Possible Camera Problem

I have a Sony A700 on a recent day out I went to 2 locations and took a number of photos after finishing at the second location I looked at the photos on the screen the first set were ok but the second set were B/W, went into the menu settings and somehow the setting had changed from colour to B/W chaged back to colour. When I got home I downloaded the photos onto the computer and in file explorer they show the B/W photos as B/W but when uploaded into Photoshop they come up as colour photos all photos were taken as raw images.As a trial I changed the setting in camera to B/W took a couple of photos in the garden then changed back to colour setting took a couple of shots on the camera screen they show as B/W and colour all photos on raw setting. uploaded into photoshop and all photos are in colour including the ones taken in B/w. Strangely if I bring up the photos in Windows Media Player which I use normally to look at the photos to see which ones to keep or discard the B/W ones show for about a second or two as B/W then change to colour. I never deliberately take B/W shots prefering to take all in colour and then selecting any that I want to change to B/W. in photoshop. I suspect that this is a camera problem that I will have to keep an eye on anybody else had a similar problem. While I was typing this had a quick thought changed the setting from raw to jpeg and images come up in photoshop as B/W and colour so maybe has something to do with raw

I have a Sony A700 on a recent day out I went to 2 locations and took a number of photos after finishing at the second location I looked at the photos on the screen the first set were ok but the second set were B/W, went into the menu settings and somehow the setting had changed from colour to B/W chaged back to colour. When I got home I downloaded the photos onto the computer and in file explorer they show the B/W photos as B/W but when uploaded into Photoshop they come up as colour photos all photos were taken as raw images.As a trial I changed the setting in camera to B/W took a couple of photos in the garden then changed back to colour setting took a couple of shots on the camera screen they show as B/W and colour all photos on raw setting. uploaded into photoshop and all photos are in colour including the ones taken in B/w. Strangely if I bring up the photos in Windows Media Player which I use normally to look at the photos to see which ones to keep or discard the B/W ones show for about a second or two as B/W then change to colour. I never deliberately take B/W shots prefering to take all in colour and then selecting any that I want to change to B/W. in photoshop. I suspect that this is a camera problem that I will have to keep an eye on anybody else had a similar problem. While I was typing this had a quick thought changed the setting from raw to jpeg and images come up in photoshop as B/W and colour so maybe has something to do with raw

If you set a picture profile in camera (eg, B&W) it will affect JPGs and the embedded preview built into the RAW files, but not the RAW file itself which will always retain the full colour data. When you see a RAW file switch from B&W to colour you are initially seeing the B&W preview and then it is being replaced by a dynamic rendering of the full colour RAW data. This is all quite normal. For example, I shoot RAW + JPG on my A6000 when doing street photography. This gives me a B&W image in the viewfinder and a B&W JPG. When I import the RAWs into Lightroom I initially get a B&W thumbnail, which reverts to colour when I go to edit it. Best of both worlds.

If you set a picture profile in camera (eg, B&W) it will affect JPGs and the embedded preview built into the RAW files, but not the RAW file itself which will always retain the full colour data. When you see a RAW file switch from B&W to colour you are initially seeing the B&W preview and then it is being replaced by a dynamic rendering of the full colour RAW data. This is all quite normal. For example, I shoot RAW + JPG on my A6000 when doing street photography. This gives me a B&W image in the viewfinder and a B&W JPG. When I import the RAWs into Lightroom I initially get a B&W thumbnail, which reverts to colour when I go to edit it. Best of both worlds.

Just a little 'wonder why' from me. I wonder why you look at the photos initially with Windows Photo Viewer and not with Adobe ACR if you then go on to process them in PS as that just gives you what Windows can do with the RAW data not what you yourself may be able to do.

Just a little 'wonder why' from me. I wonder why you look at the photos initially with Windows Photo Viewer and not with Adobe ACR if you then go on to process them in PS as that just gives you what Windows can do with the RAW data not what you yourself may be able to do.

[quote]Just a little 'wonder why' from me. I wonder why you look at the photos initially with Windows Photo Viewer and not with Adobe ACR if you then go on to process them in PS as that just gives you what Windows can do with the RAW data not what you yourself may be able to do.[/quote] Using ACR for an initial cull is long winded and cumbersome. Far easier to open everything in a Jpeg. reader: I don't know about Windows Photo Viewer, I use "Honeyview" and simply flick through using the arrows, deleting the obvious duds as you go.

