# Nikon picture control



## Timppa (Apr 29, 2020)

Hi!
In another thread I was reading about Nikon picture control, and that some people use it also to import images on there computer etc...
I don't want to start with all of that, but what I did like is that you can create your own settings and upload it onto your camera and use it as a jpeg preset there.
I was not aware of this feature and I would like to use it, It sounds very interesting and hopefully takes some time away from sitting behind the computer!
I now always shoot RAW, but I would like to change it to raw+jpeg.

Has anyone used this feature? Or what would be great settings to apply? (For all kind of photography).

The only issue that I find in the software is that when zooming in to 100% on the image, it looks rather pixelated, so it feels a bit hard to apply decent settings.
Thanks!


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## JBPhotog (Apr 29, 2020)

Nikon's Picture Controls are a fascinating way to apply various parameters to your image files, Raw and JPEG providing you use Nikon's software. View NX-i and Capture NX-D will apply the PC's to the Raw NEF's, other software will ignore the dataset applied in camera. I have created many PC's and this can be of help if you want to show clients how the final file will look on the cameras LCD once post processing is done.

There has been much discussion over the years about third party softwares ability to fully access the Raw dataset stored in a NEF file. It is my belief that Nikon still have not released all the proprietary parameter adjustments in their NEF files to other software companies. So all that being said, I still believe your best post processing image quality is attained by using Nikon software first then sending it off to PS for cloning, layering etc etc.

There are a few approaches;
1. They can be created in camera by changing any of the default PC's and saving them under one of your Set Picture Control, depending on camera model a number of slots are available.
2. They can be created on your computer using Nikon's picture Control Utility 2 software and saved as a file to be uploaded to your camera. This method lets you use one of your own photos to see how the PC changes will affect the image.
3. You can download a number of PC presets created by other people here, https://nikonpc.com and save them to your computer for later upload to your camera.


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## Derrel (Apr 29, 2020)

I used to use one extensively with my Nikon d2x I got it from a Philadelphia professional photographer, and loaded it into my camera. It was great for newspaper sport shooting. The d2x sensor was not that good above ISO 640,and the picture control made a perfect jpg and allowed me to use a 1.7 EV faster shutter speed. Wonderful for shooting Raw+JPEG.

Nikon maintains a website called Nikon pc.com and the website has all sorts of sample photos and dozens of picture control settings complete with curves.it is interactive. YOU can modify the settings and can preview their effect in real time, and you can download the files for later use in your camera, or you can analyze the curves and the control points and use them in almost any type of Imaging editor that allows you curves control.


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## Timppa (Apr 30, 2020)

hmm, interesting.
I am just a bit confused between all those options at nikonpc.com, It would be nice to know what types of settings would be better for landscapes, wildlife, portret, etc...


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## Derrel (Apr 30, 2020)

It's up to you.We can't answer for you. Look at the various pc results and pick one or two and download them to your PC. Then load them to a memory card, then transfer them to your Nikon, and try them out.


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## Designer (Apr 30, 2020)

Timppa said:


> hmm, interesting.
> I am just a bit confused between all those options at nikonpc.com, It would be nice to know what types of settings would be better for landscapes, wildlife, portret, etc...


I can't imagine using the exact same settings for all landscapes or all portraits, or any other type of subject.  While the factory "scene" adjustments might enhance SOME photographs, the photographer should decide how he wants the adjustments in each case.


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## Timppa (May 1, 2020)

Well, I can't imagine this either, but it would be good to have some kind of decent result already and then work from there.
In the list on nikonpc.com, it just says all weird kind of names that don't refer to anything, It could have some more information.


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## Derrel (May 1, 2020)

There are 19 sample photos and about 200 or so ( estimated) picture control settings. many are designed to emulate a film type.the names refer to the film being emulated in most cases.

These picture controls sre sometimes called " custom curves"...Here is a screen cap of one called  D2x safe hi-lo bump....the name refers specifically to the curves adjustments applied. Look at the original image and how it changes the after image.


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## Timppa (May 1, 2020)

Derrel said:


> There are 19 sample photos and about 200 or so ( estimated) picture control settings. many are designed to emulate a film type.the names refer to the film being emulated in most cases.
> 
> These picture controls sre sometimes called " custom curves"...Here is a screen cap of one called  D2x safe hi-lo bump....the name refers specifically to the curves adjustments applied. Look at the original image and how it changes the after image.



Derrel, I knew I could rely on you, I always kind of hope you reply, because you're very helpful .
This really explains it better to me and I understand more now. I should download a few and indeed try them out.
Could I just ask, do you have any personal favourites?


