Sony I can't stop using Sony's "picture effects" (share yours, too!)

[Ray Sachs]

Hmmm, I just took two identical shots - one raw, one jpeg. I tried to reprocess the raw with the illustration applied - told me you cannot add effects to this image. Tried it with the jpeg - worked no problem. Then I changed the setting to raw+jpeg and took a shot and it also applied the illustration effect just fine, presumably to the jpeg of the pair. So it seems to work with jpegs, but not with raw. Seems odd, but that's what's happening here...

Luke, the way you do it is to pull up the file (seemingly jpeg only) that you want to apply the effect to in review mode. Then hit the menu and go over to the second of the review menus. The first item is picture effect. You go in, choose watercolor or illustration, select it and then you have options for the strength of the filter and stuff. You can try the different strengths of the illustration with the results shown for each as you scroll through. Once you have what you want, you hit menu again to save the new image. Very easy, but only works with jpegs, unless I'm just doing something wrong...

-Ray

 

[Luke]

Thanks Ray! I didn't realize it involved menu diving. I think that's probably more work than I would normally do. It's much easier to just shoot 2 different shots, but it's nice to know that this very limited application is available. I just ran a shot through the watercolor effect around 8 times. It's like a visual equivalent to Alvin Lucier's "I am Sitting in a Room".

You only really need to sit through it once (and frankly, you probably only need to hear a few samples every 5 minutes), but it's a pretty important piece of "music" in the minimalist oeuvre. Obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2jU9mJbJsQ8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[entropic remnants]

Thanks Ray! I didn't realize it involved menu diving. I think that's probably more work than I would normally do. It's much easier to just shoot 2 different shots, but it's nice to know that this very limited application is available. I just ran a shot through the watercolor effect around 8 times. It's like a visual equivalent to Alvin Lucier's "I am Sitting in a Room".

You only really need to sit through it once (and frankly, you probably only need to hear a few samples every 5 minutes), but it's a pretty important piece of "music" in the minimalist oeuvre. Obviously it's not everyone's cup of tea.

Never heard of this before but it's a very cool idea and excellently done. By the end it's almost ochestral.

 

[donlaw]

Illustration mode

I only use this mode occasionally, but every time I have the results have been cool.

 

[porchard]

Hmmm, I just took two identical shots - one raw, one jpeg. I tried to reprocess the raw with the illustration applied - told me you cannot add effects to this image. Tried it with the jpeg - worked no problem. Then I changed the setting to raw+jpeg and took a shot and it also applied the illustration effect just fine, presumably to the jpeg of the pair. So it seems to work with jpegs, but not with raw. Seems odd, but that's what's happening here...

Luke, the way you do it is to pull up the file (seemingly jpeg only) that you want to apply the effect to in review mode. Then hit the menu and go over to the second of the review menus. The first item is picture effect. You go in, choose watercolor or illustration, select it and then you have options for the strength of the filter and stuff. You can try the different strengths of the illustration with the results shown for each as you scroll through. Once you have what you want, you hit menu again to save the new image. Very easy, but only works with jpegs, unless I'm just doing something wrong...

-Ray

Yes - my mistake, I'm afraid! The retrospective application of the watercolour and illustration effects works only on the Jpeg. The reason that I thought that it worked on the Raw file is that - when I tested it before - I'd had the camera set to Raw+Jpeg, but hadn't realised this. Therefore, the effect was applied to the Jpeg file that I didn't know I'd got! However, putting aside my incompetent floundering, at least this means that these two effects can be applied retrospectively, as long as one has used the camera in Raw+Jpeg setting to capture the shot.

All in all, it seems a pretty daft implementation of a potentially decent feature. Just what IS it with camera manufacturers?!

 

[serhan]

I like the images done here. I have to try also...

 

[porchard]

Hmmm, I just took two identical shots - one raw, one jpeg. I tried to reprocess the raw with the illustration applied - told me you cannot add effects to this image. Tried it with the jpeg - worked no problem. Then I changed the setting to raw+jpeg and took a shot and it also applied the illustration effect just fine, presumably to the jpeg of the pair. So it seems to work with jpegs, but not with raw. Seems odd, but that's what's happening here...