Quote:Just a little 'wonder why' from me. I wonder why you look at the photos initially with Windows Photo Viewer and not with Adobe ACR if you then go on to process them in PS as that just gives you what Windows can do with the RAW data not what you yourself may be able to do.

Using ACR for an initial cull is long winded and cumbersome.

Far easier to open everything in a Jpeg. reader: I don't know about Windows Photo Viewer, I use "Honeyview" and simply flick through using the arrows, deleting the obvious duds as you go.

Thankyou for those quick replies I now understand a bit more about the raw format, in regards to using Windows Media Player you can view both raw and jpeg files and I use it solely to view my images on a large screen so I can select which images I wish to process and save also those I wish to discard. But I am still puzzzled as to why the camera should change from the colour setting to B/w without going into the settings menu it has never done this before I bought this camera new I think about 10 years ago and am really pleased with it. I think it must have been some unexplained glitch whitch I will look out for in the future but seeing as I always shoot raw files it should not be a problem. Thanks again for yourr help..

Thankyou for those quick replies I now understand a bit more about the raw format, in regards to using Windows Media Player you can view both raw and jpeg files and I use it solely to view my images on a large screen so I can select which images I wish to process and save also those I wish to discard. But I am still puzzzled as to why the camera should change from the colour setting to B/w without going into the settings menu it has never done this before I bought this camera new I think about 10 years ago and am really pleased with it. I think it must have been some unexplained glitch whitch I will look out for in the future but seeing as I always shoot raw files it should not be a problem. Thanks again for yourr help..

Regarding the 'glitch' - is it possible you accidentally pressed a button that was either programmed to choose a different creative style or recalled it from memory? I'm not familiar with the A700 but these options are fairly common on Sony cameras.

Regarding the 'glitch' - is it possible you accidentally pressed a button that was either programmed to choose a different creative style or recalled it from memory? I'm not familiar with the A700 but these options are fairly common on Sony cameras.

iIhave checked for that but am not aware there is button to do that.

iIhave checked for that but am not aware there is button to do that.

I dont have a Sony but have accidentally changed settings on canon, olympus and fugi cameras while shooting. On olympus and fugi it's usualy effects modes or moving the focus point.

I dont have a Sony but have accidentally changed settings on canon, olympus and fugi cameras while shooting. On olympus and fugi it's usualy effects modes or moving the focus point.

I spent some time last night going through the manual and there is no way you can select B/w by inadvertantly pressing a button on the camera. There are 2 ways you can do it 1. select menu then scroll through until you come too creative style select that then you are given a whole range of options such portrait landscape vivid standard Adobe rgb some others and also B/W and Sepia,then you have to select that option and OK it. 2. On the front of the camera there is a FN button which if you press it brings up a screen which gives quick access to certain options such as focussing exposure compensatiom white balance iso etc. also the creative style menu but you still have to select it then scoll through the various options and select one of them. You also have the option using the display button of 2 versions of the FN menu the a longer version which incudes the creative syle menu or a shorter version that excludesi it I always have it set for the shorter version. So unless someone knows anything different I will put it down to a camera glitch, thanks again for your responses..

I spent some time last night going through the manual and there is no way you can select B/w by inadvertantly pressing a button on the camera. There are 2 ways you can do it 1. select menu then scroll through until you come too creative style select that then you are given a whole range of options such portrait landscape vivid standard Adobe rgb some others and also B/W and Sepia,then you have to select that option and OK it. 2. On the front of the camera there is a FN button which if you press it brings up a screen which gives quick access to certain options such as focussing exposure compensatiom white balance iso etc. also the creative style menu but you still have to select it then scoll through the various options and select one of them. You also have the option using the display button of 2 versions of the FN menu the a longer version which incudes the creative syle menu or a shorter version that excludesi it I always have it set for the shorter version. So unless someone knows anything different I will put it down to a camera glitch, thanks again for your responses..

[quote]Thankyou for those quick replies I now understand a bit more about the raw format, in regards to using Windows Media Player you can view both raw and jpeg files and I use it solely to view my images on a large screen so I can select which images I wish to process and save also those I wish to discard.[/quote] Windows Media Player cannot display Raw - it simply converts the information into a Jpeg which is probably different to the conversion that your camera will give you. Raw files contain information which will give a 'translator' the necessary tools to provide you with a picture (a jpeg) but you have to 'develop' that information into a true photo of the scene you had in your mind. I think that the only real purpose of Jpeg is for an immediate response i.e. the scene needs to be darker/lighter etc. something needs to be moved, or if you need to send a copy of the proposed image to someone who can give an immediate yeh or nay, ie someone who you are hoping will purchse the end product. Otherwise downloading the images into Adobe Bridge will give you that information after the event or even if you shoot tethered, at the time on a computer or pad. And it is more 'digital camera based', unlike Windows Photo Viewer.

