Nikon D50 Settings (1 Viewer)

I normally shoot with Vivid JPEG Normal, is this setting what most D50 users use or do any of the other settings give up better shots. Here is the menu setting for this in my camera. I could just try them all but was working here on the PC tonight and after looking at some shots taken today in good light it got me thinking. Thanks for any input.

Way back when I had the D50 I used vivid as well but always jpeg fine.

JTF said:

I normally shoot with Vivid JPEG Normal, is this setting what most D50 users use or do any of the other settings give up better shots. Here is the menu setting for this in my camera. I could just try them all but was working here on the PC tonight and after looking at some shots taken today in good light it got me thinking. Thanks for any input.

Click to expand...

Always used RAW with all my cameras (D50, D300, D800). JPG files don't contain the information that permits optimum processing. If you use JPG set the highest quality, i.e. most pixels and lowest compression. Normal JPG is not it. FINE rings a bell, but check your camera menue/manual what other options can be set. L was another option, giving you files with the full sensor pixel count, while M and S scaled down the pixel dimensions of the jpg file. Colormode (like vivid) and sharpening are additional presets that affect in camera processing.

Paul – I've never seen much difference in the images shot with my D60 in fine or normal. The file size varies, but it seems that normal is OK for casual photography.

However, I'd suggest shooting in RAW and doing some post processing using the Nikon software apps, View NX-2 or Capture NX-D. Practically all in camera settings for JPG image processing can be duplicated in post processing. For example, if the camera's White Balance setting is on auto you may not necessarily get proper colours if the sky conditions are overcast. Easy to correct from a RAW file, not so easy with a JPG.

In addition, the Vivid, Neutral, Portrait, Landscape and Monochrome Picture Controls can be easily set in post processing.

This can be a big advantage in simplifying your shooting technique. Simply ignore the JPG in camera settings knowing that you can set those after the fact.

Great little camera that I still occasionally use. Prefer to use Raw to any of the jpeg settings and process in Lightroom 3.4. Although ahead of its time the photo's can be noisy at higher iso's, likewise the white balance can be too cold at times.