Tips to process NEF files, D40x

[carlos_rodriguez3]

<p>I am relativaly new to converting NEF files, but not to photoshop. So, my question is which values should I changein Adobe Camera RAW and which should I left alone and process directly in PS CS3. I know if you process curves and white balance in ACR is better. But what about the rest of the values:<br>

1.- Saturation<br>

2.- Sharpness<br>

3.- Noise controls<br>

I ask this, because I read in a different thread that is recomendable to process sharpness AFTER NEF conversion. Is this true? It was an old thread (2005)<br>

So, what do you normally do? Do you process most of this values in NEF conversion, or directly in PS?<br>

I did some test to process noise created by ISO 800 (d40x) and the results were excellent compared to what I can get in PS. And over all I like the idea of "not loosing" information in this procedure.<br>

Carlos</p>

<p> </p>

[Kent Shafer]

<p>You probably would enjoy "Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS4" by Bruce Fraser and Jeff Schewe (or the CS3 version if you're committed to sticking with CS3).</p>

<p>I'm no expert so take what I say with several grains of salt. In general, I do as much as possible in ACR and then go to Photoshop for local adjustments (though you can make local adjustments in ACR 5.2, the one that comes with CS4).</p>

<p>I do capture sharpening in ACR and then do local sharpening and output sharpening in Photoshop using Smart Sharpen. See <a href="http://www.creativepro.com/article/out-of-gamut-thoughts-on-a-sharpening-workflow">this classic article by Bruce Fraser</a> on the three-step sharpening system. Capture sharpening in ACR and Smart Sharpen in Photoshop are now probably superior to the tools recommended in the article, but the principles are the same. From what I've read, the advice against capture sharpening in ACR was sound before CS3 but no longer applies with CS3 and CS4.</p>

<p>Similarly, I use the default noise reduction in ACR and then, sometimes, apply additional local noise reduction in Photoshop using Noise Ninja.</p>

[photo5]

<p>Carlos, I'd highly recommend checking out Nikon Capture NX2. You can download it and use it for 60 days before the trial period ends. It is the best NEF software.</p>

[joseph_smith3]

<p>Carlos, use Nikon Capture NX2 for your NEF files. If needed, create a TIFF in NX2 and take it into Photoshop for further editing. All edits in NX2 are non destructive. Only Capture reads the settings you made in your camera that are in your NEF files. Why ignore them (except for white balance) by using Adobe software?<br>

Joe Smith</p>

 

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

<p>I second the recommendation to try out Capture NX 2. My own ACR vs NX 2 experiences are online at this link:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00S4dt</p>

 

[rhaytana__tim_adams_]

<p>On second thought:</p>

<p>If this Nikon-wielding photographer -- http://www.photo.net/photos/johnrobinson -- uses Bridge, as he indicates he does, then I must look again at Whatever I Was Doing Wrong with ACR, that yielded results so much worse than what I get now with NX 2. </p>

<p> </p>