Question about recovering highlights (Nikon Capture mainly)

flyingdutchie

Hi everyone,

This question is mainly for an issue i have with Nikon Capture.

I have an image that looks overexposed in some areas. I use the 'Advanced Raw' tool to lower the EV value (e.g. to -1 or even -2). A lot of highlight detail is recovered. For lost highlight-detail, this is the only way to do it using Nikon Capture 4.4.

Of course, my midtones and shadows are now too dark. I then go to the LCH tool to modify the lightness-curve to make the midtones and shadows lighter again.

This is my question: What type of curve is best?
- Move the gamma slider to the left from 1 to, for example, 1.5 or 2? This seems to work, but i see some loss in color-vibrance.
- Go/click to the middle of the input - half-way - and drag the point on the line upwards (input --> larger output values)? The shadows remain quite dark.
- I tried DEE... bleagh.. no good results when setting Advanded RAW's EV to -1 or -2.

Is there another way to manipulate the LCH curve to basically restore the shadows and mid-tones to their original values (or at least close to the original values)?

Thank you very much.

Shay Stephens

I don't like using curves for the most part. In your situation, when curves fail you, I would prefer to use exposure blending.

flyingdutchie

Shay Stephens wrote:

I don't like using curves for the most part. In your situation, when curves fail you, I would prefer to use exposure blending.

Thanks Shay!
I was looking for a NC solution only - one without going to Photoshop. Maybe the new Nikon Capture NX will allow blending...