Picture Control in D800/D800E

[jazz6268]

In reading the technical guide on D800/D800E :

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/dslr/D800/D800_TechnicalGuide_PC_En.pdf

I am just wondering , is that only applied if one shoots in JPEG ? Will that affect raw shooting also ?

Ron

 

[anotherMike]

Picture control settings are obviously baked in with jpegs, and the settings exist in the RAW file. Only Nikon raw conversion software fully understands/utilizes those picture control settings during the raw conversion (Capture NX2, ViewNX2), so if you intend to make use of the picture controls, and shoot raw, you'll have to use a Nikon product to do the raw conversion.

-m

 

[Simon Garrett]

Agreed, picture controls are implemented only in the in-camera jpeg engine and in Nikon's s/w (Nikon View NX2 and Capture NX2). However, they are emulated in Adobe raw software (Lightroom and ACR). They don't read the Nikon metadata for the settings, rather you have to set (in Lightroom or ACR) a profile corresponding to the Nikon Picture Control.

For example, there's an Adobe "Camera Standard" profile that corresponds closely to the Nikon Standard Picture Control and so on. I don't know if any other s/w makers emulate picture controls.

 

[Ruud Wilschut]

I've never understand why those settings could not be applied in-camera for NEF's, at least the lens based corrections such als distortion, vignetting and CA. It should be a selectable feature in the camera.

 

[anotherMike]

Yea, I suppose I could have mentioned it. Thing is, their emulation isn't that awesome. I often use a custom picture control, and Adobe products have no clue what that is. The reality is that IF one wishes to get deeply into the picture controls, they're likely better off staying with Nikon software products for the raw conversion if they shoot raw. Yes, one can build presets and profiles in the others to get close, but it's never quite the same. Thus I don't see the point of someone getting "into" the picture controls if they are not using Nikon software for the raw conversions (assuming of course they aren't just jpeg shooters).

- m

 

[Raul]

[No message]

 

[jazz6268]

no PC support ?

Anyway , thanks for all the inputs, I use camera raw & CS6. Sounds like I won't be able to take advantage of the picture control setting unless I shoot JPEG, which I don't.

R

 

[elliotn]

Picture Controls effect how the raw file is rendered on the camera's LCD screen and therefore have some utility even if you don't process your raws in Nikon software - the most obvious case being if you shoot in B&W.

I process raw files in Lightroom or ACR (and nearly always use Adobe Standard profile), but I still like to play with different Picture Controls on a shoot (especially adjusting contrast and saturation).

 

[Alpha Tech]

no PC support ?

Anyway , thanks for all the inputs, I use camera raw & CS6. Sounds like I won't be able to take advantage of the picture control setting unless I shoot JPEG, which I don't.

You should consider shooting JPEG so that you can use Picture Controls. It is unnecessary to shoot the same way every time. You can begin slowly by enjoying a shooting session for its own sake by shooting JPEG and applying Picture Controls during and after creating images

I was a diehard RAW shooter year after year until a couple years ago when I realized how much camera technology and postprocessing applications have advanced. The days are gone when someone can easily identify an image shot as a JPEG compared to one shot as RAW.

As that realization struck me, Picture Controls were also advancing in their features and complexity, a trend which will continue more than you can imagine right now. Expect their usage to expand even further with PC integration.

You are witnessing an emerging trend just like camera phone users are enjoying thousands of apps. It is your choice to be part of the evolution, or to remain in the past like it is still the year 2000 with photographers arguing over how much detail is the sky and clouds because they were shooting RAW.

 

[Alpha Tech]

I've never understand why those settings could not be applied in-camera for NEF's, at least the lens based corrections such als distortion, vignetting and CA. It should be a selectable feature in the camera.

Because shooting RAW means basically shooting unprocessed. Changing the data after the moment of capture means it is no longer actually RAW. The ideal scenario would be for Nikon to offer another format just as Leica offers DNG. But this might never happen because the company wants to retain control of the output. Of course you could compromise and shoot in TIFF, but the file is large and the time to write such an image is long.