Complete Guide to the Nikon D200- P6 potx

V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 151 detail than with JPEG images (resolution chart numbers are about 2-3% higher on average in my testing; they can be considerably higher in NEF if you’re using noise reduction in the camera). Post-processing exposure changes are also more easily made with NEF files (these are not really exposure changes, but changing of the linearity F 57 of the exposure, which is why it works better to correct underexposed images instead of overexposed ones, though note that underexposure definitely brings up more noise on a D200, so the amount of correction range you have will be dependent upon your tolerance for noise). You also gain full post-shooting control over color correction and white balance decisions (with JPEG those decisions are irrevocably recorded in the data when the picture is taken). And, as just noted, you can usually “correct” slightly incorrect exposures. With JPEG images, you’re working from the camera’s interpolation of the color and white balance. While you can often rebalance images using a program like Photoshop, you’re one step removed from the original information—in digital media, each interpolation of original data can result in lost data or changes to data. The more changes you make, the more likely that artifacts of those changes become visible. Tip: If storage space isn’t a consideration, strongly consider shooting in one of the image qualities that saves both NEF and JPEG files for each image. This gives you the best of both worlds. If image space is a consideration, remember that every NEF file embeds a JPEG Normal image in it that can be extracted, if necessary. 57 You may wonder what “changing the linearity” means. Normally, each rise in bit value represents an equal corresponding rise in “brightness”—when we change the linearity, we change the progression. Instead of a data increase of, say, 16 being output as a value 16 higher, we might lower that number (e.g. an increase of 16 is output as an increase of 8) or raise it (e.g. an increase of 16 is output as an increase of 32). Moreover, as shot, images have input-to-output relationship that is almost a straight line from 0,0 on a graph to 255,255 (you may have seen such a line in Capture or Photoshop’s Curves tool). We can actually change the straight line to a curved one or a complex relationship. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 152 The NEF White Balance Controversy If you’ve spent any time on the Internet researching the D2x, you’re likely to have seen comments about the encryption of the white balance value in D2x NEF files, including those in my review of the camera (which can be found at Hhttp://www.bythom.com/d2xreview.htm). Cameras subsequent to the D2x (the D50 and D200 as I write this), use the same white balance encryption technique, so the same comments apply. To reiterate the problem: camera settings are stored in EXIF tags for all NEF files and not initially applied to the data (well, okay, the embedded JPEG image used for thumbnails and previews has the camera settings applied, but the raw camera data isn’t messed with). In theory, you can simply pick new camera settings while looking at your image in a NEF converter program such as Nikon Capture and have them applied to the original sensor data. White balance is one such camera setting. Nikon has been doing something strange with white balance values, though. There are two types of EXIF tags: those defined by a standard and in common use amongst all camera makers, and what’s known as Manufacturer’s tags—tags defined by a specific manufacturer. White balance should be in the common use tags. Nikon some time ago began splitting it out into the Manufacturer’s tags of their NEF files. The result was that software that looked in the common tags for image data didn’t find any information about white balance for Nikon NEF images. That meant special programming to deal with the Nikon images, but most programs that deal with white balance in any way (reporting or manipulating it) now understand Nikon’s special white balance tags. The D2x introduced yet another wrinkle, however. Not only is the white balance information split out into the Manufacturer’s tags, but it was now encrypted. Essentially, the camera serial number and shot number are one set of keys, and a constant serves as a hidden key. The camera serial V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 153 number and shot number are visible to anyone, but the constant and the actual white balance data tables are hidden within Nikon Capture (or the Nikon SDK files). Encrypting shot data had implications for third-party software. Officially, Nikon’s position is that third-party software should use the Nikon SDK (freely available under license agreement) to access NEF file data. Unfortunately, that had a number of implications, not the least of which is that performance of any raw conversion was therefore dependent upon Nikon’s programming efforts. (The SDK files are apparently not “threaded,” meaning that they don’t support background processing, which many imaging programs use to do multiple things simultaneously and increase performance.) Initially, Adobe did not support the D2x white balance values in NEF files converted through the ACR function (raw converter) of Adobe Photoshop CS2. That’s because they couldn’t use the SDK as is, and they didn’t want to decrypt the data as that might be construed as a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The net result was that for a short period of time we didn’t have a full complement of optimal D2x NEF converters available, and it appeared that subsequent Nikon bodies wouldn’t be supported, either. Eventually, Nikon produced what they call the mini-SDK, which allows a developer to query for the white balance data only. Adobe and others have now used this in their software programs and thus support the D2x, D50, and D200. The primary benefit of white balance encryption really only amounts to slowing down other converter and software developers from fully supporting the Nikon cameras. This is certainly not a benefit to D200 purchasers, because it slows down software developers. Indeed, it means that software engineers working on converters have to spend time trying to figure out what Nikon did rather than adding features to their converter. That’s simply not a good use of their time. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 154 But there’s a bigger danger here: Nikon has abandoned software in the past (can you say Photo Secretary F 58 ), and NEF images are our originals. Thus, there’s the potential for the mini-SDK to go away at some future point in time. Meanwhile, Adobe wants the camera makers to unite around an open format for raw images called DNG (Digital Negative). The camera makers don’t want Adobe to define their raw formats. The ironic thing is this: until Nikon decided to encrypt data in the NEF format, I was perfectly happy with the format and not worried about its longevity. Already I’m shooting RAW+Large JPEG Fine as a backup scenario. Beyond that, sometimes I use the latest DNG converter to convert my NEF images into DNG, though I don’t do a lot of that because it further increases my image storage requirements, and I already have two terabytes of space hanging off my server. If you’re as worried about this change as I am, I suggest that you write a letter stating your wish to have NEF an unencrypted and openly documented format to: Makoto Kimura President of Imaging Company Nikon Corporation Fuji Bldg., 2-3, Marunouchi 3-chome Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8331 Japan Beyond that, you might want to check out the non-profit organization that has sprung up partly as a result of Nikon’s decision: Hhttp://www.openraw.org. 58 Photo Secretary was a image data program that Nikon created for the F100 and F5, which is no longer available. Meanwhile, Canon has dropped support for some early digital cameras in their latest versions of Canon conversion software, something that we Nikon users have to fear in the future, too. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 155 Setting NEF õ To set the camera to record NEF images: 1. Press the MENU key to show the menu system. 2. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (the green camera icon tab). 3. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the Image Quality option and press > key on the Direction pad to select it. 4. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the NEF (RAW) and press the > key on the Direction pad to select it. 5. I always suggest checking the Raw Compression setting after setting NEF, just to make sure it is still at the setting you wish. Use the Direction pad to navigate to RAW Compression and press the > key on the Direction pad to select it. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 156 6. Navigate to NEF (RAW) (or navigate to Comp. NEF (RAW) if you want to use compression) and press the > key on the Direction pad to select it. Note: You can also choose to save both NEF and JPEG images simultaneously on the D200, which gives you the best of both worlds: the “digital negative” of the NEF and an immediately usable JPEG for simplified workflow. The D200 allows you to choose the JPEG quality level that’s saved with the NEF, so you get choices of NEF(RAW)+JPEG Fine, NEF(RAW)+JPEG Normal, and NEF(RAW)+JPEG Basic. Tip: A JPEG image (Normal quality) is already stored along with the NEF image! It’s embedded as the preview image. Software exists that let’s you extract this JPEG (see Hhttp://drchung.new21.net/previewextractor/), so the NEF+JPEG choices are a bit redundant. Too bad Nikon didn’t think to have an option for Extract JPEG during download of NEFs from camera to computer. Alternatively, hold down the QUAL button on the back of the camera and rotate the Rear Command dial to select RAW (or one of the RAW+JPEG options; the top LCD displays the Image Quality setting as you change it); this assumes you haven’t used Custom Setting #F5 to change the dial functions: Top LCD (only one option will appear at any given time; the LMS indicators only appear if you’ve selected a RAW+JPEG option): V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 157 Note that you don’t normally set the Image Size when you select NEF (RAW) format, as the D200 always records the full 4288 x 2848 image size for NEF files. However, if you elect to record a JPEG image along with your NEF, you can set the size of the JPEG image that’s recorded using Image Size (or the Front Command dial with the QUAL button). Setting Compressed NEF Compressed NEFs are selected using a separate menu function. 