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Post Processing steps

Well here are my basic post processing steps that I follow. I use the Nikon software Nikon Capture NX2. But you can use the same flow in pretty much any image processing software.

1. Open RAW image in NX .

2. Turn sharpening OFF

3.  Image at 100% . Adjust White Balance. Then I add a grey point and chose a spot on the  image which should be neutral grey in that light.

4. Adjust Exposure ( Exposure Compensation )

5. Neutralise Gamma :

a) New Step

b) Light > Levels & Curves

c) Press Right Top histo button to make histo “live”( Capture NX) { Left most button in Capture NX2 }

d) Select Red channel

e) Bring left bottom slider to beginning of  histogram’s left side

f) Bring middle slider back to 128 mark.

Gamma_Composite

g) Repeat steps e) & f) for Green & Blue channels ( Histo should be “live” when you do )

h)  Repeat e) & f)  for RGB channel. But you can adjust centre slider to taste in this step.

i) Then I chose to add overall warmth to the image

j) Next  I added yet another control point and punched  up  the  contrast.

6.  Add mild sharpening to overcome the blurring caused by the anti-aliasing filter. ( This is not output sharpening).  For these unsharp mask, values I typically use for D2X ( 50, 5,  4) and D3 ( 35, 7, 3).  Ofcourse,  you can vary these to taste but,  high values here are not needed !

7.  Save RAW file.

You could use the same steps above for jpeg images. But, you will not be able to turn sharpening off or directly adjust white balance. What you can do here is , view image at 100%. Then,  use the white, black & neutral points. The rest of the steps are the same.

Tiger-Composite2
Tiger-Composite1

Note on colour casts: Long light (very early morning & evening)  will have some cast and,  even a pure grey subject will reflect that warmth.

Capture NX Tips >

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14234

this thread .

Would love to know on how you found this for your processing.

Bandhavgarh – Feb 2010

Did a quick trip to Bandhavgarh basically to look for the new cubs.  Finally, after a lot of attempts,  saw one cub in the last minute of the last safari .

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In all the excitement, forgot I had a 1.7 TC and continued on the 1.4 TC !

Nikon D3, 600mm VR + TC 14, ISO 5000,  1/160th @ F5.6

And a few vultures from the Bandhavgarh Fort

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The Critically endangered Indian vulture with a chick in its nest.

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Medusa Tree

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Yes, I need to do another trip for the cubs ;-)

For all the pics from this trip > Click Here

Stay at Bandhavgarh: Tried a new place to stay called Camp Aranyaa . Decent rooms, wonderful food and great service. Highly Recommended.

Nikon Auto Focus Settings

I recently answered someones question on Nikon AF settings on a wildlife photography related website. Thought it would be good to publish it here as well.

Well, different AF modes & settings are for different shooting situations. Following suggestions are with the intention of getting the fastest AF response by minimising on board computing. For wildlife you do need fast responses.

All Nikons from lowest to Flagship have same ability for AF settings. The more expensive the body its usually more AF points, coupled with more camera computing horsepower.  Here go the settings :

D40/D60 :
1. Set custom function 12 to AF-ON to, reprogram the AE-L/AF-L lock button to “AF-ON”,
2. Menu 02 Focus Mode to AF-C Continuous-servo AF
3. Menu 03 AF Area Mode to Single Area

D80 :
1. Set custom function 18 to AF-ON to, reprogram the AE-L/AF-L lock button to “AF-ON”
2. Menu 02 AF Area Mode to Single Area
3. Menu 03 Center AF area to Normal Zone
4. AF Button ( Near top LCD) + Rear Dial set to an Auto Focus Mode , set it to AF-C or AF -Continuous

D5000 : ( Now has AF module Multi CAM 1000 same as used to be on the D200 ! )
1. Custom Function f2 can reprogram the AE-L/AF-L lock button to “AF-ON”
2. Menu a1 AF-area mode to Single Point
3. Set AF-C mode via the Info button screen.
{You set these by pressing either the top or rear INFO [i] button to display the INFO screen. Once the info screen is displayed, press the rear INFO [i] button to change the settings.

Click over to the right side of the screen, and about halfway up you’ll see either AF-A, AF-S or AF-C displayed. Select it, and press OK to set them. }

D90 – ( Now has AF module Multi CAM 1000 same as used to be on the D200 ! )
1. Custom Function f4 can reprogram the AE-L/AF-L lock button to “AF-ON”
2. Menu a1 AF Area Mode to Single Point
3. AF Button ( Near Top LCD ) + Rear Dial set to an Auto Focus Mode , set it to AF-C or AF -Continuous

D200:
1. Set custom function a6 AF Activation to AF-ON Only ( Default is both Shutter & AF-ON)
2. a1 AF-C Mode Priority to FPS Rate
3. a5 Lock-on -> Set to Short or off
4. AF-Area Switch (rear) set to Single Area ( Lowest setting) . Flight shots plain backround set to Dynamic Area ( Second from bottom )
5. AF- Mode Switch ( Front & Side of camera) to C or AF-C mode.

