Image parameters

The D70 provides seven 'Optimize Image' settings as well as one Custom setting which allows for your own choice of Sharpening, Tone, Color mode (color space), Saturation and Hue. These options are only available in P, S, A and M exposure modes, in Auto or Scene modes the camera automatically selects image optimization.

Image parameter presets

Each image parameter preset represents a pre-programmesd combination of sharpening, tone, color mode and color saturation. Place your mouse over the labels below the image to see the scene taken in each parameter preset, note that in the top right corner is a crop from the image shown at 100% (1:1), the originating image portion is indicated with a red box.

Settings: ISO 200, Nikkor DX 18-70 mm, F14 (Studio strobe)

Normal	Vivid	Sharper	Softer	Direct Print	Portrait	Landscape

Custom image parameters

Select the 'Custom' setting from the 'Optimize Image' menu and you can create your own combination of the five image parameters:

• Sharpening: Auto, -2 to +2, None
• Tone comp: Auto, -2 to +2, Custom
• Color mode: Ia sRGB, II Adobe RGB, IIIa sRGB
• Saturation: Normal, Moderate, Enhanced
• Hue: +9° to -9°

Custom: Sharpening adjustment

The D70 now has the expanded range of sharpening we saw introduced with the D2H, in total it provides six sharpening settings of -2 to +2 as well as None. Set Sharpening to 'Auto' and the camera will automatically select the appropriate sharpening level depending on other camera parameters and exposure.

Settings: ISO 200, Nikkor DX 18-70 mm, F14 (Studio strobe)

	Sharpness (100% crop)
Auto
Normal (0)
Low (-2)
Medium Low (-1)
Medium High (+1)
High (+2)
None

Custom: Tone compensation

Adjusting the tone alters the shape of the 'S curve' used to map the linear image data captured by the sensor into the selected gamma (sRGB / Adobe RGB). A lower contrast setting maintains more of the original data's dynamic range but leads to a flatter looking image. A higher contrast setting stretches the grayscale (dark to light) of the image and could lead to clipping of both shadow detail and highlights. The D70 has an expanded range of tone adjustment, from -2 to +2 as well as Auto and Custom.

Settings: ISO 200, Nikkor DX 18-70 mm, F14 (Studio strobe)

	Contrast	Luminosity histogram
Auto
Normal (0)
Low contrast (-2)
Medium low (-1)
Medium high (+1)
High contrast (+2)

Custom: Saturation adjustment

The D70 allows you to control the saturation of color by one level more and less than normal. These are labeled as 'Normal', 'Moderate' and 'Enhanced'. Place your mouse over the labels below the image to see the GretagMacbeth ColorChecker chart shot with the each Saturation setting.

Settings: ISO 200, Nikkor DX 18-70 mm, F5.6

Normal Saturation	Moderate Saturation	Enhanced Saturation

Custom: Hue adjustment

The hue adjustment setting allows you to make some subtle changes to the hue output of the image, it is useful for compensation of hue shifts caused by certain artificial light. The D70 manual describes Hue adjustment as this:

Hue can be adjusted in the range of about –9° to +9° in increments of 3°. If red is taken as the starting color, raising hue above 0° (the default setting) would introduce a yellow cast, making colors that would be red at a setting of 0° appear increasingly orange. Lowering hue below 0° would introduce a blue cast, making colors that would be red at a setting of 0° appear increasingly purple.

Place your mouse over the labels below the image to see the GretagMacbeth ColorChecker chart shot at the two extremes of hue adjustment and the default hue (+0°).

Settings: ISO 200, Nikkor DX 18-70 mm, F5.6

Hue -9°	Hue +0°	Hue +9°