Out of the box, or OOB, is a term used in photography to describe a cameras performance with the manufacturers default setting scheme. Or in other words, the settings as shipped from the manufacturer, that a consumer would use if the camera was pulled from the box, attach a lens, insert a charged battery and take a photo.

Some manufactures leave the settings flat, so that an individual upon taking a few photographs without reading the manual or adjusting settings of the camera will get flat images, very little contrast, sharpness, etc. Other manufactures boost the settings either via menu, or internally to provide more contrasty images, more vivid color, extra sharpening etc. It is to the photographers benefit to take some time with the manual, and the camera and learn what it is capable of, why settings are used, and most importantly when to use them.