D2X arrived-Help-need your favorite in camera settings

[GeeJay]

Today the D2X came and I've been putting the same settings as in the D2H. But I need help figuring out from you experienced photographers what the best internal camera settings are for the D2X.

Or perhaps you know of a good site that has good setting information.

I'm also hoping there are others in the forum that could use this information.

I'd appreciate any tidbit you can give.

Thanks very much!

Gaye

 

[Flew]

Gaye,

You lucky dog. :lol:

I haven't seen one of these beauties yet, but the transfer of the AF from the shutter button to the AF-ON button on the back of the cam for the H is in the CSM menu, entry a5 - AF Activation. To make the change, set this to 'Off', which says 'AF-ON only' in the H menu.

Let's see some shots. :wink:

Frank

 

[Catz]

Today the D2X came and I've been putting the same settings as in the D2H. But I need help figuring out from you experienced photographers what the best internal camera settings are for the D2X.

Or perhaps you know of a good site that has good setting information.

I'm also hoping there are others in the forum that could use this information.

I'd appreciate any tidbit you can give.

Thanks very much!

Gaye

Congratulations Gaye on the big X As for settings, ask Andreas because he sent me his settings and they are pretty good. I did add +3 to the hue like Yves did which I think the colors come out more contrasty to what I like.

I can't wait to see some pictures from your X.

 

[Larry Gleason]

Congrats!!

I have been wanting to start a setting thread here but still trying to figure how to organize since there would be some differences because of basic settings some will use. Example- those using Adobe color will probably want to use II which is not available to sRGB users (I and III only). I use sRGB and have mine set to I since I have no experience with III.

Like you did with the H I used old settings from the 1X. Hue +3 and any of the steps in thirds (seems to be default anyway).

Still the goal would be to have one thread with good baseline settings.

 

[Flew]

Larry,

I'm sure that all of the new X owners would appreciate your thoughts on this. Give us your settings and each can customize from there.

We can make this a sticky post if you wish, so that it will hang around the top of the forum.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[dmwphoto]

I mwould love to see this info. I am shooting as it came out of the box and not totally happy yet. spent 2 hours with the owners manual last night, got dizzy.

 

[Steve S]

You been keeping this a secret from us, GJ?

Well, the secret's out, anyway, and I'll add my own congrats, you're gonna love it!
As for the settings, I went with the same stuff that's on my 2H, with the addition of assigning the Function button to HSC mode. Sry, can't remember the CSM # to set this. But, after it's set, you will hold the Function button down, and rotate the back, Sub-Command wheel 1 click in either direction to activate or deactivate the HSC mode. Another thing I'm experimenting with, is the addition of a +1/16th EV Comp as startup default in the menu setup, since Nikon tends to slightly underexpose.
I'm also using +3 Hue setting, however, I don't agree with what Melissa said, (sry Catz :wink: ) that it adds any contrast. It merely subtracts some of the Magenta tones common to all Nikons.

 

[Larry Gleason]

We can do this soon. I'm still working through my settings (fine tuning). Some of it can be a group effort and then finish with a one-stop thread that lists all the settings by the numbers. Sort of consolidating all the bits and pieces.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[dmwphoto]

I agree with the Troll. (just kidding, Paul)
I read moose's settings and am not convinced they are what I want. but he sure gets results. More imprtantly is if we can set a couple of the custom shooting banks up as paul suggested for the specific type of shooting we are doing at various times. It would be good not to have to set these things as the scene unfolds before us.
I notice certain setting listed on some of the photos here that have yielded nice results.
It will no doubt expedite things by pooling the reasoning and experience available on here.

 

[bpetterson]

One really nice thing about the D2X Menus is that there is a section
"Most Recent Settings".
Saves time when you are experimenting.
Or when you know what you recently just changed and want to revert.

Birger

 

[Larry Gleason]

One really nice thing about the D2X Menus is that there is a section
"Most Recent Settings".
Saves time when you are experimenting.
Or when you know what you recently just changed and want to revert.

