* trying to open a RAW file, right; a .NEF?

Fish; OK, when I open an NEF file I see PS in the upper left hand corner followed by file,edit image,layer etc. I guess it,s not loading to adobe camera raw, huh? Paul

tea2085 said:

Fish; OK, when I open an NEF file I see PS in the upper left hand corner followed by file,edit image,layer etc. I guess it,s not loading to adobe camera raw, huh? Paul

Click to expand...

Yeah, something is not right.

Open Photoshop. Go to "Help" and click on "About Plug-in" and see if "Camera Raw" listed like it is in the screen shot below. If you're NOT seeing Camera Raw listed, you should contact Adobe Support and have them help you figure out why. Adobe Camera Raw is a huge part of using Photoshop and the ACR plug-in SHOULD be there as part of a typical install of Photoshop CC.

Adobe Chat Support is really pretty good... I'd start there. This will get you close but you'll have to log in and click a few times to get to an actual chat window:

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?step=PHSP-PHXS_how-tos-troubleshooting_troubleshoot

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Thanks Fish, I have to go for now but I will follow your advice when I get back. I want to get that plug in! Paul

Fish, did chat and chat person had me dual screen and then he magically made it so that NEF files open with Adobe camera raw. Now I see what you're talking about- went to profiles and there they were. You've helped me immensely, I wouldn't have this plug in without your advice __THANK YOU. Paul

tea2085 said:

Fish, did chat and chat person had me dual screen and then he magically made it so that NEF files open with Adobe camera raw. Now I see what you're talking about- went to profiles and there they were. You've helped me immensely, I wouldn't have this plug in without your advice __THANK YOU. Paul

Click to expand...

Awesome... Happy to help and I'm really glad you got all that sorted out!! Adobe Camera Raw is a wonderful thing.

Just to add to this thread i have used the chat and let them take over my computer to sort a problem,i found it a great help and would do it again if i had to.

mikew said:

Just to add to this thread i have used the chat and let them take over my computer to sort a problem,i found it a great help and would do it again if i had to.

Click to expand...

Adobe Chat support has pulled my bacon out of the fire a couple times. The nice thing is I've never had to wait more than a few minutes to get help.

I am brand new to DSLR's and have been experimenting in Manual mode. Lately I have noticed that when I adjust my settings and get ready to take a photo, occasionally my camera will try to focus on the image and will not give the ready beep. My lens moves in and out to focus and then stops. I cannot take the photo. There is a question mark on the screen and I have no idea what that is referring to. I cannot take a photo, but if I point the camera to a different image it can go ahead and focus and take a photo. Is it telling me I have my settings wrong and it is too dark/bright/etc? Since I am shooting Manual I don't see why I'm not just overriding what my camera believes are appropriate settings.

Thanks in advance for your help!
-J

Manual shooting mode (top dial) is not manual focus mode (lens switch OR focus menu item). Assuming you have a d3300, your camera will not fire unless it achieves focus. To get around that, you need to be in manual focus. Either switch the lens to manual or find the focus menu and set to MF.