Nikon D5100 Experience Manual page 13

Nikon D5100 Experience
Set Picture Control
User preference for those shooting JPEGs. Not needed if you shoot in RAW because the
selected style applies to JPEG files only, although please note that the Picture Control you set
applies to the images and histograms you see on the rear LCD Monitor even if you are shooting
in only RAW. So the exposure shown on the LCD Monitor may not be the same as the exposure
of the RAW image. Therefore it is somewhat important that you leave this set at Standard (or
Neutral) if you shoot RAW. Also choose Standard or Neutral if you shoot JPEGs but plan to
edit in Photoshop later. If you shoot in JPEG and don't do any post-processing, it is best to
modify and fine tune the Picture Controls to obtain images with the sharpness, contrast,
brightness, and saturation you desire. More on Picture Controls later.
Manage Picture Control
Use this to save the modified Picture Controls that you create. More information on this in the
Picture Controls section below.
Auto Distortion Control
This is used to automatically correct distortion (the apparent curving in an image) caused by a
wide or long lens. You may wish to use this with your G and D type lenses, but if you do not
want the camera doing this without any of your control, turn this Off and correct distortion in
Photoshop if desired.
Color Space
Leave on sRGB. Read the various blogs, forums and books that endlessly debate sRGB vs.
AdobeRGB. Then continue to leave it on sRGB. sRGB is a slightly smaller color space than
AdobeRGB, but will display properly on computer screens and printers. AdobeRGB is intended
for advanced post-processors and uses like commercial printing. Unless you are calibrating your
monitor, printing with a printer that has 6 or more ink cartridges, shooting for a commercially
printed publication, and well versed in managing color spaces in Photoshop and printing, you
will not miss the difference and images in AdobeRGB will possibly not display or print properly.
Active D-Lighting
Active D-Lighting is an exposure adjustment to an image that occurs in the camera, and is useful
for high contrast situations where there is a wide range of lighting in your scene from bright to
dark shadows. It will help to preserve details in the shadows and especially in the highlights, and
will help to prevent blown-out highlights. If you are shooting in JPEG, experiment with Active
D-Lighting in high contrast situations, setting it to N Normal and H High, and examine your
results. However, if you are shooting in RAW, you may wish to turn this off and take more
control of your highlights and shadows in post-processing. Also, if you are working in
challenging or unusual lighting situations but are carefully metering and exposing the image as
you desire, you will need to turn this off to ensure the camera does not over-ride your careful
work. More on Active D-Lighting below.
HDR (high dynamic range)
This setting is used to automatically take and combine two exposures to create a single image
that will display a wider range of tones, from shadows through highlights, than is normally
possible with a single exposure. It is similar to Active D-Lighting in that it is useful for high
12