D300/D3/D3x -
1. Set custom function a5 AF Activation to AF-ON Only ( Default is both Shutter & AF-ON)
2. Set AF mode switch ( Rear switch to Middle or Dynamic Area for moving subjects, otherwise Set to Single Area Bottom-most setting for slow or static subjects)
3. AF switch in front to “C” or AF-Continuous.
4. a1 AF-C priority selection -> release
5. a3 Dynamic AF area -> 21 points I use 9 ( Lesser points = more responsive cause of less computing)
6. a4 Focus tracking with lock-on -> Set to Short or off

D7000

1. AF-Area Mode > AF-C . Press the button on the AF lever on the side & front of the camera and while pressing that button, spin the rear wheel. On the top LCD you can see it change to AF-C

2. a1  AF-C priority selection -> release
3. a6  Number of Focus Points -> 11 points   ( Lesser points = more responsive cause of less computing)

 

D5100

1. Custom Function f2 can reprogram the AE-L/AF-L lock button to “AF-ON”
2. Custom menu  a1  AF-C priority selection -> release
3. Set AF-C mode & Focus point selection ( Single Point) via the Info button screen.
{You set these by pressing either the top or rear INFO [i] button to display the INFO screen. Once the info screen is displayed, press the rear INFO [i] button to change the settings.

 

Raw 12 bits or you will get a substantial shutter delay in 14 bits (at least in D300) . 14 bits no problem on D3

Set AF Mode to Single Point makes AF more responsive since camera does less computing. Its good to practice tracking the subject with focus reticle lined up on target while pressing the AF On Button ( On models other than D300 you may need to pump the AF On button. On the D3/ D300 I don’t seem to need to pump to acquire focus) . On the D3 / D300 there is enough computing power to keep the camera in Dynamic area most times. I switch to Single area especially when there is high clutter which can confuse the AF.

AF-C because the shutter wont wait for AF confirmation and will work. In AF-S the shutter will fire only if the camera feels the focus is acquired which might lead to a missed shot.

Ideally focus at a distance close to target and then when subject approaches similar distance press AF-ON and keep it pressed while shooting. This way the camera and lens has to work least and focus is acquired fastest and with minimum error even on some slower focusing lenses. Takes a little practice but doable.

On the Nikon system I personally like to move focus to AF-ON. Decoupling AF from shutter conserves battery as well since the the VR also kicks in with the shutter half press. So why waste batt juice on VR when the intention is AF ? And the Nikon VR takes a half a second to stabilise, so factor that in for the very first shot in the sequence while you shoot.

1- Just press AF-ON to focus; (thumb recommended)
2- Keep pressing while you want to continuous focus and shoot at will.
3- If you want to recompose, just lift your thumb and the focus will lock ->, then recompose and shoot using shutter only … remember when recomposing, you have locked the focus by removing your thumb.. so its ok to shift the camera to recompose, but remember NOT to change the distance from camera to the locked focus point, side to side or up and down to recompose is ok…
4- For manual focus dont touch the AF-ON button. When in low contrast scene/ very low light / too much clutter/ AF hunts, Switch to Manual Focus.

Florican Chronicles – Manas National Park , Assam

Rustom is the guy. One really sweet and wonderful Bodo who has the finest eye for them birdies. But, before I get to Rustom….

Rustom on the right

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The Kingfisher flight from Mumbai to Guwahati gave us some splendid views of the himalayas. Rahul who was sitting next to me, mentioned that one of those peaks visible on this splendidly clear day was the Mount Everest & the Kanchanjunga. We sent a note to the captain and he promptly announced when we flew past the Mount Everest. That was our first sighting of the trip and, it bode very well indeed !

View from the flight

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Landing at Guwahati, Shishir Adhikari (shishir.adhikari07 a t gmail) our majordomo, was waiting for us to take us to the Brahmaputra Jungle Resort. A relatively new but comfy resort with, some amazing river fish curry and food !

The next day morning , we set off for Koklabari, Manas via Rangia & Pathshala. Our base for the next few days would be the Manas Eco Camp.

Room @ Manas Eco Camp which is run by the Manas Maozingendri Eco Tourism Society ( MMES )

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The camp is conveniently located right outside the park entrance. We dumped our bags and set out to find the “critically endangered” and extremely shy, Bengal Florican. The Florican is a grassland bird that needs quality grassland to survive which are rapidly diminishing. It has been extensively hunted for its meat. The Bengal Florican is now restricted to one or two areas in the North East and its numbers are estimated to be well below a 1000. We were told that about a half a dozen or so birds are found in the Koklabari area. Spotting these gems were high on the priority list. And spot them we did, inside of twenty minutes into our first foray at Koklabari, thanks to Rustom. The bird was a male in heavy moult. The light was’nt too bad but dipping fast. I had my D2X with the 600VR + TC17 with which I worked the subject. For such a rare and, almost on the verge of extinction species, any pic was priceless. We had a cool twenty minute very good sighting. We also spotted a bunch of Northern Lapwings, all these a first or “lifers” for me.

The Bengal Florican

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