Quote:Thankyou for those quick replies I now understand a bit more about the raw format, in regards to using Windows Media Player you can view both raw and jpeg files and I use it solely to view my images on a large screen so I can select which images I wish to process and save also those I wish to discard.


Windows Media Player cannot display Raw - it simply converts the information into a Jpeg which is probably different to the conversion that your camera will give you. Raw files contain information which will give a 'translator' the necessary tools to provide you with a picture (a jpeg) but you have to 'develop' that information into a true photo of the scene you had in your mind. I think that the only real purpose of Jpeg is for an immediate response i.e. the scene needs to be darker/lighter etc. something needs to be moved, or if you need to send a copy of the proposed image to someone who can give an immediate yeh or nay, ie someone who you are hoping will purchse the end product. Otherwise downloading the images into Adobe Bridge will give you that information after the event or even if you shoot tethered, at the time on a computer or pad. And it is more 'digital camera based', unlike Windows Photo Viewer.

I think the pages you need to look at in your manual are 67 and 69. I have always used Sony cameras and they allow you to ascribe to the buttons on the camera certain functions such as colour choices such as night view, sunset, B&W. In my own experience with Sony I have found it is quite easy to press a button without realising that you have, simply when moving the camera or adjusting something else - unless you are very careful. And personally I can forget to be careful if something pops up and I feel it is a chance not to be missed but I must be quick or it will be gone!! You may not be like that at all - I suspect that calm and careful results in better pictures!! But excitement is the spice of life so you pays your money and takes your choice. Hopefully it won't occur again but I really don't think there is anything wrong with your camera. (Just a thought - I have quite a few grandchildren and they have in the past been intrigued by my cameras and I suspect have pressed buttons unknown to me!) Just enjoy the magic of the image caught!

I think the pages you need to look at in your manual are 67 and 69. I have always used Sony cameras and they allow you to ascribe to the buttons on the camera certain functions such as colour choices such as night view, sunset, B&W. In my own experience with Sony I have found it is quite easy to press a button without realising that you have, simply when moving the camera or adjusting something else - unless you are very careful. And personally I can forget to be careful if something pops up and I feel it is a chance not to be missed but I must be quick or it will be gone!! You may not be like that at all - I suspect that calm and careful results in better pictures!! But excitement is the spice of life so you pays your money and takes your choice. Hopefully it won't occur again but I really don't think there is anything wrong with your camera. (Just a thought - I have quite a few grandchildren and they have in the past been intrigued by my cameras and I suspect have pressed buttons unknown to me!) Just enjoy the magic of the image caught!

Just to clear up any misunderstanding I only use the Windows viewer to assess wether the photo is worth keepng ie is it sharp is the composition Ok, Iam not looking to see if the photo is correct light or dark or if any other aspect needs work it is just quick way of discarding obvious bad photos it saves processing timein the raw software..I have read the pages you highlight in the manual and understand it, you can change certain creative syles such as portrait landscape B/w etc and some you cannot change such as ADOBErgb. But I fail to see how you can bring up the creative styles either in the menu or by using the FN button which is just a quick way of accessing certain functions by accidentally pressing any button on the front of the camera, To change to B/W you have to prees the FN button then scroll to the creative style box then select it, then scroll up or down to find the B?w box then select that and only then is the camera set for B/W.

Just to clear up any misunderstanding I only use the Windows viewer to assess wether the photo is worth keepng ie is it sharp is the composition Ok, Iam not looking to see if the photo is correct light or dark or if any other aspect needs work it is just quick way of discarding obvious bad photos it saves processing timein the raw software..I have read the pages you highlight in the manual and understand it, you can change certain creative syles such as portrait landscape B/w etc and some you cannot change such as ADOBErgb. But I fail to see how you can bring up the creative styles either in the menu or by using the FN button which is just a quick way of accessing certain functions by accidentally pressing any button on the front of the camera, To change to B/W you have to prees the FN button then scroll to the creative style box then select it, then scroll up or down to find the B?w box then select that and only then is the camera set for B/W.