Differences among editors

I decided to make a new post for this.

While talking with cbay about the differences between directly processing a NEF in LR and converting to TiFF first, I decided to test several versions.

I took one NEF as is, loaded it in Capture and exported it as TiFF and as a finished JPEG. I then loaded the NEF in RT and saved it there as JPEG using Cam + lens profile and did the same in LR 5.7. I also loaded the TiFF in RT and exported as JPEG. All saved as max quality JPEG.

Here are all four shots:





Here is the file info:

At least one thing I already noticed. Capture is so friendly to not apply the lens profile for the Tamron.

For people like me who are waiting to hear your conclusions because we are too new at this to tell by the data and can't see it in your photos. Would you please tell us what you concluded besides what you posted about Capture's issue?
I'm just not as quick to figure this stuff out as you are my friend! Lol

Bill16 said:

For people like me who are waiting to hear your conclusions because we are too new at this to tell by the data and can't see it in your photos. Would you please tell us what you concluded besides what you posted about Capture's issue?
I'm just not as quick to figure this stuff out as you are my friend! Lol

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I'm still trying to make sense of some differences.

The massive difference in file size has to do with calculations I assume. The engine behind the editors defines how accurate the calculations are and how fast different values "melt" together and result in loss in detail. It's (usually) not massive mind you. The processing done in capture is different because Nikon is an arse when it comes to non-Nikon lenses and it does not correct anything in Capture. If you convert them as TiFF for another editor, you have to use the lens corrections there else all distortions remain.

For the rest there are differences in tones between all versions which was to be expected. The loss of data too which is likely either in the highlights, shadows or both. From what I get out of the image analyser I'd gamble on highlights.

For me the important part is to now see that when I convert the D7200 to Tiff, I still have to use lens profiles in RT. If I use non-Nikon lenses.

color profiles are obviously different sizes creating the different final image sizes... and maybe some slight difference in tone... I can't see any difference...

Oh OK, thank you my friend!

I have never seen any benefit in converting to TIFF before doing post processing. Seems like a waste of time in doing one extra step. Now I can see saving the final shot in TIFF instead of jpeg for printing.

Don Kuykendall said:

I have never seen any benefit in converting to TIFF before doing post processing. Seems like a waste of time in doing one extra step. Now I can see saving the final shot in TIFF instead of jpeg for printing.

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I have little choice until I find a cam profile that works. I only do so for the D7200. The D810 and D750 I process directly.

FredKingston said:

color profiles are obviously different sizes creating the different final image sizes... and maybe some slight difference in tone... I can't see any difference...

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The shots posted here are a bit small and downgraded to 8-bit which minimises the differences but even when, load them in PS as different layers and then flip through them.

I'll test it with different color profiles and will then know how much each of those profiles contributes to the difference in file size.

I exported the same shot using different color profiles to see how much of a difference it makes and even when it does affect the size, it does not affect it enough to be responsible for the large difference.

What bit size do you set in RT [MENTION=31330]J-see[/MENTION] my friend?

Bill16 said:

What bit size do you set in RT @J-see my friend?

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My export file (if that's what you ask about) can't be larger than 8-bit as a JPEG. They're all saved as 8-bit max quality JPEG, same dimensions.

OK, I think I forgot that about JPEG! Lol

J-see said:

My export file (if that's what you ask about) can't be larger than 8-bit as a JPEG. They're all saved as 8-bit max quality JPEG, same dimensions.

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What might play a role too is the demosaicer I use in RT. I use the igv demosaicer for my D810 shots since it delivers a much cleaner/sharper result than the standard amaze it uses. For the D7200 files I'm still deciding which is best.

Did you add this demosaicer to the RT or did it come as an option already In it?

J-see said:

What might play a role too is the demosaicer I use in RT. I use the igv demosaicer for my D810 shots since it delivers a much cleaner/sharper result than the standard amaze it uses. For the D7200 files I'm still deciding which is best.

Click to expand...

Bill16 said:

Did you add this demosaicer to the RT or did it come as an option already In it?

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It comes with the package. You can select one out of 8 (maybe more) and pick which works best for your cam. Not every demosaicer does as well with every cam and even when you have noisier shots, you might get cleaner results when switching to one especially designed for those.

The button with the cross on it contains those in the first option. Sensor with Bayer matrix and then you can pick what you like and eventually use false color suppression or more options.

To add; you only see the differences when looking at the 100% shot and even then they can be very subtle. I usually pick an area of the shot where detail differences directly jump out.

OK, thanks my friend!

Bear in mind i'm very new to the post process, but the difference between an image run through Capture first and out as a tiff before editing in Lr is a big deal. The example i used in the before and after thread was on the high end of an example and they were both edited differently in Lr, but the color depth and detail is very hard to ignore.
The only thing iv'e done in Capture is use it to preserve the color profile, no other editing just doing a batch process for a folder of images or a conversion with an image into tiff for edit in Lr.
Maybe it's because i'm a juvenile in post workflow experience, but from what i'm seeing it should be of interest to others.
If you go to Nikon's Capture web page they refer to using it and then moving the file(s) as 16 bit tiffs to other editors; so evidently they are aware of photographers wanting to take advantage of some benefits.