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## Derrel (May 1, 2020)

Timppa said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > There are 19 sample photos and about 200 or so ( estimated) picture control settings. many are designed to emulate a film type.the names refer to the film being emulated in most cases.
> ...



I regularly use one in-camera "custom curve" in my old D2X...its gives a perfectly exposed Jpeg when the light meter  is set to -1.7 EV...it also gives some highlight protection/ dynamic range adjustment and boosts sharpness to about +3. I don't use Picture Control much these days...i apply my picture profile input on import to Lightroom, and often apply additional Lightroom presets or adjustments at the computer.

Nikon's picture control system is more of a front-end way to alter the metadata in the raw file for users who develop their raws using Nikon software, or who want a camera-produced JPEG that looks a certain way. Third-party software cannnot "see" these changes to raws, and since 2013, all my raw developing is done using Lightroom.


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## Derrel (May 1, 2020)

I belive Fuji's widely-lauded "film simulations" use a similar approach, and are loaded at the factory. THIS is a good way to alter camera-created JPEGs.


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## JBPhotog (May 1, 2020)

Additionally, look at the settings for each PC, especially for Sharpening. Some profiles have it too high IMO as this can and should be a last step in processing  a file, unless you go straight to JPEG and do nothing in post.

Before you download the PC you want, you can change the setting and they will stick in your download.


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## Derrel (May 1, 2020)

When you shoot raw + jpeg and have monochrome selected, the jpeg is the black and white, but the raw file has full color information. I actually really like raw + jpeg when shooting monochrome jpegs. When you shoot at medium or smaller sizes the out of camera jpeg images from the Nikons often make fantastic Black and Whites. This forces you to see your preview image in the field or Studio on the back of the camera in black and white, and you can evaluate if the lighting is ideal for black and white. This is quite different from just shooting in full color and converting in post. Many times when you are shooting in black and white you want to use a higher ratio lighting setup than if you are going for a color image.


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## Derrel (May 1, 2020)

Three Nikon picture control samples.


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## Timppa (May 2, 2020)

This feels more interesting every time I come back to read here.
My current workflow is the same like Derrel, I just import in lightroom with settings I have made in advance and then work further from there.
The main idea for using this, is that some times, I just take snapshots, and I would like them to come out better in jpeg, so that I don't feel like I have to edit them (In my mind, I NEED to edit and clean the whole folder, I just can't leave some pictures only in raw without anything done to it).
I would like to just when coming home, be happy with the results and delete all the RAW's I don't need, keep just the best for some retouching in lightroom.

Let me download some, take some pictures, and get back to you with results. (this is exactly the problem, I am more on the computer editing and writing... I want to be more in the field!)

And about lightroom, I create some presets myself, what is great and really improves speed. The only issue I dislike is that the internet has a million of these presets, many you have to buy or subscribe or whatever to get them and in the end they are not so great or just 'ok'
And if you have a million presets, it takes longer to go trough them all, then to just edit the picture yourself right a way.
Could I ask, it's a bit of topic, Do you have any favourite preset? and do you want to share it?


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## jcdeboever (May 2, 2020)

This is a really good thread on a often missed and misunderstood Nikon feature. I shoot a lot of black & white and I create my own pre sets for my D610. It pretty much is identical to my custom simulations on my Fujifilm system. For what it's worth, the D610 looks the most film like (what I am after) for some reason, I think it's partly due to the fact I use a lot of older glass. It takes some experimenting and that makes it really enjoyable.


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## JBPhotog (May 2, 2020)

I can’t help with the Lightroom preset question, I never adopted it as a workflow tool. But keep this in mind, all presets started from a default position so you could “roll your own” if you wanted to experiment. Many of the preset packs I have seen are simply a gimmick to move away from the “standards” and often, and I mean this, do nothing to make the photo better they just add a different look which you may or may not get tired of.

Another aspect is, do you want your photos to have the same look as someone else’s and they may have considered a purpose to the tweaks that you may or may not share. They also likely lit the subject differently than you so the preset will not look the same in your photos.


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## Derrel (May 2, 2020)

Presets are a starting point...usually a minor tweak or two or threr is needed. I often combine two, or even three presets. I like about 15 of " Matt K" and the free set he used to give away..

