RAW (proceesed in Camera RAW) and SOOC JPG, Nikon D700

First photo is the straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) JPG, second photo is from the RAW version, processed in Camera RAW (adjustments for exposure, highlights, and shadows for all, except for the last image, where I reduced the yellow cast).

difference: darker shadows

difference: higher contrast

difference: more vibrance in the reds

diggerence: more vibrance in the shadows

difference: none

differnce: darker, overall

difference: darker overall, lower highlights

difference: lifted detail in the shadows

difference:brighter highlights

difference: deeper shadows

difference: darker, more contrast

difference: cleaner whites

I processed the RAW files to my liking, ending up with files that were really only lighter/darker/contrastier than the SOOC JPG files. It would seem that  SOOC JPGS from the Nikon D700 are useable straight out of the camera, setnng the EV comp to -0.3, colour profile to VIVID, and in general, exposing to avoid clipping the highlights.

Luminar 4 Update

I bought Luminar 4 for its Portrait capabilities but just this week, I started using it for landscapes shot in my backyard and around my neighbourhood.

In a word: AWESOME! If you are on Instagram and you search for #luminar, you'll find some amazing photos.

Here's a Before and After using 5% Photoshop and 95% Luminar. The Before is a SOOC JPG, AWB, using an APS-C Sony A77II and a 25 year-old Minolta 70-210 F4 (the Beercan), It was overcast and the fog was just lifting off. I had gone out hoping to shoot a pair of mallards that visit the seasonal pond in the woods behind the house, as it is their annual thing to do. I didn't see them so I shot this scene, more as a record and not really hoping for any print-worthy images. If I had expected potentially amazing scenes, I would have used my Sony A7III and the far sharper Tamron 70-200 F2.8.

There is a plethora of imaging software out there, almost all doing the same things. I typically use Camera RAW in Adobe Photoshop. Based on my initial use, I find Luminar 4 to have more specific tools with more nuanced controls. For example, for this set, the Gradient Tool, and Dehaze to reduce the fog/mist, is superior to anything else that I have tried.

Based on this exercise, Luminar 4 seems to offer the possibility of getting more out of my SOOC JPGS, for maximum results. I can't wait to revisit the Olympus JPGS that I have from a Philippine trip 12 years ago. I had to use Photomatix HDR to get the best out of those files.

26Mar2020