IQ difference at nearly same settings?

Been to the zoo, today.
Not really great pictures, but I was able to get some really good practice

I've got a question regarding the Image Quality of 2 pictures with nearly the same settings, but with really different image quality. I'm trying to figure out why the IQ is so different. Can you explain?

100% crops (screenshot) of the unprocessed images.
The face of the black/brown monkey has a lot of noise, is washed out and also some purple glow can be seen around the blown out highlights.
Fuji X-M1 XF60mm
Settings: ISO 800, 60mm, 1/200th, F2.4

The IQ of the white monkey seems a lot better. No purple glow, but that's because there are no blown highlights, I guess.
Fuji X-M1 XF60mm
Settings: ISO 800, 60mm, 1/500th, F2.4

Reasons for the difference I can imagine:
1. Focus on the black/brown monkey is not good, resulting in less contrast (washed out)
2. Black/brown monkey is much further away from the camera, resulting in reduced quality. (the white monkey is only 2 meters away; the black/brown monkey is much bigger, but probably 15 meters away).
3. Backlight conditions at the Black/Brown monkey

Also, the 2 final images attached:

Can you explain why the quality is so much different? Is it because of the reasons I already listed, or can you give me other reasons?
Looking forward to your comments

Thanks!

Besides the potential reasons you listed, which may or may not affect the IQ much, keep in mind that dark regions generally have a much lower signal-to-noise ratio than bright regions due to basic principles of photon counting statistics (i.e., basic physics). Despite the fact that the absolute noise level in darker regions might very well be lower than that in bright regions, it is generally much more visible, because the signal is also much lower.

At least it looks like it. Unfortunately, the original file isn't available, so I can't tell where the camera thinks it focused on.

Using nearly identical settings when the subject differs like day and night is almost 100% certain to cause problems:

• Dark Monkey on Bright, backlit background
• Light Monkey against dark background, top-lit

BOTH are situation that can mess with the "Auto" metering functions of nearly any camera. (Situations where we need to learn to "guts it out" and switch to Manual Mode / learn how to manage such situations effectively.)

Thanks for your repies.

I forgot to mention, but both images are captured in manual mode (I only use M, Actually I try to learn using aperture priority,  but I like M better), so it is not the auto metering that got this result. I actually think the settings of the black monkey are quite correct, since I didn't want to use a slower shutterspeed.

However "bad light" sounds right, like the answer regarding the noise ratio. The remark regarding the art classes sounds interesting! Would you recommend an art class related to photography, or related to painting?

And indeed, perhaps a better composition, would have removed the reasons of the poor quality, but that was not my question. My question was where the poor quality originated from, from a technical/physics perspective, so i can learn. Thanks.

Here is an interesting video about photograph in a zoo using natural light and camera settings explained, if anyone is interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRSLyvsEnS4

Tom G

Timefreezer BE wrote:

It's the difference between good and bad light.

In the first (black monkey) you have a lot of light between the leaves falling right into your lens. Bad backlight. The second (white monkey) has good quality light. Photography is all about light.

this.

The OP, like a lot of neo-photographers, spends to much time on camera settings and not enough time learning about light.

Does no one take art classes any more to learn this stuff?

Sounds like using a hammer to crack a nut to me. It is fundamentally a technical issue of camera dynamic range limitations and learning to try to work around them.

I would say it is mainly the backlighting. Metering the exposure on the background means that the face is underexposed.

In situations like the dark monkey, make sure your focus box is as small as possible and right on the eyes.

In the first shot most of the light is coming from the BG. In the second the best light is coming from your subject.

I'm not sure I'm familiar with the term veiling. What is the cause of this?  A front element being not clean?

Thanks

rolfaalders wrote:

Been to the zoo, today.
Not really great pictures, but I was able to get some really good practice

I've got a question regarding the Image Quality of 2 pictures with nearly the same settings, but with really different image quality. I'm trying to figure out why the IQ is so different. Can you explain?

100% crops (screenshot) of the unprocessed images.
The face of the black/brown monkey has a lot of noise, is washed out and also some purple glow can be seen around the blown out highlights.
Fuji X-M1 XF60mm
Settings: ISO 800, 60mm, 1/200th, F2.4

The IQ of the white monkey seems a lot better. No purple glow, but that's because there are no blown highlights, I guess.
Fuji X-M1 XF60mm
Settings: ISO 800, 60mm, 1/500th, F2.4

Reasons for the difference I can imagine:
1. Focus on the black/brown monkey is not good, resulting in less contrast (washed out)
2. Black/brown monkey is much further away from the camera, resulting in reduced quality. (the white monkey is only 2 meters away; the black/brown monkey is much bigger, but probably 15 meters away).
3. Backlight conditions at the Black/Brown monkey

Also, the 2 final images attached:

Can you explain why the quality is so much different? Is it because of the reasons I already listed, or can you give me other reasons?
Looking forward to your comments

Thanks!

IMO it is all of the above, Difficult light, mis-focus but mostly the wrong settings. Ideally you would post actual the images here complete with full exif rather than a screen capture so that we can see all your settings and comment accordingly.

You say you used manual exposure - manual exposure is Manual aperture, manual shutter, ISO etc. If you use any of these on auto, such as aperture priority then that is still auto exposure and it will not change the amount of light coming into the camera. If you want to use AP or SP - both are fine BTW, then also use the + - ev dial to manually adjust the exposure for specific lighting conditions. It may help you to use AP and exposure bracketing for 3 - 5 shots then decide which looks best so that next time you can set your own exposure either manually or using the ev dial.

I'm assuming the XM1 will allow you to do this via dials or menu.

The other advice to learn either by schooling or from books/magazines is also good.

The Soul Hunter wrote:

John Carson wrote:

Timefreezer BE wrote:

It's the difference between good and bad light.

In the first (black monkey) you have a lot of light between the leaves falling right into your lens. Bad backlight. The second (white monkey) has good quality light. Photography is all about light.

this.

The OP, like a lot of neo-photographers, spends to much time on camera settings and not enough time learning about light.

Does no one take art classes any more to learn this stuff?

Sounds like using a hammer to crack a nut to me. It is fundamentally a technical issue of camera dynamic range limitations and learning to try to work around them.

Yes, learning about light.

FFS, a one semester art course at the local community college will set a person up for life.

That is fine if you have the time. Personally, there is no way in the world I could fit it into my schedule and there are lots of things ahead of it in the queue even if I had the time.

The OP's issues could be dealt with in a few paragraphs. This is a broader issue than photography. Signing up for one semester courses every time you need a few paragraphs of explanation to solve a problem will give you a very busy schedule.