STICKY:  Lightroom Threads

Anybody want to share their LR RAW file import presets for different cameras? Here are mine:

Canon 20D - ISO 200

White Balance = As Shot

Contrast to Blacks all set to zero

Tone Curve = Linear (as I understand it, Linear Contrast for Process 2012 = Medium Contrast for Process 2010 and earlier)

Lens Corrections, enable profile corrections = unchecked (not enough lenses in the database so LR does a poor job choosing)

Sharpening:
Amount = 60
Radius = 1
Detail = 25
Masking = 10

Noise Reduction:
Luminance = 25
Detail = 50
Contrast = 0
Color = 12
Detail = 50

Camera Calibration:
Process = 2012
Profile = Adobe Standard


Nikon D700 - ISO 200

White Balance = As Shot

Contrast = 10 (everything else zero)

Tone Curve = Linear

Lens Corrections, enable profile corrections = checked (and set to Auto)

Sharpening:
Amount = 60
Radius = 0.9
Detail = 25
Masking = 0

Noise Reduction:
Luminance = 8
Detail = 50
Contrast = 0
Color = 5
Detail = 50

Camera Calibration:
Process = 2012
Profile = Adobe Standard

1D3, higher ISO (1600-6400)

Blacks -5

Tone Curve: Medium contrast

Sharpening:
Amount = 60
Radius = 0.7
Detail = 5
Masking = 90

Noise Reduction:
Luminance = 0 (10 for ISO 6400)
Detail = 50
Contrast = 0 (10 for ISO 6400)
Color = 15
Detail = 50

Post crop vignette:
Highlight priority.
Amount -10
Midpoint: 50
Roundness: +20
Feather: 50
Highlights: 20

Camera Calibration:
Process = 2012
Profile = Camera Neutral dcpTool invariant

Thanks René.

I'm also finding that the default vignetting correction (lens profile correction) is a bit too heavy handed for all of my lenses, resulting in overly light corners, and something around 60 works better than the default of 100. Are you seeing the same thing?

*** Well ... looks like I just found a flaw in this approach. As soon as you change the vignetting correction amount, LR sets the profile to "Custom", which means that the lens is also fixed at whatever it was when you set it up. The only way to do lens profile corrections on import is to have the profile correction in the preset set to "Auto" which unfortunately gives you 100 for vignetting correction.

Also, are you using another application to remove noise or do you just choose to address noise after import? I set my import up up for my best case, which is a properly exposed ISO 200 image from my D700 and my most used ISO from my 20D. Any higher ISO than that requires a lot more luminance and color amounts that I dial in after import.

good stuff Rene

Bob_A wrote in post #15423981
I'm also finding that the default vignetting correction (lens profile correction) is a bit too heavy handed for all of my lenses, resulting in overly light corners, and something around 60 works better than the default of 100. Are you seeing the same thing?

I rarely remove vignette, I usually add it

Bob_A wrote in post #15423981
Also, are you using another application to remove noise or do you just choose to address noise after import?

IMO, no additional NR application is needed.

I there's a lot of noise (ISO 6400 more then a stop underexposed), I use more luminance NR (maybe as high as 30, rarely more) and then add a bit of Grain.
If editing brings up noise in an ISO 3200 image, luminance NR might be set up to 20, very rarely higher is needed.
ColorNR: I don't think I've ever set it higher then 30.

I don't mind a bit of noise

Grain is the secret weapon that few people know about. It not only dithers the noise, it also gives an illusion of sharpness, substance and volume.

René Damkot wrote in post #15426832
I rarely remove vignette, I usually add it


IMO, no additional NR application is needed.

I there's a lot of noise (ISO 6400 more then a stop underexposed), I use more luminance NR (maybe as high as 30, rarely more) and then add a bit of Grain.
If editing brings up noise in an ISO 3200 image, luminance NR might be set up to 20, very rarely higher is needed.
ColorNR: I don't think I've ever set it higher then 30.

I don't mind a bit of noise

If you usually add some vignette then you'd really hate the vignette correction on the Lens Corrections "Profile" tab since it gives results where the corners are too light. Hmmm, since you need to leave the Profile tab at auto if you apply lens corrections on import I wonder if I should just put a bit back in with Post Crop Vignetting"?

I did some tests with my D700, which is an older tech but decent low light camera, to see where the point is where luminance noise is eliminated (1:1 view) at different ISOs and came up with the following:

ISO 200: 9 Luminance NR
ISO 400: 12
ISO 800: 18
ISO 1600: 27
ISO 3200: 40
ISO 6400: 50

I also found Detail needs to be progressively increased from 50 to 80 across the above range. For my next pass I looked at what settings to use to get the job done (preserve more detail) while not completely eliminating noise, and arrived at the following:

ISO 200: 8 Luminance NR
ISO 400: 9
ISO 800: 11
ISO 1600: 16
ISO 3200: 27
ISO 6400: 39

again, increasing Detail from 50 to 80 across the range. Also over the same range I need to adjust Color NR from 5 to 26.

Thanks for your comment regarding using grain for a particularly noisy image. Nice way to add a bit of texture when NR starts to eliminate too much detail.

Good info guys. Timely too as I am wrapping up a class on sharpening over on Kelby training.

Increasing Detail?
Why? That would leave more noise untouched…

I usually set NR to 100 (blurred mess) then set the Detail slider to the point where all noise is just eliminated. Usually between 40-60. Then I set NR to the desired value, and match this number on the Contrast slider.

LR does a backup every week. Where is this stored? Should I be going there to delete older backups or is the backup over written every time?

You can specify where to backup your catalog. Recommend backing up to external drive. Check test integrity too.

Thanks. Had an integrity issue today but it corrected itself.

digital paradise wrote in post #15434645
LR does a backup every week. Where is this stored? Should I be going there to delete older backups or is the backup over written every time?

You want to choose your backup location, put it in a drive other than your "working" drive. You do this by going to your Catalog Preferences and telling LR to do a backup when you next exit, then Exit and in the backup dialog browsing to the desired location.

And yes, you can delete older backups. I just do this occasionally, keeping ones that are within say a month old.

digital paradise wrote in post #15434645
LR does a backup every week. Where is this stored? Should I be going there to delete older backups or is the backup over written every time?

The default location is the C:/My Pictures/Lightroom folder that LR made when you installed it. This is also the default locations of the catalog file and the previews folder. Having both the catalog and its backup in the same place is crazy and you are expected to choose a better location.
If you have been backing up once a week you must have accumulated a s---load of backups, and they are not small. Time for some house- cleaning.

tzalman wrote in post #15436232
The default location is the C:/My Pictures/Lightroom folder that LR made when you installed it. This is also the default locations of the catalog file and the previews folder. Having both the catalog and its backup in the same place is crazy and you are expected to choose a better location.
If you have been backing up once a week you must have accumulated a s---load of backups, and they are not small. Time for some house- cleaning.

I found it pretty easily. I did place my catalogue on the external drive and the backups where there. I never go into that folder so I should have checked first before asking. There where quite a few. What back up interval do you suggest?