Luke, the way you do it is to pull up the file (seemingly jpeg only) that you want to apply the effect to in review mode. Then hit the menu and go over to the second of the review menus. The first item is picture effect. You go in, choose watercolor or illustration, select it and then you have options for the strength of the filter and stuff. You can try the different strengths of the illustration with the results shown for each as you scroll through. Once you have what you want, you hit menu again to save the new image. Very easy, but only works with jpegs, unless I'm just doing something wrong...

-Ray

I've just discovered that if you have made the shot in Raw, and you then develop it into a Jpeg using Sony's Image Data Converter program, and then copy it back to the SD card, the camera will process the image with the Watercolour and Illustration effects. True, it's a bit of a drag doing all this, but at least it is an available route if you have a Raw image on which you'd really like to use this effect. The only caveat, so far as I can ascertain, is that it won't work using a Jpeg that wasn't created either by a Sony camera, or by the Image Data Converter program.

Hope this helps anyone who has been following this discussion.

 

[Ray Sachs]

I've just discovered that if you have made the shot in Raw, and you then develop it into a Jpeg using Sony's Image Data Converter program, and then copy it back to the SD card, the camera will process the image with the Watercolour and Illustration effects. True, it's a bit of a drag doing all this, but at least it is an available route if you have a Raw image on which you'd really like to use this effect. The only caveat, so far as I can ascertain, is that it won't work using a Jpeg that wasn't created either by a Sony camera, or by the Image Data Converter program.

Hope this helps anyone who has been following this discussion.

Thanks for the update. But I think I'll either shoot something in that mode or leave it alone. I've never used Sony's Image Data Converter program and I don't think converting a raw shot to an illustration is gonna be the impetus for me to try it... But, nice to know it can be done.

-Ray

 

[porchard]

I've never used Sony's Image Data Converter program-Ray

I wouldn't bother normally (Oh, so SLOOOWWWW!!).... but as you say, at least it can be done.

 

[Luke]

View attachment 72193
Angelfish and driftwood by Lukinosity, on Flickr

 

[chilliman]

Illustration Mode, not used this much but I was pleased with this one ...then again I'm easily pleased

 

[porchard]

Illustration Mode, not used this much but I was pleased with this one ...then again I'm easily pleased

I reckon that you're being a bit hard on yourself here!

I quite like these effects; obviously, if used all the time, they would become a bit tedious, but I regard them as a usable option for occasional use.
The fact that these two effects (watercolour and illustration) can be applied retrospectively is also useful. It's a pity that this doesn't apply to the other effects.

 

[Livnius]

...first time I've looked at this thread, these 'illustration' mode shots are crazy.

 

[Luke]

...first time I've looked at this thread, these 'illustration' mode shots are crazy.

They actually made me buy the RX100

 

[nippa]

Seems to me that you could use one of these shots to make wall coverings of any size by resampling up and adding a touch of blur to limit any roughness.
That might be useful one day.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[jnewell]

...first time I've looked at this thread, these 'illustration' mode shots are crazy.

Aren't they? Mr. Raw here might have to give them a try.

 

[porchard]

Aren't they? Mr. Raw here might have to give them a try.

Just for info, the watercolour and illustration effects can be applied retrospectively to Jpegs that were created either using a Sony camera, or by Sony's Image Data Converter program. Therefore, if you are normally a Raw shooter, you can create a Jpeg using Image Data Converter, and then copy the Jpeg file back to an SD card, and apply the required effect in the camera. I find Image Data Converter real drudgery to use, but for occasional use such as this, I can put up with it.

All this was discussed earlier in the thread, so apologies if I'm repeating something that you already knew.

Hope this helps.

 

[jnewell]

I did see that earlier, but saying things twice never goes amiss.

 

[Luke]

I wish these 2 effects were available in video mode.....I'd lose my mind.

 

[tombodailey]

I like the effect I got using the low setting of the HDR Painting option. It reminds me of an old postcard.