Camera Presets

[Brownbear]

Up until this point in time, I've been concentrating on photographing nature especially birds in flight, using manual, aperture priority and shutter priority.


I would like to try some new things, likely starting with landscapes and I have yet to explore all the options on my camera a Nikon D7100.

In reviewing my manual I see that it offers several pre-sets that seem handy. Right now I have my camera set to raw and all the picture controls set to neutral so I can see if I clip highlights etc. But I am thinking that I should set my camera back to jpeg and raw to try out these new things and if they don't work out well, well I have the raw file to work with, and if the jpeg works out well I can learn by reviewing the settings.

For landscapes these seem handy...

1. Active D Lighting to preserve details in highlights and shadows in high contrast scenes.

2. HDR preserves details in highlights and shadows by automatically combining two photos. (ie landscape exposing for the sky and the mountains and trees)

3. Landscape... produces vibrant landscapes and cityscapes. Does this mode also automatically focus on the hyperfocal distance? What else does this mode do?


Thank you.

[DanK]

HDR you can do manually, with multiple shots. You can also do exposure fusion with multiple shots, which extends dynamic range without the artificiality that HDR often provides. There is no need to shoot jpeg to get HDR.

Landscape mode has nothing to do with focus. it is simply another pre-set processing algorithm, with different settings. On my camera, I think it boosts blues and greens.

I don't know about Active D; my camera doesn't have it.

My bottom line is that there are many reasons to shoot raw, of which recovering highlights is a relatively minor one. The decision is between (1) shooting raw, maintaining the ability to process the image according to the specifics of the image and your preferences, or (2) shooting jpeg, with relies on a pre-set processing algorithm that might or might not be appropriate. Yes, you can edit jpegs if those settings are wrong, but with much less flexibility,and with less headroom, because a lot of information has been lost in the conversion. Some people prefer jpeg nonetheless. Personally, I never touch the stuff. To each his or her own. But whatever your choice, I don't think that landscape work offers any particular reason to opt for jpeg.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

My personal choice is that I always shoot RAW plus Jpeg. Jpeg settings are left as standard and the Jpeg is only used for reviewing on my computer screen as I like to be able to browse quickly and I also use this to determine 'if' an image is worth working on as I want it as a keeper.

After having my camera for a short time I started playing with all these presets and such things as Active D lighting along with setting up customised shooting mode preferences. I soon found that all I got was confused as to what I had altered, what reset what and chances were that I took a shot that was compromised because a setting was not how I would have wished it.

For me I prefer simplicity and have found that worrying about getting Jpegs right in camera is not worth it considering the small number of real keepers I get. This view of course would change if I took a great deal of pics of the same thing, say sport, that I did not want to spend the time working on.

Grahame

[Mike Buckley]

The Landscape preset emphasizes the reds and greens and boosts overall saturation just a tad. I use a custom preset for post-processing landscapes and the results are similar to Nikon's Landscape preset.

All presets also affect the amount of sharpening. The default Landscape preset uses the most amount of sharpening used in any default preset.

For fall landscapes, you might want to try both the Landscape and the Vivid presets.

As Dan mentioned, no preset affects the focus point or the depth of field.

You seem to be aiming toward taking a custom approach to post-processing your images. So, I recommend using the Standard preset for everything other than portraits of people, when you could use the Portrait preset. (I recommend that because that's what I do. )

Seriously, the entire concept of using a preset is to eliminate as much post-processing as possible, which means compromising by letting the Nikon engineers control how your photos look. It's impossible to avoid using a preset, whether it's Nikon's or a custom preset that you have uploaded to your camera (I don't know if your camera allows that). So, unless you change from custom post-processing each image, start with a basic preset and refine it during post-processing. The two most basic presets are Standard and Neutral. Personally, I think Neutral is more suitable for portraits than anything else, which explains why 99% of my photos are captured with the Standard preset.

[Brownbear]

Thank you to all for your informative replies.

I was thinking that using the pre-sets could be a learning tool for me as using aperture and shutter priority was for me with birds in flight.. ie; I could see what settings worked or not and try it out in manual but I see now that the presets are just processing presets.

Mike, thank you for the extra details on colours and sharpening. Perhaps I will try those settings for a little bit for a comparison to my raw file, or perhaps as a guidle line for post processing my raw files.

[Mike Buckley]

Perhaps I will try those settings for a little bit for a comparison to my raw file, or perhaps as a guidle line for post processing my raw files.

