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General Lightroom guidelines for manipulating Canon images?
- Thread starter zenpmd
- Start date
jboyer
Senior Member
It all depends where you start from. Using LR for many years, I have not found a "rule" -- it always depends on what the RAW file looked like in the first place. As you change values, check the histogram and see how the change in value pushes it to the left/right or flattens it.
In a number of occasions, the individual RGB colors needed a different treatment.
The concept of artifacts/problems is also subjective. Sometimes these enhance the picture, reflecting a different artistic value.
In general, you get better results when the original RAW is well exposed (for your needs). While LR gives you a chance to 'correct' or adjust, a well exposed shot will be generally easier to deal with. For example, underexposed areas will tend to show noise when pushed. And overblown highlights may never be recoverable.
The dynamic range also depends on your output device. A better screen - calibrated - will usually show a better range than an uncalibrated one.
Good developing. BTW, these comments apply to all RAW developing, not just Canon.
Jim Cassatt
Veteran Member
As pointed out by the previous poster, there are no general rules. Try and see. Also remember that LR has features to minimize artifacts. For example if you sharpen a picture taken at high ISO, you will accentuate the noise, especially in areas, like sky with few if any details. However, using the masking feature in the sharpening section, lets you mask out those areas.
Blake Cook
Senior Member
It depends a lot on your camera body. If you have any of the new Canon bodies, (5d3,1Dx or 6D) try DPP 4.0 and convert to TIFFs for LR. An extra step yes, but the DPP 4 raw conversion improvement is quite obvious.
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Blake in Vancouver
Canon and Zeiss Stuff. Mac Stuff & annoying PC & Windows stuff.
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jboyer
Senior Member
DugT
Senior Member
I agree with what others have said above but using DPP isn't worth the effort for me.
In the end what you see is what you get when using LR. I've found that my editing eye keeps getting keener as the years of using it go by. Now I can usually significantly improve a photo that I edited a couple of years ago even though I had three or four years of experience editing back then.
In the end what you see is what you get when using LR. I've found that my editing eye keeps getting keener as the years of using it go by. Now I can usually significantly improve a photo that I edited a couple of years ago even though I had three or four years of experience editing back then.
Spot on.
I'm going over images (CR2) that I took starting in 2006 and reprocessing them - two reasons:
1) The LR tools have improved immensely,
2) My PP skills have improved (but not immensely - sadly).
Five or six years ago it was common to see forum comments that DPP could convert a Canon RAW better than other software (LR for example); I'm not seeing that comment anymore. I think that tells us something.
I still have DDP on my computer, but honestly, I might as well get the HDD space back for something useful.
My biggest complaint of DPP is that it doesn't seem as intuitive as LR.
PS: Advice?
A) Calibrate your monitor.
B) With this done, experiment with all the sliders to see what they so (a calibrated monitor is essential). The nice thing about LR is that you never have to screw up the original RAW. If you don't like the result, hit RESET and start over. I often make duplicates in LR to compare - LR doesn't duplicate the RAW, only the sidecar file (which is very small and takes very little HDD space).
C) Google "Lightroom videos", or something similar - there is a lot of very good LR info for free.
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Glenn NK
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stratobill
Senior Member
Agree, though I haven't really tried to use DPP that much, LR is now very quick for me.
I find that unless I use EC, most Raws are under exposed. So when I load a shoot, if the shots are similar, I usually tweak one and come up with a template.
I Usually use sharpening around 40, 1.3 radius.
I usually either try auto (often doesn't work, but sometimes is pretty good if you then reduce the exposure a bit, tends to blow out highlights), or I slide exposure a bit to the right.
I start with lens correction on.
White balance: Usually auto works better for me than "as shot", or I use the dropper and find some white or light grey.
Then copy the settings and paste it for the next pictures, it is usually a good starting point.
Remember these are just STARTING POINTS, YMMV, I am not an LR professional, etc. Just works for me.
You can do most in the Basic panel in LR5. You need to know those bars need to move accordingly to have balance such as when you lift shadow, you might need to adjust White/Black levels also, etc. There are many training such as free Adobe TV, or I'd recommend Lynda.com training. I learned LR3 in 3 weeks by just paid $25 fee for one month and since said bye-bye to DPP.
First time heard about DPP is still better in firework. Do you have a sample can show the difference, just interesting?
What do you mean by a sample.
I shoot raw full size and I can' t get lightroom to do the jub suitable for me.
I've been editing pictures for 15 years and in some picture it's just the way it is.
I never post on web, butt do it yourself with any one firework you can take and give it a try.
I shoot raw full size and I can' t get lightroom to do the jub suitable for me.
I've been editing pictures for 15 years and in some picture it's just the way it is.
I never post on web, butt do it yourself with any one firework you can take and give it a try.
Just try to understand why DPP is special in processing firework photos?
I have not found a case so far as LR5 simply has larger room and lots more features than even DPP4. They are slight different and hard to say which one is better in colors but are pretty close with Camera RAW profiles.
That's why need you to show to us.
Why? Without photos, just not convincing. Understand that's your opinion but need to show us. I don't have much chances to shoot firework as I just don't want to beat crowds and wait there many hours for 30 min show. But last time when I was in DisneyWorld I took a few with 60D with Sigma 17-50/2.8 OS without a tripod, or sort of as I put camera on bag which sites on a garbage box. I missed lots of shots as I only had wireless RC then (that has delay). The photos were processed in LR. I don't understand why DPP is special in firework?
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Blake Cook
Senior Member
)The first photo you add can be use as good processor.
You have alot of smoke in the sky.
If you bring that RAW photo in DPP mine is ver 3.13.51.1
on first tab, if you low down the brightness exposure, (sometime it goes down to miness 2) you should hide a lot of smoke and that way the design made by the guy who shoot them high will be better define. Sometime I lower that slider and go to next tab, press the tone curve with the plus on it and see if I like it better, sometime it bring back to much smoke and I undo it and just keep it how it was.
I export it to tiff 16Bit and edit it in photoshop. In youre case you can go whenever you like to add some art like the orange color I see in that picture.
It does not cost to much for you to try it. And it's pretty fast.
Regarding you're shutter lag, you can try to anticipate the shot and press it a little earlier.
I work on tripod and a cable shutter, witch gives me the chance to take a longer Tv butt still I need to anticipate the shot.
It take a few shot but you will get it and will be very satisfy with the end result.
LR is an excellent processor.
The first photo you add can be use as good processor.
From firework. Simply don't understand why DPP is specially better in firework or smoke? Hope you have a few photos can demo with DPP vs with LR.
That photos used to be processed in DPP but I prefer LR and want to save in database, no much difference.
Wait here. LR has larger room in recovering highlight and lift shadow compared to DPP even version 4.
But LR also can upload into Photoshop, why DPP is special?
Wireless trigger is hard to control if timing is an issue but that's what I did.
Sure in normal firework photos. Again just a curiosity why you cannot demo some photos?
If I am seriously and willing to beat crowds and wait there many hours, I will get many such shots. It's just not my particular interested area.
But still you have not explained why DPP is specially better than LR in firework and control smoking (highlight recovery?). It hard to understand without photos to show difference that something I could duplicate.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/55485085@N04/
http://qianp2k.zenfolio.com/
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I take almost 200 pics of firework each time.
It' s about time to process them. I am talking about the time to spend on 1 single photo.
I didn't say LR is worst then DPP. I said I prefer doing a fast process for firework.
I made picture that took me 2-3 days working, butt it has to be done that way, with LR and PS.
In photography world all is about pepper and salt. Some like more some like less, it's a personal reason.
Now I am not gone hate you for what you like or not, you do whatever you like.
If you want to see someone who like to show the world what is photography, you can go to one of my friend website.
www.yaphoto.ca
I do photo the way I like and I am not seeking any comment for being good or bad. I made website and so and it's part of my past already. I did things on demand for cheap customer who wanted me to work weeks for one day pay. I just want to hear that those day's are gone.