Birger

Yeah,, my wife would call that the Larryheimer Menu. But then again, she says that alot for most things I do. I don't think she is funny.

 

[GeeJay]

Hi You All,
Thanks for everything. My internet provider has been doing work on the system and so I've been without access for almost 20 hours...ARGH...finally got it back and will now go read everything carefully.. I thank you very much for your help....and I'll be back with more questions, I'm sure,

You're super to offer your help!

Gaye

 

[Scott Sherman]

Hi Gaye and all,

Well I finally got a day off in which I was able to do some serious shooting and experimenting. First let me say. I am spectacularly happy with my new x. I got some very satisfying images. I found that the camera is way smarter than I am and I have a ways to go before I catch up. When lighting was fairly even the images came out excellent. However in mixed lighting, such as this shot, I found a challenge which I believe can be overcome with image overlay. I shot a dark colored monkey at the zoo which was sitting in the (shade) shadow of a tree. Behind the monkey, there were rocks which were cast in bright light. I got shots where the monkey was correctly exposed but the rocks had no detail. I got shots where the rocks were good but the monkey was overexposed. I know I could bracket and bring it to Photoshop layers but If I could shoot two or more very quick (before the monkey moves) bracketed and overlay them in the camera to get one properly exposed in bright and dark areas, that would be interesting.

I am including a picture as a reference. this is not one of the keepers i got but illustrates what I am refering to.

comments and suggestions appreciated

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Other than resizing this is straight out of the camera. -.07EV correction f2.8, 1/1500 sec 200mm using a 70-200mm vr lens

 

[andreasb]

Scott do you have contrast set to low? if not that just might help you with the dark monkey.... If you do that in Raw and just autolevel in NC 4 it probably will come out very nicely...

andreas

 

[GeeJay]

Frank,
Maybe make it a "sticky" until we all get these settings figured out and pick our choices that we like...Sticky would sure keep it 'up and running' for awhile to give us that time and would help many on the forum,

Thanks,
Gaye

 

[Flew]

Scott do you have contrats set to low? if not that just might help you with the dark monkey.... If you do that in Raw and just autolevel in NC 4 it probably will come out very nicely...

andreas

I don't have the X (still shooting with the H ), but I agree on the contrast setting. Scott may already have it on low, and if so, the layering is probably the best alternative. If not though, I would definitely try the low setting before going to that much trouble. ;-)

Frank

 

[Flew]

Frank,
Maybe make it a "sticky" until we all get these settings figured out and pick our choices that we like...Sticky would sure keep it 'up and running' for awhile to give us that time and would help many on the forum,

Thanks,
Gaye

Gaye,

Done. :wink:

Frank

 

[Scott Sherman]

Thanks for the suggestion, but contrast is set on low. I do not fault the camera or even the photographer. This has always been a challenge situation.

The remedies I am aware of is to shoot with a graduated ND filter turned sideways (good because you don't have to shoot several shots, or shoot brackets and drop them on layers to edit out dark and light portions, or crop out the areas without detail if possible or just use the bright/shadow sliders in NC or PS to lighten dark areas (least preferable of the options.

I was just wondering if anyone has tried to shoot with brackets as an overlay with two or more images in camera. If so were you able to get a good result or is it more work than it is worth?

Not sure if this is relavent to settings but it seemed like it when I first asked.

 

[Catz]

Hi Scott, I can't speak for normal picture taking but I know that when I shoot IR, I take one in IR and one in color and overlay them to get a nice effect so I can't imagine why this can't be done with braketing and overlay the images. The only way to find out is to try it. Don't forget the X has an overlay function in the camera but I haven't got that far as well as the double exposure feature becaused I am still learning the X like most everyone here.

I always use ND filters and they work really well for me. Some photographers refuse to use any filters but I think they are very useful myself.

Let us know how it turns out and post them here. I'm anxious to see them.