Doing that can't hurt and certainly could serve as a point of departure as you develop your post-processing tastes. However, to make the most of doing that, use a controlled situation so you have a valid basis of comparison. As an example, put your camera on a tripod and make photos of the same relatively static scene using the various presets.

[Shadowman]

Of the presets you mentioned Picture Control is one that will give you different scenarios but these will affect colors not necessarily DOF. I mentioned in another thread the effects of changing the Picture Control settings, one is that changing to Vivid on overcast days has an affect on primary colors, making them appear to POP out of a scene of gray or muted backgrounds. However, using the same
Vivid setting on a sunny day makes those same colors look garish and filled with noise.

[Mike Buckley]

Picture Control is one that will give you different scenarios but these will affect colors not necessarily DOF.

To clarify that, Picture Control presets will never affect depth of field.

[DanK]

Mike's of course right that you can't avoid using a preset, but depending on your software, you can have your software ignore it. I use Lightroom to process raw images, and I use the Abobe Standard profile for initial rendering, so the picture style is irrelevant. Like Mike, I use a neutral profile, but only to minimize distortion of the in-camera histogram, which is based on the jpeg thumbnail.

Everyone has to find the approach and tools that work best for her or him, but since I started to shoot raw, I have found the picture styles to be nothing more than a distraction. I found no point in trying to emulate a appearance that reflects what some Canon engineers picked, without any regard for my particular image. But if others find them helpful, then all the better.

[Polar01]

I am right up there with Dan, the preset is there for those who shoot jpegs. What you get are what some person in the lab believes will look the best. Christina you shoot and process in raw, use your reality not the reality of someone sitting in a lab a couple of thousand miles away thinks what is best for you.

Cheers:

Allan

[Brownbear]

Mike, John, Dan, Allan and Grahame,

Thank you for sharing. I agree that I need to develop my own vision for my images and do the processing myself rather than leave it up to the camera, and that is why I changed to raw only and set everything to neutral in my camera.

This question came to my mind simply because I have a fancy new camera with all types of things on it that I have yet to explore, and because I am going to try some new things I thought that the presets might be a good learning tool which could serve as a base until I figure out what I want to achieve.

For example in my camera there is a scene mode and the ones that sound interesting and useful to learn from are autumn colours (for fall landscapes just so I can see what the camera does), Child.... which says clothing and background details are vividly rendered while skin tones remain soft and natural (curious as to what type of settings or processing does this)... and portrait (if the subject is far from the background or a telephoto lens is used, background details will be softened to lend the composition a sense of depth (sounds handy for the distracting background at the horse races)

Grahame, yes, now that I've looked at this section of my camera manual I'm finding it confusing and I tried to set the scenes mode in my camera last night but was not able to do so. Even though I followed the instructions in my manual I never managed to access the scenes, only setting buttons for certain things. I'll figure it out eventually and perhaps it is something that I will find that I don't care for or need.

Thank you to all.

[Mike Buckley]

Just a quick note to prevent you from being confused: All of my above comments pertain to the Picture Control presets, not the scene modes. You seem to be beyond any need for the scene modes, but take that as coming from someone who has never used them.

Personally, I think trying them out has the potential to add more confusion and to take you away from your quest to master the capabilities that assert your control. The scene modes assert the Nikon engineers' control. Whereas one could argue that it's good to try everything out that a camera has to offer before declining to use certain capabilities, I could just as easily argue that taking the time to do that to any serious degree is likely going to end up being a waste of time because it's doubtful that the exercise will provide any significant short- or long-term benefit. Just my two cents and approach to things.

[Brownbear]

Thanks Mike... Yes, I understand the difference and was looking at both things. I think you are right about the scene mode. Perhaps it is just better that I do as I have been doing and when I get a half decent landscape I will post it for feedback for improvement. Albeit I am curious about the child mode and autumn colours so if I can figure out how to set the camera to these I will try just a couple to see what they look like and do, and forget about the rest.. Too, many things to try all at once.

I always appreciate your feedback.

PS I did add my camera info to my biography but I couldn't find the signature. I also read about and tried live view last night. I don't think I am going to like live view, too many complications (Donald's method for focusing is easier to understand) and different settings for focusing but I will try it, just to view the scenery and see if the DOF is adequate. Perhaps, it is just to new to me... But I will give it a go.

