Question for those who shoot jpegs with their DSLR

<p>This is not a raw vs jpeg question, nor about post-process. Question is directed to jpeg shooters of dslrs.</p>

<p>When you evaluate a dslr what do you take into consideration that is related to using it for jpeg.? Do you look at the ability to fine-tune the ip settings? The ease of traversing the menu? On body (non-exposure, but ip) controls rather than in menu? The ability to save custom ip settings or load presets? What dslr would you recommend to someone who wants to shoot jpeg with a dslr and is finicky about getting it right?</p>

<p>Most any of the modern DSLRs from the major manufacturers will allow you to fine tune the JPEG output to suit your tastes. Personally, I shoot Nikon and do shoot JPEGs quite a bit and the tunability of my D200 is pretty good. Generally, though, the more modern (newer) the camera the more stuf you can tweak to suit your tastes.</p>

<p>One of the things I like about Nikon's approach is that you can shoot RAW, and then open that file in NX2, and use it to review all of the JPG-rendering features the camera has available ... and see exactly the output you'd get as you make changes on the fly. Then you can tune up the camera's settings according to what you've decided you like, and if you must shoot JPGs, have (more) solid results.</p>

<p> <strong>Don - </strong>You're on the right track with your questions. Yes to all of them. Although I tend to use RAW most of the time on my D3 and D2x, when using my old & faithful D80, I often use JPEGs, and it's no problem at all, though I may be more amenable to menu-hopping than you might want to be.. As print-conscious as you are, is a Dx or Fx body on your list?</p>

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<p>Luis, I don't often print larger than 11x14. For me, the metric of resolution is what human vision can see on a piece of paper. Full frame would be easier for using my film lenses, but it is not really an issue, since I'll probably mate the body to a zoom in my range, say 28-70 (in terms of 35mm frame).</p>

<p>Matt, that's an intriguing approach Nikon's. I'll have to find a demo of it.</p>

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<p>"...is a Dx or Fx body on your list?"</p>

<p>Luis, I don't have a list yet. I'm trying to create one. Nikons are welcome to it.</p>

 

<p>Don: you can download Capture NX2 free from Nikon's web site for a 60-day trial.</p>

<p>I shoot in RAW mode, but nearly all of my images end up as JPEGs - for delivery to the client or lab for printing. Using Adobe Lightroom, you can make all the adjustments non-destructively before exporting the results as JPEG files. You can export one or all RAW files in a single operation.</p>

<p>All of the Nikon DSLRs have extensive parameter settings for JPEG (and TIFF) file generation, and the D3 is possibly the most advanced in this regard. Most of these settings are in the menu, but you can change the size, white balance and compression using the command wheels and option buttons on the back. You can save several collections of settings and recall them instantly for future use.</p>

<p>These settings are recorded in the images as metadata. Nikon Capture (i.e., NX) is able to read and act on all of this metadata when converting RAW files. Adobe ACR and Lightroom use only the most important settings.</p>

<p>I don't shoot directly to JPEG. Like most things digital, JPEGs are either perfect or unuseable. You have considerably more latitude with RAW files. The D3 has room for two cards, up to 32 GB per card. That's equivalent to 2400 RAW images or over 10K JPEGs. Even Roy Rogers' pistol had to be reloaded between episodes.</p>

<p>It looks like Nikon's dslr line is the first to check out.</p>

<p>Up until two years ago I shot mostly digital, but ended up shooting 35mm film more. I used to shoot raw. One of my p&s produces a separate jpeg (at the best quality) as well, when set to raw. I used to separate out the jpegs to a cd, and not even look at them once I got the first LR Beta. So, never bothered with any settings besides those for exposure. Once I'd shifted to 35mm, I began to play around with the digital cameras' ip controls for jpeg (it also shoots tiffs separately) and the various modes. I got interested. A dslr will shoot raw, no doubt and so it is there. But I'd like to have a very good jpeg option, too. I note in reading reviews that some dslrs jpeg output is not excellent, even though the raw is. So, there is variable quality out there. </p>

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<p>Don,</p>

<p>Canon DSLR's work exactly the same way. Open a RAW file, you can see any in camera jpeg rendition, you can adjust all parameters and then load that selection or custom selections into the camera to shoot with.</p>