1. Press the MENU key to show the menu system. 2. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (the green camera icon tab). 3. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the RAW Compression option and press > key on the Direction pad to select it. 4. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the selection labeled Comp. NEF (RAW) and press the > key on V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 158 the Direction pad to select it. Here’s the rub: since you set compression separately from Image Quality, it’s easy to forget that you’ve left it set. For example, you shoot with compressed NEF to save space on a card during one session. Later you switch the camera to shoot JPEG. Still later you decide to shoot NEF again, but want regular NEF. Unless you remember to cancel compression separately, you’ll get compressed NEFs. The problem is complicated by the fact that you often just use the QUAL button shortcut to set the RAW Image Quality, so you’d never see the compression setting (which is shown only in the menu system). I understand why Nikon chose to do it this way—we would have had even more menu choices to scroll through in the Image Quality setting list—but I can think of better implementations than they chose, and a compression indicator would have been nice. Note: If you select compressed NEFs, the file size is smaller (by about 50%), but the Frames Remaining indicator does not reflect this. In the best case scenario, you can usually store about 2x the number the camera indicates when compressed NEF is active (e.g. if the camera says 24 frames remain, you really have space for about 48). The worst case I’ve seen for a single D200 NEF file is a 1.5x change (e.g. if 24 frames remain, you really get 36 on the card). So we can generally assume that you’ll get something between those two values. Personally I multiply by 2 and then watch carefully when the indicator gets below 10. Yes, this is very annoying, and it’s been a problem for compressed NEFs on almost every Nikon DSLR to date (curiously, the D70s doesn’t share this trait, and the D70 V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 159 firmware update also fixes the problem, so perhaps we’ll get a firmware update to address it on the D200, as well). EXIF Even if you’re a seasoned computer graphics pro, you may be surprised to find that JPEG and NEF files contain more than the image data. This extra information about the photo is sometimes referred to as metadata. Nikon D200 cameras follow a standard developed by the JEIDA (a Japanese standards body), sometimes referred to as EXIF. The current standard version is EXIF 2.21, and is supported by the D200. The additional data EXIF tags attach to an image includes: • The name of the camera maker (Nikon). • Camera model (D200). • The camera’s firmware version number. • Information about the exposure itself: shutter speed, aperture, exposure mode, ISO value, date/time, overall brightness of scene (EV), exposure compensation, focus distance, metering mode, flash mode, focal length, and even the average compression ratio. • Thumbnail image. If you’re interested in the esoteric inner workings of your D200, a fuller description of the EXIF file format is available at Hhttp://www.exif.org/dcf.PDF_for_V1.0 and Hhttp://tsc.jeita.or.jp/avs/data/cp3461.pdf_for_V2.0. Note that just understanding the EXIF tags isn’t enough—programs must also know what each of the values each manufacturer assigns means. Bibble, DigitalPro, Photoshop CS2, Nikon View, and Nikon Capture all can display EXIF data and understand Nikon’s values F 59 (see “D200-related Software” on page 59 Well, as I point out in “The NEF White Balance Controversy” on page <152>, not every program understands Nikon’s encrypted white balance tag. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 160 <H613>). Some programs may not fully display all the EXIF data values, though. Not only is looking at EXIF data fun for the merely curious, but if you study the information closely, you may even learn about the idiosyncrasies of your camera and your shooting practices. Here’s the EXIF (Shooting Data) window as shown in Nikon View. Note how all the most important exposure data is shown, as is information about a number of camera settings. EXIF is one of the reasons why you can’t create or edit a JPEG file on your computer, save it back to the camera, and then see it on the camera’s LCD, by the way. When you perform any Save or Update action on your computer, some of the EXIF tags in the file get modified (or removed) in ways that the D200 detects. This is too bad, as it prevents you from editing a series of JPEG files on your computer, then moving them to the camera for playback as a slide show. (In theory, if you replaced the EXIF tag with the correct, camera-consistent information, and didn’t edit the thumbnail, you might be able to display edited pictures on the D200. In practice, I don’t know of anyone who’s successfully doing this.) Note: For a program to display the correct EXIF information for an image, it has to know something about the camera and the codes that are stored in the EXIF tags (e.g. “18-70mm F/3.5- 4.5” isn’t stored in the lens field, but is instead stored as a short code that is unique to this lens). Now that the Nikon DLSRs have firmly established themselves (and because Nikon used consistent codes for many of the manufacturer functions in the various digital SLR models), most software applications correctly identify most D200 EXIF data. However, if you find the program you’re using doesn’t, check to make sure that you’re using the latest version. If you are, suggest to the developer that they contact Nikon for the EXIF codes for Nikon cameras. In theory, products that use Nikon’s SDK should return correct EXIF data tags. [...]... (e.g you put the card into a PC and edit a file on the card) õ To select a different active folder: 1 Use the Direction pad to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (the green camera icon tab) 2 Use the Direction pad to navigate to Folders and press the > key on the Direction pad to select this Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 167 V1.03 option 3 Use the Direction pad to navigate to Select Folder... Use the Direction pad keys to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (green camera tab) 3 Use the Direction pad keys to navigate to File Naming and press the > key to select it 4 Press the > key again to enter the review screen (this screen shows you what the current file names look like for both color spaces) Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 170 V1.03 5 Press the > key again to enter the. .. Enter the name you wish to use: a Use the keys of the Direction pad to navigate to the letter you wish to enter (white letters on gray background) b Use the center of the Direction pad to enter the highlighted letter at the highlighted position in the lower box (black letters on white background) c Use the Delete button to remove the currently highlighted letter in the lower box d Use the Thumbnail button... on the Direction pad Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 166 V1.03 4 In the display that appears, enter the three-digit prefix: a Use the Direction pad and keys to increase or decrease the value The D200 will skip over numbers that are already in use b Press the > key on the Direction pad when complete To abort the new folder creation process, press the MENU button at any time prior to. .. Optimize Image, then select Custom, then select Image Sharpening To accomplish this navigation, you use the Direction pad (just to the right of color LCD) to move through the menu system: 67 Stands for Custom Settings Menu, which I guess makes this the Custom Settings Menu Menu Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 179 V1.03 • Use the % and " keys on the Direction pad to navigate up and... Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 169 V1.03 The D200 allows you to rename the “DSC” portion of the filename with three letters of your own choosing This is useful mostly to identify multiple cameras in an organization; three letters aren’t enough flexibility to use filename changes to keep track of assignments õ To rename the DSC portion of the filename: 1 Press the MENU button to activate the. .. Set and insert it into a DPOF-capable printer, such as the Epson Photo 875, the printer automatically prints out all the photos you’ve selected H Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 162 V1.03 PictBridge is related to DPOF Think of DPOF as the print data embedded in the image file and PictBridge as a communications protocol to transmit files from camera to printer The D200 supports PictBridge,... get too creative with folders Okay, you’ve been warned Should you choose to play with fire, uh, I mean folders, keep reading õ To create a new folder: 1 Use the Direction pad to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (the green camera icon tab) 2 Use the Direction pad to navigate to Folders and press the > key on the Direction pad to select this option 3 Use the Direction pad to navigate to New and press the. .. down between Tabs The currently selected Menu Item or Tab is highlighted in yellow • Use the > key to move from the Tabs are to the Menu Item area, or to select the currently highlighted Menu Item • Use the < key to move from the Menu Items area to the Tabs area at the left of the menu system display 68 F If there are sub-choices for any Menu Item, you use again use the % and " keys to navigate up and... navigate up and down between choices, then use the > key to select one The D200 displays >OK at the end of an option to indicate that you should press the > key to make your selection If only a > appears at the end of the Menu Item, that means that there are more choices in a sub-menu Some menu choices require you to press the ENTER button on the back of the camera to accept a choice Generally this is . we Nikon users have to fear in the future, too. V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon D200 Page 155 Setting NEF õ To set the camera to record NEF images: 1. Press the MENU key to. function. 1. Press the MENU key to show the menu system. 2. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the SHOOTING MENU (the green camera icon tab). 3. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the RAW Compression. on the Direction pad to select it. 4. Use the Direction pad to navigate to the selection labeled Comp. NEF (RAW) and press the > key on V1.03 Thom Hogan’s Complete Guide to the Nikon