Nikon D2H ideal settings

[sukumaran_r]

Would someone kindly provide a guide on ideal settings for a Nikon D2H ? There

are so many options and any guidance from the professionals on this forum will

be appreciated...Thank you.

[Rick Waller]

The setting that you use will depend on what exactly you shoot. For example, I shoot a lot of sports and find that these settings work great.

 

http://www.siphoto.com/?nikonD2H.inc

 

Or you can have a look here:

 

http://www.lonestardigital.com/D2H.htm

[sukumaran_r]

Thank you. How about potraits (using Nikkor 18-70 mm). I also use to shoot landscapes (using Nikkor ultrawide 12-24mm)

[dennis lee]

I look forward to seeing some more responses here Sukumaran. I've asked

this question myself, specifically about skin tones, and got a lot of answers

that didn't particularily answer the question.

 

Eric, have you tried the Auto white balance and Hue adjustments that Mr.

Lone Star mentions? They look like good possibilities. Great links by the

way.

 

Here's an interesting difference though: SI is suggesting the use of Adobe

RGB and Mr. Lone Star is suggesting sRGB.

 

What a headache, I guess testing is the only way to really figure it out. I know

that Lex, a regular contributor here uses mainly his JPEG images for

processing in labs, I've done this too with some success, but I really need my

NEF files to look better out of the box, their are just so many many variables.

 

Camera settings to monitor color/computer settings (sRGB vs Adobe RGB) to

processing program to output mode to sRGB based commercial lab.

 

I cannot afford the monitor calibrator, so I need to get into the ballpark without

the use of ICC calibration profiling. I know the answer is to do testing.

However, if any of you guys have done the homework and care to share it, I

would love to try it.

 

I am processing on a Mac by the way.

 

Thanks for asking this question again Sukumaran

 

This is what I need to know.

[Rick Waller]

"What a headache, I guess testing is the only way to really figure it out."

 

That's probably one of the best conclusions I have read on these forums in a long time. Let's face it - everyone has an opinion as to what settings to use, but only you can decide what works best for you. Try several of the "recommended" settings as a starting point and then tweak them until you get what pleases you. That is one of the major advantages with digital...there is almost no additional cost to "trying" things out since there is no film cost and there is instant gratification. You can tell real quick if something works or not.

 

As for wanting to get quality NEF'S "right out of the box"....well, let's just say that this is almost a contradiction in terms. By its very nature, raw does not give you a finished product. It simply allows one to capture (pun intended) all available information on your card and then further allows you to pretty much manipulate the hell out of everything from color balance to white balance to sharpening. We all would love our raw files to be great right out of the box, but with the current state of digital imaging, that just ain't gonna happen.

 

If you want no muss, no fuss images, shoot jpeg. I read all of the comments about how raw is the only way to go with a certain sense of scepticism. Look - I do shoot raw when the situation warrants it and I fully understand the benefits. But if I am on a sideline shooting 500 images of a football game - there is absolutely NO WAY that I will shoot raw. Who the hell has time to process 500 RAW images? Jpeg's get a bad rap. If you have reasonably good lighting conditions and have the experience to render the shot with confidence, most often there is really no great advantage (at least to me) of shooting RAW. No I am sure this comment will unleash a torrent of backlash about how real men only shoot raw, but I do what works for me. If the white balance is not an issue and if the color balance is not a big issue, then I will often shoot jpeg and love every minute not chained to my computer. Have I missed great shots by shooting in jpeg mode rather than raw and finding out that the white balance was blown? Or the highlights? Or the shadows?

 

Sure - but not often enough to make me forsake Jpegs. Hell I have missed shots because I forgot that the lens cap was still on my lens....should I therefore never use a lenscap?

 

Boy - that sure turned into a rant, huh?

 

As for srgb vs. argb - I prefer adobe. Just a preference or perhaps more just what I am used to. Most of the shops that print my images are set up for srgb, but I never knowingly suffered from choosing argb and then converting when printing.

 

I think you pretty much answered your own questions. Play with the setting for both your camera, your monitor and your printer and figure out what makes you smile.

 

And one last thought - a colorimeter is really an essential tool. You really should try to snag one somehow, although I understand that $$'s are always a big issue for everyone. Perhaps used?

[lex_jenkins]

Several times I've intended to write up my favorite D2H settings. Maybe I've already done so and forgotten. I know I've at least written about some of 'em.

 

To put it bluntly, I often use my D2H as a high tech P&S digicam. I want quick results with a top notch body, lenses, flash, etc. It's a modified PJ approach.

 

Any experienced film and/or P&S digicam photographer who's struggled with their first dSLR (D100, D70, etc.) already knows that dSLRs do not respond just like a P&S digicam, even in auto-everything mode. There are many, many threads attesting to that fact here and elsewhere all over photo.net and the web. I've come up with some settings that work for me, given my overall preferences.

 

I usually shoot JPEG-Fine only or JPEG-Fine and NEFs simultaneously. This is determined by the way I use the D2H. It's not my "fine art" camera. I still use film for that. I never expect to print larger than approximately 8x10 from D2H files so a correctly exposed, white balanced, etc., etc., JPEG-Fine is good enough for my purposes.

 

Anyone who plans to print larger than native resolution or might have to deal with a less than ideal exposure, white balance, etc., should, by all means, at least shoot NEFs as a backup to JPEGs.

 

(If anyone wishes to convert me or modify my approach, please, spare your effort. I won't even read 'em. Convert someone else. I'm not being arrogant or ignorant. My methods are well informed and based only on *my* needs.)

 

My goal is to shoot photos that are ready to print right out of the Aladdin/Frontier or Kodak dye thermal kiosk at Wal-mart or the minilab at my local pro shops. Those machines can't handle RAW files and TIFFs are larger than necessary for my needs.

 

Also (ideally - doesn't usually work out this way) I'd like to be able to burn CDs on the spot. If I shoot TIFFs I'll have to burn DVDs. If I shoot NEFs and JPEG-Fine simultaneously I'll have to sort 'em which takes more time because even from the "puny" 4 mp D2H a 1 GB CF card will usually overrun a single CD.

 

A few of my basic settings. Again, most of these are designed for JPEG-Fine:

 

Most of the controls are at the factory defaults. I've never used the folders.

 

I set the illumination to a little longer than the defaults. Sometimes I chimp a lot - it depends on the people around me. If they want to see the photos and I have time I'll show 'em what I've shot.

 

For people, Color Mode I (sRGB); for everything else and young people or those with good cosmetics, Color Mode III (sRGB).

 

I *never* shoot Color Mode II (Adobe RGB). I don't need to. sRGB is good enough for minilabs. If I need anything else I should have had enough foresight to shoot NEFs simultaneously, in which case I'm not locked into anything anyway. With Nikon Capture 4.4.x I could even apply sRGB Mode Ia or IIIa, which lend nice nuances to specific color ranges.

 

Sharpening is set to +1 Medium high. After more experimenting than I care to remember with virtually everything on the market (including Nik and others), I realized that Nikon's own in-camera sharpening looks really good - again, given the limitations and conditions I've already specified: roughly 8x10 prints, blah, blah, blah. If it's not clear enough please reread before disparaging the use of in-camera sharpening.

 

I don't like USM and try to avoid it in all of its permutations, including in the conventional film darkroom. Feel free to struggle with it if you choose. Some better choices are finally available, even with entry level programs like Corel Paint Shop Pro X.

 

Tone Compensation: Usually Normal. With indoor flash I'll often use a custom curve I cooked up in Capture. Basically all it does is compress everything a tiny bit to prevent loss of highlight and shadow detail while bumping the midrange very slightly to improve skin tones. It helps reduce harshness in direct flash when it's impractical to use bounce flash, diffusers or any sort of modifiers.

 

While some folks will debate the true dynamic range of digital captures vs. film, in practical applications (translation: *my* practical applications) it's often difficult to actually translate that capture to anything useful. Using the other tone comp settings (less contrast, more contrast, etc.) seems to complicate matters. So does Auto tone comp with JEPGs. Just one more unnecessary variable. IMO, it's better to use Normal (or my custom curve) and concentrate on nailing the exposure.

 

White balance. This one can be a major PITA with JPEGs because you really have to get it right the first time. The sensor on the prism of the D2H and D2X can help with auto settings, but only when the light source cooperates. Some artificial light sources defy use of this sensor. So I often use a white card for a TTL custom white balance. Hopefully I remembered to bring a white card. If I didn't I might actually use Auto WB indoors after evaluating a few test shots with the various presets (Incandescent, Fluorescent, etc.). If the presets look way off I'll skip 'em and use Auto. Unfortunately artificial light WB presets aren't one of the strengths of the D2H. The various daylight WB options are good, tho'. Anyway, indoors, such as in gyms, I've actually borrowed a sheet of white notebook paper from a student for custom white balancing because elementary and middle school (junior high school) gym lights can be awful and the color temperature can vary as the lights warm up if they were turned on just before the game.

