Nikon "clarity" setting for BIF capture on D500

[ArthurDent]

In addition to sharpness, my D500 has an adjustment for clarity. I'm not sure as to how to set it for birds in flight and was wondering how those of you who are more familiar with it use it. Any thoughts?

[armando_m]

I think is rather a personal choice how much clarity - or any other settings -  you select for your images, and it will vary with light conditions

I do not own a model with clarity in the camera settings, but I use it during post processing, I abused it and nowadays I use it rarely

Perhaps if you share an example you will receive different recommendations

[ArthurDent]

I think is rather a personal choice how much clarity - or any other settings -  you select for your images, and it will vary with light conditions

I do not own a model with clarity in the camera settings, but I use it during post processing, I abused it and nowadays I use it rarely

Perhaps if you share an example you will receive different recommendations

Thanks for your reply. When I bring it up in NX-D, it appears to be disabled, so until I can free it up, I am unable to post examples. Any ideas as to how to unlock it?

[David H. Hartman]

Thanks for your reply. When I bring it up in NX-D, it appears to be disabled, so until I can free it up, I am unable to post examples. Any ideas as to how to unlock it?

I'm shooting a D800 as my primary camera. There is no Clarity setting in camera. In Capture NX-D I can choose the latest Picture Control and then I can use the Clarity feature.

My advice is if shooting NEF(s) is set the camera to help with decision making while shooting. I shoot with the Neutral PC with a little extra sharpening. I use low Active D-Lighting. If I select A-DL in camera I can use it in CNX2 if I choose. If I don't set ADL in camera I can use it in CNX-D but not CNX2.

Now in CNX-D or CNX2 I strip the sharpening. Change the noise control and Active D-Lighting or turn it off. I'll leave off, add or Sometimes subtract clarity. Sharpening will be cared for later for the intended use.

If I want to batch process a group of very similar photo I'll custom process one image. Save All Adjustments in CNX-D and assign that *.nxd file in the CNX-D batch process.

So my in camera setting are to help with shooting decisions but similar to what I'll do in post with some exceptions.

I hope this helps

Dave Hartman

[ArthurDent]

I'm shooting a D800 as my primary camera. There is no Clarity setting in camera. In Capture NX-D I can choose the latest Picture Control and then I can use the Clarity feature.

My advice is if shooting NEF(s) is set the camera to help with decision making while shooting. I shoot with the Neutral PC with a little extra sharpening. I use low Active D-Lighting. If I select A-DL in camera I can use it in CNX2 if I choose. If I don't set ADL in camera I can use it in CNX-D but not CNX2.

Now in CNX-D or CNX2 I strip the sharpening. Change the noise control and Active D-Lighting or turn it off. I'll leave off, add or Sometimes subtract clarity. Sharpening will be cared for later for the intended use.

If I want to batch process a group of very similar photo I'll custom process one image. Save All Adjustments in CNX-D and assign that *.nxd file in the CNX-D batch process.

So my in camera setting are to help with shooting decisions but similar to what I'll do in post with some exceptions.

I hope this helps

Dave Hartman

Thanks David. Where do you go in NX-D to chose the latest picture control? I don't see it.
-AD

[David H. Hartman]

I'm pecking on a "smart" phone. The PC(s) are found under one of the icons on the right side of the window in a vertical line. There is a gear icon where you can save setting. It's one of the icons below that one. This is the best that I can describe things from memory.

Dave

[ArthurDent]

I'm pecking on a "smart" phone. The PC(s) are found under one of the icons on the right side of the window in a vertical line. There is a gear icon where you can save setting. It's one of the icons below that one. This is the best that I can describe things from memory.

Dave

Got it, the "manual" box has to get checked and then one can access it. Thanks for your help!
-AD

[David H. Hartman]

My approach to clarity is I turn it up until it annoys me then back it off or I just leave it off or I try turning it down until the image looks too smooth then turn it back toward zero.

Clarity can be a cheat for dull light or maybe a light use can overcome the effect of the AA filter in my D800.

Dave

---

I mostly photograph BOF as I daily bird sit a mischievous cockatoo. I guess she has about a 75cm (30") wing span. She says, "Hi David" from time to time so she gets perks other bird's don't get. Her human won't let me post pictures unfortunately.

Dave

BOF = Birds On Foot

[ArthurDent]

So here's a couple of examples of it. First photo with a clarity setting of 0 and second one with a clarity setting of 5. Sharpening is 5 in both.

[ArthurDent]

I think I like it. I see more detail in the dark feathers and in the beak.

[ColinM]

If you hadn't told me, I'd have said the contrast was different.

- In the first shot, I think it helps
- In the second, it feels like some detail in the dark area is lost

[ArthurDent]

If you hadn't told me, I'd have said the contrast was different.

- In the first shot, I think it helps
- In the second, it feels like some detail in the dark area is lost

In the second shot I think I see some loss of detail in the white area above the beak and more detail  in the feathers, could be a monitor artifact.

[David H. Hartman]

If you hadn't told me, I'd have said the contrast was different.

Clarity is raising the contrast at edges but over a wider area than typical sharpening. There is a way to get similar results using the high pass filter in Photoshop.

Dave