Active D lighting tutorial

[elsa hoffmann]

http://www.nikon-tutorials.com/2015/08/dslr-lessons-active-d-lighting/

[Bjørn J]

ADL can be a very useful tool, but be aware that the only NEF-converters that can read ADL settings is Nikon Capture NX and ViewNX. All other converters (to my knowledge) ignore it, and instead shows the image slightly underexposed, because ADL sometimes reduces exposure during the processing.

[Andrea B.]

Also interesting to note is that setting ADL on Low gives you about 1/3 stop more dynamic range with no hit on exposure settings. (Typically ADL will lower exposure speed a bit to preserve highlights in addition to the other editing the camera performs on the shadows.)

From experience, I can say that ADL behaves differently from the NX2 Edit Step named "D-Lighting" or from the NX2 Quick Fix "Shadow Protection" (oddly named, that one).

As usual, Nikon's insistence on making the in-camera ADL setting proprietary has ruined this in-camera ADL tool for those who cannot or will not convert in one of Nikon's own converters.

The ADL setting is quite useful in brightly lit, contrasty scenes primarily for keeping shadows open. For certain But do experiment with it before you reject it totally. Shoot some NEF + Jpeg sets so that the ADL setting is preserved for you to see how it works.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I put this feature into the drawer for "stuff nice to have, but not essential". So ADL is always turned off, first thing when setting up a new camera. That way I know what responsibility lies on my shoulders.

[Andrea B.]

ADL does not "turn off" your responsibility !! It simply improves shadows in a very work-saving way.

It is difficult in an editor to reproduce the way in-camera ADL works without a lot of masking & layers.
I have often wondered whether ADL works by merging two or three exposures unbeknownst to us users.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Of no consequence as I don't use any Nikon-specific conversion software ...

[Bjørn J]

Also interesting to note is that setting ADL on Low gives you about 1/3 stop more dynamic range with no hit on exposure settings. (Typically ADL will lower exposure speed a bit to preserve highlights in addition to the other editing the camera performs on the shadows.)

From experience, I can say that ADL behaves differently from the NX2 Edit Step named "D-Lighting" or from the NX2 Quick Fix "Shadow Protection" (oddly named, that one).

As usual, Nikon's insistence on making the in-camera ADL setting proprietary has ruined this in-camera ADL tool for those who cannot or will not convert in one of Nikon's own converters.

The ADL setting is quite useful in brightly lit, contrasty scenes primarily for keeping shadows open. For certain But do experiment with it before you reject it totally. Shoot some NEF + Jpeg sets so that the ADL setting is preserved for you to see how it works.

Yes, the D-Lighting is purely software based, whereas Active D-Lighting takes place in camera. I know that confuses a lot of people. I keep ADL on auto, then it has almost no effect on low contrast subjects, but works fine on high contrast, without getting the dreaded HDR-look. It improves dynamic range visibly on certain subjects, and since the D810 has such clean shadows it does not add any noise to speak of.
On a side note, I sometimes convert the NEF to 16-bit TIF in ViewNX, and open the TIF in CS6. From there I have access to Camera Raw as a filter in CS6 without the need to save the file first. I find that very useful sometimes.