 

ISO: I adjust it as needed. I don't worry about noise - I fix it later. Below 800 it's acceptable. At 800-1600 it's fixable. At "3200" (Hi-1) and "6400" (Hi-2) it can be tricky. There can be some banding with underexposures, and banding can't easily be fixed with Noise Ninja, etc. I try to avoid using 3200 and 6400 but the few times I've needed 'em, heck, I was happy to get any photos at all (very dimly lit theatres where no color film would have worked anyway).

 

I don't use auto-ISO. Tried it but it's just one more complication I don't really need. Some folks find it useful.

 

I use Matrix metering, oh, 85% of the time. It works, why not use it? Spotmetering maybe 14% of the time. Even as a medium format b&w shooter or color slide shooter I don't use spotmetering that much. I really don't use the centerweighted averaging but what the heck I'll claim I use it 1% of the time.

 

I use Program mode quite a bit too. It works. Doesn't take any more time to dial in EV comp than to switch to manual mode when I'm in a hurry. If the light isn't changing much, such as in a gym, sure, I'll manually meter - I might even use my Minolta incident meter.

 

I use Aperture priority and Shutter priority about equally and don't use either very often. Depends on the situation and lens.

 

For autofocus activation I'd say it's an even split between the AF-ON button only and the AF-ON button or shutter release button. Depends on my subject matter, shooting style, etc. For action where I'm using continuous autofocus I'll probably set it to AF-ON/shutter release and use the shutter release most of the time.

 

I use the vertical controls - a lot. I miss 'em when I use my other cameras. My right wrist is stiff and doesn't bend well, so the vertical controls really help. When I first got the D2H I tended to trigger the vertical shutter release with the heel of my hand. I just learned to adjust my grip a little. Made more sense than using the locking collar, which was really unhandy.

 

I switch around between the two single sensor AF options (Single Area AF and Dynamic Area AF) which picking out individual people or subjects, and the Group Dynamic AF for following action. I can't find any use for Dynamic Area AF With Closest Subject Priority - it always seems to focus on the knees, feet, etc., never the face.

 

I use AF-C and AF-S about equally. AF-C is set to FPS rate + AF. AF-S is usually set to Focus but sometimes I'll set it to release priority - I don't always want the camera making decisions for me. I often use a single AF sensor, focus and recompose - focus priority can fight this working style.

 

I hardly ever use manual focus with autofocus lenses. Few AF Nikkors have a good manual focus feel and no AF-S Nikkors that I've tried have a good manual focus feel. I do use manual focus Nikkors quite a bit on my D2H.

 

I use the Func. button (beneath the DOF preview button) for FV lock, one of the most useful settings when the D2H is combined with the SB-800 and a zoom lens.

 

I use the Multi-Selector only for selecting the focus pattern and usually lock it in place. Otherwise my nose tends to change it. I'd like it better if it had a little more resistance.

 

AE-L/AF-L is set to AE-L only. Press to activate, press again to disengage. I don't use it often.

 

I usually shoot in Continuous High Speed mode. Sometimes I'll use Single or Continuous Low. Some folks say the D2H seems to be able to autofocus better in Continuous Low than in Continuous High. I haven't been able to judge this one way or another. However, if I'm recalling correctly, Nikon said something about improving CH response in the F6 which seems to indicate there may be something to this issue.

 

I don't use NEF compression. Two problems with it: (1) It seems to interfere with precise operation of the shot counter; (2) Compressed NEFs take much longer to process, including just viewing them. Compressed NEFs don't save that much space with D2H files so it's not a very valuable feature to me.

 

Well, that's more than I intended to write. Hope some of it helps.

[Rick Waller]

(If anyone wishes to convert me or modify my approach, please, spare your effort. I won't even read 'em. Convert someone else. I'm not being arrogant or ignorant. My methods are well informed and based only on *my* needs.)

 

Can I offer an "amen" here?

[sukumaran_r]

Just a quick note to thank you all for sharing your thoughts and experiences. Having invested a tidy sum on this equipment it was important for me to learn from the experiences of talented enthusiasts such as yourselves. Your submissions were very helpful...Regards