Have fun photography is all about that.
It' s about time to process them. I am talking about the time to spend on 1 single photo.
I didn't say LR is worst then DPP. I said I prefer doing a fast process for firework.
I made picture that took me 2-3 days working, butt it has to be done that way, with LR and PS.
In photography world all is about pepper and salt. Some like more some like less, it's a personal reason.
Now I am not gone hate you for what you like or not, you do whatever you like.
If you want to see someone who like to show the world what is photography, you can go to one of my friend website.
www.yaphoto.ca
I do photo the way I like and I am not seeking any comment for being good or bad. I made website and so and it's part of my past already. I did things on demand for cheap customer who wanted me to work weeks for one day pay. I just want to hear that those day's are gone.
Have fun photography is all about that.
OK, so it seems you used to DPP and prefer using it to process firework photos, that's perfectly fine. Otherwise I am wondering why DPP has something special in firework that I thought you suggested that. I am very used to LR now and actually thought it processes faster and easier to the degree I prefer. I cannot get used to DPP's interface. I can make a change to all selected files on a specific parameter in LR but you cannot do in DPP with Smart Sync for example...that LR is just much easier and more features if you get used to and familiar with all features and functions (not suggesting you don't). But nevertheless I cannot argue with someone's preference.
Yeah, enjoy photography.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/55485085@N04/
http://qianp2k.zenfolio.com/
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In DPP edit copy receipt to clipboard.
Then paste receipt to alll or single one picture. But like in LR. most of the time for a fine tune you need to make individual adjustment, particulary if you pressed on the RGB tone optimizer with the + sign I already mentioned.
In LR, I mean after Sync the files, many time it also need a fine tune.
And about LR when you upgrade the software, the catalogue is gone and you must redo what you did, unless all the time saving the catalogue with the files. No COMMENT!
I am not gone tell you what I prefer cause I want to sleep tonight,
I archive my files differently on DVD and a fast way to retrieve them, not having to insert all DVD one by one to look inside.
Oh, it's not like in LR or Adobe Bridge, where you can add coments and so, butt it's fine for me.
I hope this is done and we both can live in peace.
Then paste receipt to alll or single one picture. But like in LR. most of the time for a fine tune you need to make individual adjustment, particulary if you pressed on the RGB tone optimizer with the + sign I already mentioned.
In LR, I mean after Sync the files, many time it also need a fine tune.
And about LR when you upgrade the software, the catalogue is gone and you must redo what you did, unless all the time saving the catalogue with the files. No COMMENT!
I am not gone tell you what I prefer cause I want to sleep tonight,
I archive my files differently on DVD and a fast way to retrieve them, not having to insert all DVD one by one to look inside.
Oh, it's not like in LR or Adobe Bridge, where you can add coments and so, butt it's fine for me.
I hope this is done and we both can live in peace.
That is a global copy and paste for all setting but not specific setting such as leave all other different settings in all photos untouched but only change +10 in White level in all photos, that something DPP simply cannot. I know both programs very well. There is no Smart Sync in DPP.
That's different from what I said above.
category files are intact after you upgraded LR, no changes in the same major version but minor sub version such as 5.5->5.6, but will be converted into a major version upgrade such as from 4.x to 5.x. Original category files are backed up first automatically and the new ones are created with 'xxxx-2.x' names and all files inside still keep changes in settings. I even move category files from Windows to Mac without issues. And you should create additional backup of those files (I put in the cloud drive).
Backup the most important files to cloud space is the best way these days. DVD is so outdated.I am not gone tell you what I prefer cause I want to sleep tonight,
I archive my files differently on DVD and a fast way to retrieve them, not having to insert all DVD one by one to look inside.
I never question you prefer DPP but only have a curiosity that you seem suggested DPP processed firework photos better.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55485085@N04/
http://qianp2k.zenfolio.com/
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