I am trying to master the color accuracy in digital imaging and one of the things that I discover during my research is that when using Nikon Capture NX (my camera is Nikon D3) to manipulate and process my images, I find that color, sharpness, and many other things looks much better and more accurate than if I open/process the same image in Adobe Camera Raw or PS. I am very close from the conclusion that using the native software (Capture NX) of the same camera/sensor (Nikon) will reveal better image reading for the RAW file than PS.
Does anyone noticed this before? Am I correct here?
Posted by Bruce Painter on April 16, 2010 at 11:29 AM
I have thought the same thing about my Canon 30D and using DPP to process and convert RAW files. I thought that for me it might just be that I was better able to use the Canon software and that I just needed to learn more about Adobe Camera Raw. After I adjust and convert in DPP I do then use PS CS2 for further processing. I just have never got the results I wanted using Adobe from start to finish with RAW capture. I always assumed that it was just me though.
As you probably know, raw files are not as sharp or saturated as jpg's. That is because the camera, when set for jpg, cranks up the saturation and sharpness of the raw image and then it converts to jpg. My guess is that Capture is making the same changes when it displays the Raw image, whereas Camera Raw does not. The plus side is that you don't have to touch every single image. The down size is, it's automatic and may not be what you want. Lightroom lets you use profiles to control how your images display. Perhaps Capture has a setting to do the same.
Until very recently I was in similar boat and was more comfortable using DPP (Canon 40D) instead of PS4. But then lately I have been exploring Adobe PS and do find that I have a lot more options and control to pull out the colors and contrast and also the DR in the manner that I want. Far more versatile than DPP. Since then, I am stuck to Adobe. Of course though it takes much more time to process each individual file than RAW.
Posted by Rodney Ninow on April 16, 2010 at 3:28 PM
Only Nikon software reads all in camera settings in Nikon bodies. Adobe and other third party software only reads white balance. So if you are using settings like vivid for increased saturation, the raw images are going to look better in NX when first viewed. Many people download different default settings for Adobe Raw and Lightroom to emulate the Nikon settings.
Discussion
4 repliesI am trying to master the color accuracy in digital imaging and one of the things that I discover during my research is that when using Nikon Capture NX (my camera is Nikon D3) to manipulate and process my images, I find that color, sharpness, and many other things looks much better and more accurate than if I open/process the same image in Adobe Camera Raw or PS. I am very close from the conclusion that using the native software (Capture NX) of the same camera/sensor (Nikon) will reveal better image reading for the RAW file than PS.
Does anyone noticed this before? Am I correct here?
Bruce