Just a quick note to prevent you from being confused: All of my above comments pertain to the Picture Control presets, not the scene modes. You seem to be beyond any need for the scene modes, but take that as coming from someone who has never used them.

Personally, I think trying them out has the potential to add more confusion and to take you away from your quest to master the capabilities that assert your control. The scene modes assert the Nikon engineers' control. Whereas one could argue that it's good to try everything out that a camera has to offer before declining to use certain capabilities, I could just as easily argue that taking the time to do that to any serious degree is likely going to end up being a waste of time because it's doubtful that the exercise will provide any significant short- or long-term benefit. Just my two cents and approach to things.

[Mike Buckley]

Too, many things to try all at once.

Exactly.

To place your camera information in the signature: Click Settings at the top. Then click Edit Signature on the left side.

[RobertsMx]

Up until this point in time, I've been concentrating on photographing nature especially birds in flight, using manual, aperture priority and shutter priority.


I would like to try some new things, likely starting with landscapes and I have yet to explore all the options on my camera a Nikon D7100.

In reviewing my manual I see that it offers several pre-sets that seem handy. Right now I have my camera set to raw and all the picture controls set to neutral so I can see if I clip highlights etc. But I am thinking that I should set my camera back to jpeg and raw to try out these new things and if they don't work out well, well I have the raw file to work with, and if the jpeg works out well I can learn by reviewing the settings.

For landscapes these seem handy...

1. Active D Lighting to preserve details in highlights and shadows in high contrast scenes.

2. HDR preserves details in highlights and shadows by automatically combining two photos. (ie landscape exposing for the sky and the mountains and trees)

3. Landscape... produces vibrant landscapes and cityscapes. Does this mode also automatically focus on the hyperfocal distance? What else does this mode do?

Thank you.

I am a Sony shooter so making some assumptions about Nikon options to be similar:
1- Assuming Sony's "DRO" (Dynamic Range Optimizer) to be similar in purpose to Nikon's Active D, if you shoot RAW, you don't really need it. Besides, DRO will not output a RAW file (JPEG only), at least on my cameras. You might get better results playing with metering system, exposing to the right techniques.
2-HDR is a stacking mode in Sony cameras, and I assume the same to be true for Nikon, which again means JPEG only (for Sony anyway). I have never used HDR mode for anything more than "testing". I find that ETTR or even normal shooting modes suffice with RAW output.
3-Landscape mode is another I haven't used, but I suspect it simply chooses a small aperture regardless of the conditions, but not necessarily compute and focus at hyper focal distance.

[Mike Buckley]

Nikon's Active D-Lighting and HDR are used for RAW files, not just JPEGs.

[RobertsMx]

Nikon's Active D-Lighting and HDR are used for RAW files, not just JPEGs.

I will be very surprised. Does Active D affect exposure? Or, does it apply tonal adjustments to JPEGs as one could during RAW conversion, and also to RAW?

In case of Sony's DRO, it is the latter, so available only in JPEG. Sony also keep HDR as JPEG-only since stacking multiple exposures requires processing (this also applies to several other stacking modes like Multi-Frame Noise Reduction, Hand-Held Twilight and Anti-Motion Blur).

[Mike Buckley]

Nikon's documentation: "The Active D-Lighting option in the shooting menu adjusts exposure before shooting to affect the dynamic range..."

For the record, I shoot only RAW (not RAW + JPEG and not only JPEG) and I have experimented with both Active D-Lighting and HDR. Nikon recommends using matrix (evaluative) metering for both.

[Brownbear]

Thank you Robert and Mike... Very interesting to know.

[Shadowman]

Mike, John, Dan, Allan and Grahame,

Thank you for sharing. I agree that I need to develop my own vision for my images and do the processing myself rather than leave it up to the camera, and that is why I changed to raw only and set everything to neutral in my camera.

This question came to my mind simply because I have a fancy new camera with all types of things on it that I have yet to explore, and because I am going to try some new things I thought that the presets might be a good learning tool which could serve as a base until I figure out what I want to achieve.

Thank you to all.

Christina,

Don't let the fact that a preset may have been designed for new users, experiment and find out what it can and cannot do. We all have moments when we want to or are forced to take a photograph with no time for applying settings. Sure you can just put the camera in P, S, A mode but perhaps there are some other settings that will add a bit of weirdness to an everyday subject. Besides, a P & S photographer might approach you questions about their own equipment and you might be able to provide them the assistance they need.