Nikon Picture Control Settings w/ Exiftool help

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 10:53 pm

Standard Picture Controls:

Standard: is versatile for a wide range of situations. (slight saturation boost/contrast over neutral)
Neutral: Less contrast, for natural-looking results.
Vivid: Enhanced saturation of red and green producing sharper contrast
Monochrome: produces black and white images.

Optional Picture Controls:

Portrait: Natural texture, gives the skin of portrait subjects a smoother feel. (similar to D2XMODE1)
Landscape: Brighter greens and blues for more vibrant landscapes and cityscapes. Similar to D2XMODE3, less vivid and contrast than Vivid. (designed for post D2X cameras)
D2XMODE1*: reproduces skin tones and gradations naturally with rich reproduction of tones. (warm)
D2XMODE2*: for images that will be extensively processed or retouched. (neutral flat curve, realistic color)
D2XMODE3*: used for nature or landscape shots, greens and blues are vividly reproduced. (saturation and contrast boost)

*Supported for cameras post D2X. There are some reports that Nikon states that a brightness of -1 should be used with these picture controls.

The "curves" for each standard Picture control provide overall different starting points for each setting. Play around a little with the picture controls and you will understand the sometimes subtle differences. For example, +1 saturation using the Standard picture control is not the same as +1 saturation for the Vivid picture control. Using a curve as a starting point for picture control setting adjustments, yields predictable deviations from the curve.

For instance, you stand on a ladder that is 3 feet tall, and you reach your arm out parallel with the ground and write on the wall in front of you. Now replace that ladder with one that is 5 feet tall, and repeat writing on the wall. You did not lift or lower your arm (+1 and -1 respectively), you started out at a different height based on the ladder (curve).

Note: As of Nikon Capture NX 2.2.5 Optional picture control modes no longer work on non-supported camera models (D70, D200, etc.). If you have previous NEF's using the optional picture control modes, there are options:

After updating to Nikon Capture NX 2.2.5 the application will notify you of any NEF's created using non-supported cameras, and using the optional picture controls, by providing a prompt to alter the picture control when you open the file.

What files have what picture control setting used?:

To determine the picture control mode used (as created in camera) for multiple files, you can use ExifTool by Phil Harvey. As an example, place Exiftool in a folder to be scanned and using cmd line enter the following:

Code:

exiftool.exe -T -filename -PictureControlName *.JPG *.NEF> out.txt

This will provide a txt file named out.txt that lists the filename of all jpg/nef's within a folder and the picture control name used for the those files. An example of out.txt:

Code:

2010-07-04_17165400.JPG Vivid
2010-07-04_17411733.JPG Vivid
2010-07-04_14193700.NEF Vivid
2010-07-04_14202892.NEF Vivid
2010-07-04_14202965.NEF Vivid

To determine the picture control mode used (as created in camera), and as set by Capture NX2 for multiple files With ExifTool use the following command:

Code:

exiftool.exe -T -a -filename -PictureControlName -PictureControlMode *.JPG *.NEF > out.txt

An example of out.txt:

Code:

2010-07-04_17411733.JPG Vivid -
2010-07-04_14193700.NEF Vivid VIVID
2010-07-04_14202892.NEF Vivid D2XMODEI

-T provides tabbed output
-a allows for duplicate attributes
-filename prints the filename
-PictureControlName is set by the camera
-PictureControlMode is set by software (Capture NX2)
*.JPG and *.NEF specifies search all JPG's and NEF's
adding an -r will make exiftool recurse into folders.

Please read the documentation for Exif Tool for options and usage examples @ http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

Some custom picture controls:

http://www.pixelistes.com/download/courbes/fuji/
http://www.leongoodman.com/expose/chapt_8.html