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Cherry Hill Classic Comparisons

We arrived at Cherry Hill Road shortly before Strasburg Rail Road’s evening train was due.

This presented a comparison opportunity.

Working with my Nikon Z7-II, I simultaneously exposed in RAW and JPG (with Active D-Lighting feature ).

The purpose of this comparison was to see how close Active D-Lighting would match my post-processing corrections in a ‘perfect’ evening sunlit situation.

Below are three versions. The first is the un-modified camera-RAW (scaled and converted to JPG for presentation in Word Press); the second is the same RAW file adjusted in Lightroom to my desired appearance in terms of exposure, contrast, color and saturation. The last is the scaled in-camera JPG with Active D-Lighting feature.

Un-modified camera-RAW (scaled and converted to JPG for presentation in Word Press). In order to maximize the amount of data captured, I intentionally exposed the RAW on the dark side and plan to adjust highlight and shadows appropriately in post processing. Normally, I would not present the unmodified RAW file.
Same RAW file as above, but adjusted in Lightroom to my desired appearance in terms of exposure, contrast, color and saturation.
Scaled in-camera JPG with Active D-Lighting contrast-reduction feature.

Tracking the Light examines railroad photography every day!