Camera Settings: Utilizing In-Camera Reference Folders

 
Among DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and perhaps some advanced compact cameras, one common feature is the ability to create separate folders to which the pictures would be saved. In the case of Canon, the first folder to be created in a freshly formatted SD or CF card would be "100CANON", and subsequent folders would be "101CANON", "102CANON", and so on.

Camera Settings: Utilizing Minimum Contrast

contrast: 0

0 (zero) is the default contrast value for Canon cameras. Some photographers may find this misleading since 0 is actually the median in the set of possible values ranging from -4 to +4. What this means is, by default, your camera is already adding contrast to your photos. This can have a detrimental effect if the scene you are shooting requires a wide dynamic range.

With so many online tutorials advocating the use of RAW files for post-production editing, it's easy to take the in-camera JPEG settings for granted. However, dropping your camera's contrast settings to the minimum value can have benefits whether you shoot in JPEG or in RAW format.