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Im shooting raw, and use nikon capture to modify "Advance Raw" settings etc, post shoot .

The question -
What are the 'better' custom settings for the "optimize image"menu ?
Considering that the setting will affect the histogram display at the time of shooting and hence may affect prefered exposure compensation selection(even if we can readjust later), image deletion, etc ...

Is it better to set sharpening to none and contrast to low (in order to get as close as possible to the 'real' raw image), knowing we can readjust them later in NCapture or ACR?

TIA.

G'day,
Some more experienced members will probably come along and provide the good oil, but I thought that the settings you use in camera are only applied directly to the image data when shooting jpeg, whereas when you shoot raw, the settings are basically just "flags" or "settings" on the overall file rather than modifying the data itself, and those settings are just read when extracting etc (eg: WB)...

So, I think with raw, you're not actually modifying the data saved, but not sure about the affect on the histogram etc...

So, re the tone curve, contrast etc. I didn't think it actually affected the way the data is read from the sensor rather just stored with the settings you choose...

I think... Help anyone ?

Hey Lejazzcat, althought I'm just a beginner with the D70, I'll try to answer your question.
That was one of my questions when I bough the camera, and after shooting everything around the house with different settings, and after looking at the results, I opted to do just that, sharpenning "0" and contrast to a minimum, tone comp to "0", color mode II and saturation to moderate. That's the least of processing on the camera to me, and like you I rather do all of my modifications later. I use a program called "Bibble Pro" for raw convertion, a lot faster and gives me better results than NC or ACR with less modifications to the image.
Better settings? its a matter of taste really and what type of shhoting you do.

mudder wrote:G'day,
Some more experienced members will probably come along and provide the good oil, but I thought that the settings you use in camera are only applied directly to the image data when shooting jpeg, whereas when you shoot raw, the settings are basically just "flags" or "settings" on the overall file rather than modifying the data itself, and those settings are just read when extracting etc (eg: WB)...

So, I think with raw, you're not actually modifying the data saved, but not sure about the affect on the histogram etc...

So, re the tone curve, contrast etc. I didn't think it actually affected the way the data is read from the sensor rather just stored with the settings you choose...

I think... Help anyone ?

Hmmm - i read this online at http://www.phototakers.com/forum/archive/d70-custom-curves-test-22270.htm
I always shoot in RAW, and I use Nikon Capture for doing RAW editing. If I use any custom settings in the camera (sharpening, custom curves, ect.) those settings *will* be applied to the RAW file when I open the shot up in Capture.

However, if I take that same shot, and open it in Adobe Camera Raw, those custom settings will not be applied.

Nikon Capture will also allow you change those custom settings on the raw file after the fact. For example, if I have the camera set to high sharpening with a custom curve. Those settings will be applied to the RAW file when I upload the shot into Capture. But, if I don't like those settings, I can change the sharpening to Low (or whatever), and I can undo the custom curve and change it to one of the camera's normal settings (ie., low contrast, normal, med. high, or high contrast). Nikon Capture will also let you apply different custom curves that you have saved on your hard drive.


Mudder , it does AND it doesnt...
As marcos (TY) suggests, a matter of taste. I was thinking those exact settings btw.(good to know..)
It may be different now with all the newer versions of NC and ACR, and the others...so I wonder what people are doing wih their settings ?
Default or custom ?
whats recommended by the gurus?

Lejazzcat, I set sharpening to -2, etc, etc and if I fluke a good shot I play with it. Exceptions are if I shoot jpg to be web ready, I just let the camera do the work but with much lower quality expectations.

In camera settings will not hold up to just shooting RAW in AdobeRGB and using PP to get the desired results. Even if you are shooting for the web (as I do very often) you can still use AdobeRGB and reprofile in PS for the web. In doing this you will always have a negative with the widest gamut that can be reworked at any time.

By the way...don't swallow the line on "you can set your colour balance after the shot in Nikon Capture", because it's only partly true. If your captured colour balance is too far off then you will clip the highlights on some colour channels...and you can't get them back. It is still important to capture the best technical quality image you can, in camera.

Glen wrote:Lejazzcat, I set sharpening to -2, etc, etc and if I fluke a good shot I play with it. Exceptions are if I shoot jpg to be web ready, I just let the camera do the work but with much lower quality expectations.

Oops - actually Glen your settings were the ones i was thinking
marcus's 0 settings = normal (i forgot that- was at work...)
and i was thinking they were the minimum processing settings which =-2 or none.

Thanks for your advice guys.

Ill try them out and see what i think . Just trying to get that histogram to give me a accurate picture of what the sensor sees- and not the adjusted settings for direct print/jpeg display.
damn i want that D2X with its three channel histograms ...

But - as 'you' say - if its for the web - "doesnt matter customers, coupleadays ..."

lejazzcat
If you want to learn how the histogram works, open a blank doc in Photoshop and fill it with black. Check the Histo....now fill half with white...check the histo....drop a blob of blue in there and check the histo.etc etc.etc... It will take you about 15 minutes to finally get a true understanding of what is going on. In no time at all you will be able to interpret your camera's histothingy.

Matt. K wrote:lejazzcat
If you want to learn how the histogram works, open a blank doc in Photoshop and fill it with black. Check the Histo....now fill half with white...check the histo....drop a blob of blue in there and check the histo.etc etc.etc... It will take you about 15 minutes to finally get a true understanding of what is going on. In no time at all you will be able to interpret your camera's histothingy.

Thanks Matt. good tip - i shall try that out when i can...
Actually , Im getting pretty good with them these days - its the the cameras histogram showing the processed(sharpened,saturated and extra contrast...) image that concerns me (not too much) .

Just want the raw histogram iykwim.

I figure that my pc and ACR or NC will do a better job of those 'improvements', than the camera will - ie curves adj. with mask selections,de/saturation in a single channel etc ...

thanks again mate