LIGHTROOM Comes with some useful presets.  You can modify and save any preset. It's a good way to speed up processing. But the final result depends upon the skill of the operator. Presets are widely misunderstood, especially by those who don't use them and don't know what the hell they're talking about. The idea that a preset is some type of Quick, One-Click Instagram filter is wildly mistaken. A preset is a way to apply more than a handful of changes in one click. The better you know your presets the better your results. Some pictures look great with a certain preset, , while other presets will look horrible on them.

If you just drag your mouse pointer down a list of presets in Lightroom, a preview will quickly be generated. If you click on a preset in the list, the working window will show the changes in full size. Experimentation and experience is the best way to utilize presets to their significant advantage. I think that presets are useful for color toning. I like my personal variations of an Adobe preset called Creamtone.


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## Derrel (May 2, 2020)

modified from Adobe's Creamtone preset.


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## Derrel (May 2, 2020)

The so-called White Wedding tone curve used to be popular in the early days of the Nikon d70. I  see that a version of that tone curve or picture control is available underon Nikon's web server

Back in the early days of the digital single-lens reflex, Nikon was known for its rather flat and low contrast and relatively unsharpened jpg images. Back in those days some 17 years ago, there were far fewer software applications available to develop raw files. My first digital camera was a Nikon D1 in February of 2001, and at that time Adobe Photoshop could not develop raw files.

It is interesting that Fuji has had tremendous success with its film simulation modes, while Nikon's equivalent solution, which was developed before the Fuji one, has met with very limited acceptance.


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## Derrel (May 3, 2020)

Have you tried using any picture control settings?


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## Timppa (May 4, 2020)

I have tried many already and took some images over the weekend.
I do have to say, I enjoy them, it gives a better view of possible outcome of the picture (I like the technique you use for black and white preview).
But I think in the end I will stick with my current work process.
I put them on lightroom with the setting I have made and it already does a great job.

But yes, I will use this for previewing on the camera itself


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## zoomnclick (Jun 22, 2021)

Any idea if someone has a Fuji Classic Neg picture control for Nikon?


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## Larry_Page (Jul 4, 2021)

Good morning. I am a big user of picture controls in my Nikon cameras, whether for pre-processing JPEGs or for setting a good "as shot" starting point in Lightroom. For a long time, I noticed that other Nikon users seemed a little bit clueless when I would try to explain what I was doing and why. Finally, I learned that Picture Control is implemented quite differently on different models across the Nikon product line. For instance, I started with a D200, and have also used a D300, D300s,  D500,  D810, and D850. None of those cameras have "Scene Modes," although they do come from the factory with a small number of presets which can be edited or used as starting points for other setups. 

In these cameras, direct control of parameters like Sharpness, Saturation, Hue, and several others similar to LightRoom sliders can be set directly, then saved with an identifying name. I have deduced from conversations that in cameras like the D750 and D780, setups from the various presets can be adjusted and saved in the "User" spaces. I presume that they can be changed and saved back to their original locations as well. No clue what options are available on entry-level cameras.

My purpose in saying all this is to say that I've found that it is very important to be very clear which Nikon camera is being referenced in discussions about Picture Control. And it is equally important when reading these articles to understand that your camera may handle these adjustments quite differently from the camera being discussed,  even if both are Nikons.


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## JBPhotog (Jul 4, 2021)

Larry_Page said:


> Good morning. I am a big user of picture controls in my Nikon cameras, whether for pre-processing JPEGs or for setting a good "as shot" starting point in Lightroom. For a long time, I noticed that other Nikon users seemed a little bit clueless when I would try to explain what I was doing and why. Finally, I learned that Picture Control is implemented quite differently on different models across the Nikon product line. For instance, I started with a D200, and have also used a D300, D300s,  D500,  D810, and D850. None of those cameras have "Scene Modes," although they do come from the factory with a small number of presets which can be edited or used as starting points for other setups.
> 
> In these cameras, direct control of parameters like Sharpness, Saturation, Hue, and several others similar to LightRoom sliders can be set directly, then saved with an identifying name. I have deduced from conversations that in cameras like the D750 and D780, setups from the various presets can be adjusted and saved in the "User" spaces. I presume that they can be changed and saved back to their original locations as well. No clue what options are available on entry-level cameras.
> 
> My purpose in saying all this is to say that I've found that it is very important to be very clear which Nikon camera is being referenced in discussions about Picture Control. And it is equally important when reading these articles to understand that your camera may handle these adjustments quite differently from the camera being discussed,  even if both are Nikons.


I suggest reading this on Nikon Picture Controls as they are virtually the same for all models of Nikon cameras, not to be confused with "Scene Modes".

The importance of Picture Controls from Nikon


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