Skip to main content
C
ckrueger2
Known Participant
January 26, 2022
Question

LR Classic ignores Nikon Picture Control Effect Level setting

  • January 26, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 4082 views

I don’t know if this is a bug or a partially-implemented feature, but I have noticed that the Effect Level setting of Nikon Picture Controls is not reflected in Lightroom Classic’s RAW processing defaults.  Other Picture Control settings *are* reflected in RAW processing defaults.

 

Camera: Nikon Z9 (rev 1.1)

LR Classic version: 11.1

OS version: MacOS 12.0.1

 

Repro steps:

  1. Set Z9 to HE* RAW (I haven’t tested other settings)
  2. Set the camera to some obvious Picture Control, such as Carbon (a B&W style)
  3. Shoot your first photo with the Effect Level at 100.  Observe a B&W photo in-camera
  4. Shoot your second photo with the Effect Level at 10.  Observe a color photo in-camera
  5. Import the two RAW files into Lightroom Classic
  6. Observe that the photos look different (as expected) in embedded previews in the Library module
  7. Open both photos in the Develop module
  8. Observe both photos:
    • Both photos have a Treatment/Profile of “Carbon”
    • Both photos have a Treatment/Amount of 100
    • Both photos look identical in the Develop module

 

 

Expected result:

I expected the Effect Level in Nikon’s Picture Control would be reflected in the Treatment/Amount slider, and the RAW file in the Develop module would closely mimic the look of the file in-camera.

 

Other settings in Nikon Picture Control are reflected in Lightroom, including Sharpness, Clarity, and Contrast.  Even Active D-Lighting and noise reduction (which are general settings) are reflected in Lightroom.  This is why I believe the Effect Level issue is unexpected behavior.

 

Actual result:

Lightroom Classic does not use the Effect Level setting.

 

 

Why it matters:

I use Nikon Picture Styles (or Fuji Film Simulations) to both visualize in-camera and to give a good “starting point” for Lightroom processing.  With Lightroom ignoring the Effect Level, photos look different in LR than they do SOOC, which creates manual work for me.

 

 

I can make files available if desired.

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

markc41708285
markc41708285
Participant
March 17, 2023

I know this is some time after the original post, but my questions are very similar. It seems that LrC does not reflect the picture controls I've set for my Nikon D850. I can understand why, in a way, because a raw file as just a recording of the data collected by the sensor, and so is not an "image" file. But I think that's being pedantic. It seems, and I can't really confirm this, that fresh images opened in the raw plug-in in Photoshop DO reflect the camera's picture control settings. So if in Photoshop, why not LrC? The review images I see in my camera's viewfinder certainly reflect my picture control settings. I shoot only raw, no jpegs. When I open a fresh image in LrC, for a fleeting second I can see the image with my picture control settings applied, then that is almost immediately dumped and I get just a straight raw image with no changes. I don't think there such a thing as a solution. This seems more a feature problem which Nikon should address. 

    markc41708285
    markc41708285
    Participant
    March 17, 2023

    Replying to my own post is a bit naff, I know, sorry. I've now discovered Nikon's Capture NX-D software allows you to process your raw files while KEEPING your picture control settings. This is all well and good. But I want it to happen in Lightroom Classic.

    C
    ckrueger2Author
    Known Participant
    March 17, 2023

    Me too, Mark.  LR does a good job replicating all the in-camera settings of my Fuji cameras, but it doesn't do so with my Nikon cameras.

     

    Of course I can adjust settings later, but when I use features like this, it's because I know the look I want when I'm shooting, and I want ready-to-go files in LR.  Sometimes I only need LR as a DAM tool.  My Fujis are good, but my Nikons aren't quite there.

     

    Where this "you shouldn't want that" mentality comes from, I don't know.  Nobody considers your photos better if you are forced to start with a RAW file like a lump of coal.

     

    D
    DS256
    Inspiring
    January 26, 2022

    Does this note in Cameras Supported Camera RAW address your issue?.

    "Nikon High Efficiency raw compression modes are currently not supported on:

    • Windows ARM64
    • ARMv7 and x86 for Android"
    C
    ckrueger2Author
    Known Participant
    January 26, 2022

    I'm using Lightroom for MacOS, but I re-tested with Lossless Compressed RAW on my Z9, and got the same result as my original post: Lightroom also ignores the Effect Level setting in Lossless Compressed RAW.

     

    D
    DS256
    Inspiring
    January 27, 2022

    I'm surprised no one else has jumped in here but I am totally confused.

     

    By definition, a RAW file is not an image but a recording of the data collected by the sensor. The RAW has to be converted to an image before LrC can do anything with it. Any settings in the camera normally only apply to the JPG created to view in camera and/or potentially saved. As far as I know, nothing is saved with the RAW file but then maybe the Z 9 has embedded this information in the metdata. This means LrC would to read this metadata as initial settings for develop.

     

    I find it interesting that any of your settings are showing up in LrC Develop when reviewing a RAW image unless you applied a preset during import.

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices