Distortion Control - D800

<p>Would like to better understand D800 and Df Distortion Control, especially the Auto mode of operation for Nikon D-AF and G-type lenses (which obviously have a lens CPU).</p>

<p>Is there a definitive lists of which Nikkors are supported?</p>

<p>Is the correction applied the same for both JPEG and NEF files?</p>

<p>Is the NEF file altered in-camera, such that it is permanent, or is it a parameter embedded in the NEF file?</p>

<p>Nikon View NX2 does indicate Auto Distortion in the EXIF data, but does not allow you to select or unselect it in the presented image, or control it prior to converting to JPEG, for example.</p>

<p>How effective is it for complex distortion, such as the wide end of consumer zooms?</p>

<p>Do you use in-camera distortion correction or do you apply it is post? If applied in post, what post-procession software do you like?</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Would like to better understand D800 and Df Distortion Control, especially the Auto mode of operation for Nikon D-AF and G-type lenses (which obviously have a lens CPU).<br>

Is there a definitive lists of which Nikkors are supported?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yup, check it out here: http://nikonimglib.com/dcdata/#lens</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Is the correction applied the same for both JPEG and NEF files?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No, jpeg is corrected and NEF is only tagged however the embedded jpeg and preview jpeg inside the NEF is converted.</p>

 

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<p>Is the NEF file altered in-camera, such that it is permanent, or is it a parameter embedded in the NEF file?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Just a parameter. That's why Nikon's correction isn't visible in any other raw converter.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Nikon View NX2 does indicate Auto Distortion in the EXIF data, but does not allow you to select or unselect it in the presented image, or control it prior to converting to JPEG, for example.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Hey, Nikon gotta give people a reason to buy Capture NX2.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>How effective is it for complex distortion, such as the wide end of consumer zooms?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Try it for yourself. I think it works OK but don't know how many correction parameters it actually uses. Nobody but Nikon knows.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Do you use in-camera distortion correction or do you apply it is post? If applied in post, what post-procession software do you like?</p>

</blockquote>

 

<p>I like to use lenses that have very little distortion and correction is not needed. If it's an architectural shot that has to line up perfectly I would correct it in photoshop as I might also need to do perspective correction.</p>

 

<p>I didn't want to say "it's just JPEG" until someone else did first, but I was reasonably sure. :-)<br />

<br />

I think I have it enabled, but usually shoot raw + JPEG and only use the JPEGs as back-up anyway. I just correct distortions in Photoshop/ACR, but I suspect DxO is the better solution. I've been saving up, having seen what their latest noise reduction can do...</p>

<p>Thanks Pete. I'm playing with some test shots now.</p>

<p>BTW, the non-D AF Nikkors cannot be used in Auto mode. Auto mode is grayed-out when a non-D lens is mounted.</p>

<p>All the AF-D lenses I have do work in Auto mode.</p>

<p>I am happy that the NEF files are only tagged. But, since I have been using View NX2 with the Df files, there is no way to turn it off. I guess I need to download the raw converter for my copy of Elements 12. I just hate dealing with Adobe's web sight, it so complicated (grrrr).</p>

<p>I have it turned off for now, want to save as much camera CPU computation power for AF operation (sports) as is possible. Getting in focus shots of sports action at f/2.2 is the biggest challenge I have right now (and white balance). Be interesting to see how "improved" the AF is in the recently announced D4s, I think there is a lot of room for AF improvement - oops, wrong topic....sorry.</p>

<p>I shoot NEF+JPG. I have CNX2 and DXO9. I don't think that the DXO sw cares if the feature is turned on in the camera or not, as long as there is a DXO camera+lens combo module available.</p>

<p>I seem to be able to do the correction on an NEF after the fact with CNX2, just checked. Not sure if it is the same as in camera, ought to be better. I hate messing with post processing, generally just want the best possible JPG out of the camera, so I will probably turn the feature back on after bball season. Use the raw files+sw to try to eek the best results from the few photons available in the home gym.</p>

<p>> How effective is it for complex distortion, such as the wide end of consumer zooms? <br>

Not so good. DxO, PTLens or Adobe do a better job. <br>

Notice wide perspectives are often odd inherently. A correction which straightens out lines that ought to be straight often makes spherical things (heads) near the corners look even more odd. </p>