What about custom curves?

[rbsmith]

I am thinking about downloading a custom curve for my D70. Who here uses them? What curves are the best for what? Where can I find them? Can any of you lead me through the procedure of uploading them? Are they for shooting raw or can you shoot jpeg with them?

As you can see from my questions I am totally lost on this subject. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[dan_m]

custom profiles

Rex,
I'm very happy with the custom profiles I got from cathysprofiles.com(sp?). Epson 1280 and 2200.
Dan

 

[Flew]

Rex,

I don't want to disagree with Dan, because each should go with what works best. I tried, and didn't like custom curves on my D70. I don't remember the exact ones that I tried, but they were whatever was popular on the D70 forum over on DPR about a year ago.

I have found that shooting RAW, with the contrast turned all the way down, is the best for getting good dynamic range, and if one or another area in the image needs boosting, it can be done in Capture.

Just my $0.02 worth. 8)

 

[rbsmith]

I am still shooting jpeg. I've just been trying to get the best picture from the camera that I can. I haven't got into in to the post processing much yet. I'll go there once I feel like I'm getting the best I can out of the camera. I've still got a lot to learn on the basic camera functions.

 

[Flew]

I am still shooting jpeg. I've just been trying to get the best picture from the camera that I can.

Rex,

In that case, then a custom curve may very well make good sense. As you have alluded, using a CC is sort of like doing PP while you take the shot. 8)

 

[jumbocrab]

This site contains a very good comparison of some of the more popular curves. Have a look and see if you like any of them:

http://mastersphoto.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26

 

[marc]

questions

1. can you use the d70 curves in d2h, d2x?

2. how do you load them in camera?

3. how many can you use, or is that stupid??

4. how do you use them in capture?

anyone have CC for H or X

thanks

m

 

[jumbocrab]

marc,

I only have a D70, so I can only respond to some but not all your questions.

The only way to load the curves into the camera is through the use of Nikon Capture. You can only have one curve in the D70 at any point in time, and I believe that's the same for the other Nikon DSLR models. You can only apply the curve in camera. After that, you can use Nikon Capture to change the curve to the standard ones that are found in the camera itself (normal, high contrast etc). There is currently only one way to change/apply curves AFTER taking a picture. That is, to use Rawmagic:

http://rawmagick.us/

 

[Preston]

I use and love fotogenics Point and shoot curve. If you do a search on dpreview you will get TONS of info:^)

 

[Ken-L]

These are the settings I use and find them to give me the starting point I want. In most cases my JPG's (I shoot RAW+JPG) are ready to go and I have to do very little post-processing of my NEFs.

In the Optimize Image, Custom Menu:

Tone Comp: +1 Medium High (Overridden when using the custom curve)
Sharpness: +1
Color Mode: IIIa (sRGB)
Saturation: Enhanced
Hue: -3


Then install Fotogenic's Point &Shoot 4.1 curve

 

[PhilY]

Saltillo, huh?

nt

 

[rbsmith]

PhilY
I would like to know how you broke your camera before I woule let you have mine.

I think I am going to try the curve this week when I have time.

I'm going to run out to the Gum Tree Festival this afternoon. My daughter is dancing at it. So I'm taking the camera with to see what I can shoot.

 

[PhilY]

nt

 

[rbsmith]

I'll assume you know you need Nikon Capture installed on your PC to load curves.

Thanks, Yeah I knew that so I guess I'll go ahead and order it. I still have not used the demo that came with the Camera. Will that work so I can go ahead and load one.

 

[Steve S]

You use "Capture Control" inside of Capture to loa

You need to connect you camera to your puter, then launch Capture control, then go to Load Tone Curve, or something like that. You'll then browse to where it is on your HD, then install it. I use the White Wedding curve in my D70. I have it set up for my 18 y.o. to shoot jpgs and have them look good straight out of the camera. Sharpening is set to High, sRGB Mode I. Make sure you have you camera set to the right PTP setting, or is it Mass Storage Device, so the puter recognises it.

 

[PhilY]

nt

 

[sfoxjohn]

I think that Dan was referring to printer profiles and not custom curves.

I tend to agree with Frank (Flew) in my own approach. But maybe I'm too cheap to buy the NC. On the other hand, if I shot in JPEG I'm sure I would use the custom curves.

Frank, does this make 4 cents?

 

[Mike__B]

I'd like to thank everyone that contributed to this thread. I found it doing a search to get some info on custom curves and got a good lesson with a simple search, the link by "jumbocrab" to http://mastersphoto.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26
contained more info than I could have imagined. Again, thanks to all for sharing your thoughts and experiences with curves.
Mike

 

[Iliah]

That is, to use Rawmagic:

Yes, you can change the curve in NEF file with $7 CurveSurgery.

But our site is not the only source of it. Funny enough, we were told that there are 19 distributors of CurveSurgery - free of charge, e-mule. For some reason they do not have the latest version :shock: