Which Custom Curve

[georgie]

Just recently I have started playing around with custom curves and for me have found that the curves have worked quite well.

I am mostly using Fotogenic's CC (0.3EV). I recently came across a site that had photos and comparisons of multiple curves (but lost the link - will try to find it) and so I got thinking.

What custom curve are you using and why??

[Killakoala]

Follow this link for heaps of curves.

http://forum.d70users.com/viewtopic.php ... tom+curves

I have used several curves but i have found them to be only useful if i shoot in JPEG as you can apply any curve you want later if you shoot NEF and PP in Nikon Capture. I rarely shoot in Jpeg.

[georgie]

Thanks for the info - I was reading somewhere that loading a curve afterwards is different to taking the photo with the curve applied initially? I have not done any tests yet but was wondering what the difference could be.

Anyway, have downloaded the file - many thanks.

[Onyx]

Yes Georgie you're right, using a curve in camera is different from applying it in PP. It's why there are so many amateurs eagerly developing curves for camera use instead of concentrating their efforts on curves in NC or PS to be applied after.

I've been a fan of fotogenetic's work too. Long time Provia user, I'm currently with EV3, not sure of version, as he updates often.

[georgie]

Yes Georgie you're right, using a curve in camera is different from applying it in PP. It's why there are so many amateurs eagerly developing curves for camera use instead of concentrating their efforts on curves in NC or PS to be applied after.

So does it make a better photo by using the curve as opposed to appplying the curve? Sorry if I am being really "beginner" about this.

[Onyx]

It's different. In my opinion better, as in the case of fotogenetic's latest P&S curves (aka White Wedding) he shapes the upper values to 240-ish instead of the 255 limit. It's all mathematical and "in theory"...

[digitor]

Thanks for the info - I was reading somewhere that loading a curve afterwards is different to taking the photo with the curve applied initially? I have not done any tests yet but was wondering what the difference could be.

Anyway, have downloaded the file - many thanks.

Yes, adding it later is different, with NC. NC will replace a curve used in the camera with a "standard" D70 curve, but the only way to replace a curve with a "non-standard" one is to use Curve Surgery (or Raw Magick). Have a look at http://www.rawmagick.com

Cheers

[johndec]

I can't go past fotogenics curves. I've tried several of them and they're all good. Of course it's a horses for courses situation but unfortunately the D70 only allows one custom curve Therefore, I can only chose one, so I have P&S 4.0 loaded, as I've found it to be a very versatile curve.

Hopefully the future wil bring more options re custom curves....

[robboh]

Was this it??
forum.masterphoto.net
This particular post has examples and graphs of the majority of the different curves I have seen around the net.

Rob.

[georgie]

Was this it??
forum.masterphoto.net
This particular post has examples and graphs of the majority of the different curves I have seen around the net.

Rob.

Hi robboh

Firstly welcome to the forum - Another Rob is always good

Yes - that is the site - many thanks for the link.

[Alex]

My D70 at the moment has fotogenetic's P&S 4 (white wedding) curve which is similar to EV +.5 without blowing highlights.
Having curve surgery available is a big flexibility for chosing a different option at PP stage.

Alex

[theK]

I'm using Komin's curve. I think he's Japanese. I don't have the link, but I think you'll eventually find it if you search on dpreview d70 forum.

It's +0.3EV boost on the medium tone, without changing the highlight and shadow. As the author says, it's a curve designed to enhance the D70's already 'good taste'.

[robboh]

Hi robboh
Firstly welcome to the forum - Another Rob is always good
Yes - that is the site - many thanks for the link.

Heya Georgie,

Thanks for the welcome. No worries regards the link.
And yup, always good to have a few 'robs' around.

Cheers
Robbo.

[gstark]

Hopefully the future wil bring more options re custom curves....

As Digitor suggested, you may find the RawMagik programs very helpful in this area.

Curve Surgery allows you to change the curve embedded within an existing NEF file with any other curve that you might have.

Thus, while the camera only permits you to have just the one curve loaded at any time, you can, post-image-making, easily swap out the included curve for another one.

It's almost as good as having multiple curves in the camera, and perhaps even better given that you can see the effects immediately, on your monitor.

[W00DY]

Curve Surgery allows you to change the curve embedded within an existing NEF file with any other curve that you might have.

I have not downloaded any curves so don't really know much about them but from reading some of the posts people indicate that they use custom curves to avoid blown highlights.

My question is if you have an image with blown highlights will the highlights still be blown once you apply a curve in PP???

I thought a blown highlight was pretty much a white pixel so you couldn't do to much to it.

Cheers,

W00DY

[gstark]

My question is if you have an image with blown highlights will the highlights still be blown once you apply a curve in PP???

I thought a blown highlight was pretty much a white pixel so you couldn't do to much to it.

There's white, and there's white.

Remember that a contributing element to blown highlights is the contrast range within an image. What might be appearing as a blown highlight may simply be, effectively, out of range within the context of the contrast range applied to that image. It may still have some data with which you can play, but it simply appears to be very white because of the other parameters' effect on it.

By changing the curve, you may be altering the contrast range (or other parameters) and thus bringing what appears to a blown highlight back into a more usable range.

[georgie]

I found some useful info at Fotogenics website - his curve is better that just going EV +0.5 as you get slightly more exposed photos without the blown highlights associated with just increasing the exposure. I found his website useful. Here it is if you want to have a look. http://fotogenetic.dearingfilm.com/custom_tone_curves.html