JPEG Preview Settings when shooting RAW

[MKreider]

I shoot RAW images, but I'm wondering what the rest of you (who also use RAW primarily) use as the settings for JPEG images. Since even with RAW, the image that one sees in the preview is the JPEG rendering of the RAW (these are called Picture Styles on Canon, Picture Controls on Nikon I think). I know that what I see on the preview won't affect the actual RAW image, but since I base my initial reaction of the image off of the preview, I want it to be an accurate representation. For example, with the Contrast setting on the highest possible, the histogram will show more highlights and shadows with no detail even though that isn't true of the RAW. How much sharpening is applied also affects whether or not the picture appears to be in sharp focus or not. I would be interested to see how the rest of you set these controls when using RAW in order to get a satisfactory and accurate preview of the what the RAW image can be.

 

[480sparky]

Check into UniWB.

 

[Garbz]

Everything at default.

There is no accurate preview of what the RAW will be. I even use a custom colour profile on my camera so I'm not even sure the back of my screen is taking the correct colour. The only thing I care about in the preview is the composition and the histogram. The rest can wait till I'm at my PC.

 

[KmH]

Put all the in-camera JPEG adjustments at zero. Even the histogram shown on the rear LCD is for the JPEG Basic (thumbnail) embedded in the Raw file.

Looking at the image on the camera's rear LCD is only useful for checking composition and zooming into the photo to check focus.

Each Raw converter application also renders the same Raw file differently.

 

[unpopular]

on my a700 and a350, I have found that with the contrast and saturation turned all the way down the JPEG preview is mostly accurate for clipping, except occasionally with very saturated colors. And I have tested this in detail.

Because I always push exposure, my JPEG preview is never accurate quality-wise, I am more interested in the histogram in terms of data quantity. But i am certainly not looking at it to see if it looks the way I want the image to look in the end.

 

[MKreider]

Put all the in-camera JPEG adjustments at zero. Even the histogram shown on the rear LCD is for the JPEG Basic (thumbnail) embedded in the Raw file.

Looking at the image on the camera's rear LCD is only useful for checking composition and zooming into the photo to check focus.

Each Raw converter application also renders the same Raw file differently.

What about the setting for sharpness? When set at zero, it's hard to be confident that your lens is actually in sharp focus since it appears pretty soft. But maybe I'm just used to a more sharpened JPEG preview when checking focus.

 

[kundalini]

The only thing I use the LCD on the camera for is to check the "blinkies" (highlights). If there is blinking in an important area of the frame, there is no data. If there is no data, there is no correcting in post.

 

[KmH]

What about the setting for sharpness?

Don't let the camera add any sharpening either.

 

[unpopular]

on my camera if you set the sharpness to -3, it adds enough blur to make everything look like you've missed the focus slightly. Be aware of this, I don't know if this "feature" exists on other cameras.

 

[Derrel]

I shoot RAW + JPEG most all of the time...I actually like to set the in-camera sharpening fairly high, and I set the tone curve either to AUTO, or to either NORMAL, or to LOW contrast, if the lighting is high-ratio. I want to be able to zoom in and check sharpness, and adding the sharpening helps with that. I do not worry too much about the impact of the in-camera JPEG's processing on the histogram any more. I have ample highlight recovery, and I usually bias my exposures off of the highlights.

I like to use the SOOC images as editing tools, for evaluation of focus and framing....it is MUCH faster than using the .NEFs or .CR2s in LR or any other editing program...the JPEGs can be shown in a slide show application like Graphic Converter and the culls immediately eliminated by sending them to the trash, the trash opened, then the culls labeled a color, put back with the original raws, and then the raw and the reject JPEGs can be eliminated together.

OR, conversely, the BEST images can be sent to the trash in a slide show, then labeled, and then restored to the folder with the raw images, and then the corresponding Selects can be segregated....

This is the way I like to edit high-volume shoots where I am looking for just a handful of selects. Having the in-camera sharpening cranked up pretty high is an easy way to make missed focus, slight blurring, etc, very,very visible, immediately.