Z7's Active D-Lighting Vs. HDR - Nikon Cafe

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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Z7's Active D-Lighting vs. HDR

• Thread starter makoto honda
• Start date Jun 19, 2019

M

makoto honda

Joined Nov 3, 2018 Messages 220 Just a quick question - I know what HDR is. The Z7 has an in-camera, easy-to-use HDR. I tried it on a few occasions. Worked pretty well. I tried the Active D-Lighting too. Are these two trying to achieve the same or at least similar thing? The HDR is a bit more powerful way, a steroid-enhanced version? I know the HDR combines multiple shots - the Z7 takes two shots. The ADL takes only one shot.

Cslucas34

Joined Oct 8, 2018 Messages 573 Location SE Michigan Real Name Chris Similar end result with different methods to achieve it. Exposure values vice bias values. I personally leave Active D on and when the situation calls for it, manually shoot an HDR bracket set and combine them in light room.

Pa

Subscribing Member Joined May 5, 2005 Messages 33,513 Location SW Virginia Active D-Lighting only works on jpegs doesn't?

daveg

Subscribing Member Joined Jul 14, 2008 Messages 4,288 Location UK Jim, It is written into the NEF file and NX-D will apply it. It involves a certain (variable) amount of under exposure and ACR etc will apply that but will not apply the AD-L curve.

gryphon1911

Joined Mar 20, 2017 Messages 2,020 Location Central Ohio Real Name Andrew D-lighting is an option to use street the instructions had been taken. Active D-lighting is used during times of capture. Boths goal is to prevent clipped highlights but still respect the overall exposure. This is different than it shifting the entire exposure down, which could crush your shadows. D-lighting is limited in what it can do, active d-lighting has more latitude because it can work from the sensor directly.

Pa

Subscribing Member Joined May 5, 2005 Messages 33,513 Location SW Virginia

daveg said: Jim, It is written into the NEF file and NX-D will apply it. It involves a certain (variable) amount of under exposure and ACR etc will apply that but will not apply the AD-L curve. Click to expand...

Yes, but no other photo editor will see it. It may alter exposure a bit for raw files; I haven't checked with recent cameras.

Allan

Subscribing Member Joined Apr 21, 2006 Messages 27,787 Location Nashua, NH I don’t know about newer cameras but it did adjust exposure on the highest settings. I only used it back in the day when I used Nikon software and shot adult loons in sunlight due to high contrast.

uscmatt99

Joined Aug 15, 2007 Messages 2,484 Location Kalamazoo, MI I always thought Active D-Lighting was essentially a Nikon version of lifting shadows, like using a shadow slider in ACR/LR. I prefer to do this myself in post as ADL can affect metering of the whole scene. Regarding the Z cameras, there is much more going on now with regards to in-camera settings. For example, if you shoot RAW+JPEG, the JPEG settings will be automatically applied to the RAW on import into LR. Someone on FM created a nice cheat sheet to show how Nikon Z settings translate in LR. Nikon Z Camera Setup I've just started messing around with exposure bracketing, and I'm pretty happy with a method that was posted on dpreview and FM: Z bracketing/HDR exposure strategy: Nikon Z Mirrorless Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review Set metering to highlight protection, then use the +3F setting with 2EV spacing. First exposure preserves highlights, and the +2EV and +4EV should be plenty of dynamic range to get all the mid and shadow detail without the noise penalty. I use the timer with 2-second delay to activate the shutter release as this does all 3 exposures with only one button push. Combined with IBIS, I'm able to keep the framing almost identical even without a tripod as long as the shutter speeds aren't too long.

Cslucas34

Joined Oct 8, 2018 Messages 573 Location SE Michigan Real Name Chris

uscmatt99 said: I always thought Active D-Lighting was essentially a Nikon version of lifting shadows, like using a shadow slider in ACR/LR. I prefer to do this myself in post as ADL can affect metering of the whole scene. Regarding the Z cameras, there is much more going on now with regards to in-camera settings. For example, if you shoot RAW+JPEG, the JPEG settings will be automatically applied to the RAW on import into LR. Someone on FM created a nice cheat sheet to show how Nikon Z settings translate in LR. Nikon Z Camera Setup I've just started messing around with exposure bracketing, and I'm pretty happy with a method that was posted on dpreview and FM: Z bracketing/HDR exposure strategy: Nikon Z Mirrorless Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review Set metering to highlight protection, then use the +3F setting with 2EV spacing. First exposure preserves highlights, and the +2EV and +4EV should be plenty of dynamic range to get all the mid and shadow detail without the noise penalty. I use the timer with 2-second delay to activate the shutter release as this does all 3 exposures with only one button push. Combined with IBIS, I'm able to keep the framing almost identical even without a tripod as long as the shutter speeds aren't too long. Click to expand...

Although I enjoy the auto bracketing function, I just do it manually handheld or not. With the Z ibis I have yet to not capture sufficient bracketing for a good HDR shot manually. Plus Lightroom makes it soo easy to merge You must log in or register to reply here.

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