I’ve continued to experiment with my Nikon Z’s ‘Active D-Lighting’ contrast reduction feature.
In this example, I photographed an Indiana & Ohio C40-8CW in the New England Central yard at Palmer, Mass.
This was a perfect opportunity to see how the Active D-Lighting feature would accommodate high-contrast midday sun.
Since the ADL feature only affects the in-camera JPG, I opted to craft a comparison image working from a PureRaw converted RAW file that I manually adjusted using Adobe Lightroom.
The Jpg is right out of the camera and scaled for internet; the converted RAW file required a host of manually implemented color, contrast, and exposure corrections to make the most of the image.
Any thoughts?
In-Camera JPG with Active D-Lighting feature. Other than size scaling, this is free from adjustment.Nikon NEF RAW file adjusted manually. Consider the difference in truck detail between this photo and the In-camera JPG.
It’s been nearly five years since I bought my first Nikon Z-series mirrorless camera and I’m still exploring the camera’s features.
Normally when working with the Nikon Z, I exposed photos simulataneously in NEF Raw and JPG. Typically, I only use the JPGs as back up and to quickly review images (because it is easier and faster to open the JPG files). I work with the NEF files using Lightroom and other software to make the most of images in post processing.
One of the advantages of my FujiFilm X-Series cameras is that the photos come right out of the camera with excellent color. I can select from a variety of color profile presents that emulate Fuji’s popular film color palates. Not only are the JPGs typically ‘ready to go’, but I can easily apply the present color profiles to the Fuji RAW (RAF) files and use the Fuji color profiles as a starting point when refining RAW images in post processing.
My Nikon Z cameras offer a feature called ‘Active D-Lighting’ that can be applied in-camera to the JPG files as a tool to reduce contrast and make the most of high-contrast situations.
The other day, Seamus-the-Dog and I were driving around. I planned to intercept the 11am Strasburg Rail Road excursion to Leaman Place. It was intermittently raining and the sky was bright with laden clouds. I felt this would be a grand opportunity to try the Active D-Lighting feature. I selected one of the intermediate ADL settings.
Below are my scaled, but otherwise unaltered JPGs. This reflects the color and contrast as preserved in the original file.
More exploration of this feature is necessary. Stay tuned.
