Useful Plug-Ins for Lightroom?

[ArthurDent]

I just purchased Lightroom 6.  I've installed it, updated it and installed my existing copy of Photomatix Pro as a plug-in and updated it as well. My primary interest is nature/wildlife photography (mostly birds). and I'd like to hear any suggestions you might have as to any plug-ins or presets you find helpful in processing your images. Thanks for any assistance.

[pluton]

It's called a 'utility' instead of 'plug in', but Adobe's DNG Profile Editor (free) can create an excellent starting point camera calibration for better/more accurate/pleasing color rendition.   You need to have an X-Rite or Gretag/Macbeth Color Checker chart to make it work.  It's not required or necessary, but I liked the camera-specific color calibration it produced.  Try it if you become dissatisfied with the off-the-shelf Lightroom color rendition.

[ArthurDent]

It's called a 'utility' instead of 'plug in', but Adobe's DNG Profile Editor (free) can create an excellent starting point camera calibration for better/more accurate/pleasing color rendition.   You need to have an X-Rite or Gretag/Macbeth Color Checker chart to make it work.  It's not required or necessary, but I liked the camera-specific color calibration it produced.  Try it if you become dissatisfied with the off-the-shelf Lightroom color rendition.

Thank you for your suggestion. When I get to the stage in my editing where those differences become apparent to me, I'm sure that utility will prove to be quite useful. I'm looking forward yo the day when that happens.

[Martin Zimelka]

I use Lens Tagger a lot... either to add lens EXIF data or to change other parameters. There is also an edit box which allows the user to enter other Exif Tool commands that are not available within the lens tagger software. A requirement for this is that EXIF tool needs to be installed first.

For curiosity purposes but not terribly practical, is Recover Edges. Usually it can recover around 100k to 200k pixels from a RAW file's hidden edges.

Also, something that can sometimes be handy is a plugin for showing focus points. Show Focus Points

[chris dees]

I use lens tagger as well.
Never heard of "show focus points", but it seems to be handy, thanks.
Other useful plugins is the NIK-suite for as long as it will work. It's acquired by Google and the give it for free but stopped development. You'll find enough information on the internet.

[BillO]

Not exactly a "plug-in" but I find the huelight preset profiles are a great addition for someone (like me) who has trouble with degrees of color adjustment.  These profiles can take the place of the standard Adobe profiles (user option) to improve overall image color quality.  I,  find them particularly good with the reds in some Nikon cameras.

Profiles are camera-specific, about $15 per camera for 3 or 4 options, and can be found here:  http://www.colorfidelity.com/nikon.htm

[CS]

It's called a 'utility' instead of 'plug in', but Adobe's DNG Profile Editor (free) can create an excellent starting point camera calibration for better/more accurate/pleasing color rendition.   You need to have an X-Rite or Gretag/Macbeth Color Checker chart to make it work.  It's not required or necessary, but I liked the camera-specific color calibration it produced.  Try it if you become dissatisfied with the off-the-shelf Lightroom color rendition.

I just took a very quick peek at that DNG profile editor, not enough of a look to learn much, so I have a question. Does it require DNG files, or can it use NEF's? The whole idea of converting to DNG now appears to me as an unnecessary move, but, others might not agree, which is their choice. I don't wanna argue the finer points of that here, and highjack this thread.

At this point I think the NIK suite has been surpassed by the competition. YMMV

I am not a fan of Nikon software, save for their reds vs Adobe's. My workflow right now is 100% LR, save PS edits, or other external editors for their various capabilities. So, what should I expect our of this profiler?  Comments?

[pluton]

My info is that the DNG Profile Editor works with raw files, any camera that LR/ACR supports.  My understanding is that its name is a misnomer that originates from its software development heritage within Adobe. I've used it with Nikon and Fuji-X files.

[CS]

My info is that the DNG Profile Editor works with raw files, any camera that LR/ACR supports.  My understanding is that its name is a misnomer that originates from its software development heritage within Adobe. I've used it with Nikon and Fuji-X files.

Thanks, Keith. Since it will work with NEF's I just might DL it and play around with it. I am giving a lot of thought to stopping the use of DNG, but just haven't made the move yet.

[RobOK]

Not exactly a "plug-in" but I find the huelight preset profiles are a great addition for someone (like me) who has trouble with degrees of color adjustment.  These profiles can take the place of the standard Adobe profiles (user option) to improve overall image color quality.  I,  find them particularly good with the reds in some Nikon cameras.

Profiles are camera-specific, about $15 per camera for 3 or 4 options, and can be found here:  http://www.colorfidelity.com/nikon.htm

I have never looked much at Camera Profiles. I mainly use Adobe Standard or sometimes Camera Portrait v2 with my Nikon Df. Do other Df users have recommendations for Lightroom profiles?

[pluton]

You can always the make your own profile using dead reckoning and save it as a "User Preset" in the left panel in the Develop Module.  I picked a daylight shot that had clear, non-tinted sunlight(not early or late in the day), blue sky, green grass, and a nice primary red object (like Bjørn R.'s car,) in addition to some neutral gray concrete and maybe some pale tan stucco buildings.  I adjusted the look of the shot in Develop until I thought the color looked correct.
I got results that I liked much better than the canned Adobe presets. Later, when I ran the DNG Profile Editor, it came very close to what I had crafted by eye.  I could live with either the Adobe-generated DNG profile of the one that I 'eyeballed'.
YMMV, of course.  After a lifetime of being surrounded by photographic reproduction, there's a certain way I like "straight" or correct color to look.  Others may not have such strong preferences as I.

[CS]

You can always the make your own profile using dead reckoning and save it as a "User Preset" in the left panel in the Develop Module.  I picked a daylight shot that had clear, non-tinted sunlight(not early or late in the day), blue sky, green grass, and a nice primary red object (like Bjørn R.'s car,) in addition to some neutral gray concrete and maybe some pale tan stucco buildings.  I adjusted the look of the shot in Develop until I thought the color looked correct.
I got results that I liked much better than the canned Adobe presets. Later, when I ran the DNG Profile Editor, it came very close to what I had crafted by eye.  I could live with either the Adobe-generated DNG profile of the one that I 'eyeballed'.
YMMV, of course.  After a lifetime of being surrounded by photographic reproduction, there's a certain way I like "straight" or correct color to look.  Others may not have such strong preferences as I.

That just makes you you! A basic right of mankind, IMO.