Nikon D200 User Manual

Page 46

Appendix 1 - Nikon D200 Image Quality Settings

INTRODUCTION

What's the best image quality setting – Raw, JPG, or raw + JPG? If raw, compressed or
uncompressed? If JPG, FINE, NORMAL or BASIC? Size Priority or Optimal Quality JPG
Compression? Large, Medium or Small image dimensions?
In a fantasy world you'd use uncompressed NEF or FINE JPG, but after a while you'll get
log jammed with all the data you have to store, process and archive.
I used the camera's raw + JPG mode to make pairs of identical images for comparison. I
put the same 100% crops from different quality settings on top of each other so you can
switch between them by moving your mouse over the image. As you will see, the default
LARGE NORMAL JPG is wonderful. Let me stress that this page gives you the ability to
see minute differences that none of us would see in prints. The 100% crops are identical to
making prints 40" (1m) wide and looking at them from as close as your computer screen.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I use JPG Large image size, BASIC quality, Optimal Image Quality mode. To me it looks
the same as uncompressed NEF and only has a file size of 1.7MB. For parties, people,
sports and other high-volume uses I use the same setting, with Medium size. It looks 99%
as good as uncompressed NEF, with only 1MB per file. This makes a big difference if you
have thousands of shots from an event to load and sort and backup to CD on your laptop.

Uncompressed NEF vs. JPG BASIC, Size Priority

This compares a 16 MB uncompressed NEF with the crummiest 1.2 MB BASIC Large
(3,872 x 2,592 pixel) JPG. These look pretty much identical. The JPG has the same
resolution, but looks slightly softer then the NEF because it uses less sharpening. I can't
see any JPG artifacts unless I enlarge the image on my screen to the equivalent of 10 feet
wide and stick my nose in it.

Add Sharpening to Make Them Match:
Let's add some sharpening to the JPG. This isn't cheating - the software that opens the
NEFs has this sharpening hidden inside as part of the Bayer Interpolation. The JPGs don't
have as much sharpening added in-camera because it would require larger files sizes to
store well. I added some delicate sharpening at 0.3 pixel radius, 100% to the JPG.

JPG BASIC, Large, with sharpening
They look identical to me, except for some minor contrast variation and some barely visible
JPG artifacts. Unless you know how to look, JPG artifacts are invisible and certainly don't
affect the picture. The sharpening has exaggerated these artifacts and they are only barely
visible at this high magnification. Not bad for the crummiest JPG setting and a 40" wide
print! Even I don't use this low a setting, and I'm a data cheapskate.

Uncompressed NEF vs. JPG BASIC, Optimal Quality

On older Nikon DSLRs you can get this same improvement by going to NORMAL JPG.
There is an obscure JPG compression menu choice in the D200, D80 and D2X: Size
Priority or Optimum Quality. Size Priority, shown above, is the default. It was the only
option in older cameras like the D1X, D50 and D70s. JPGs need more data (file size) to
maintain quality as the subjects contrast and complexity climbs. Size Priority keeps the file
size constant regardless of image detail or subject complexity. The Optimal Quality JPG
compression option lets the file size grow if needed to maintain quality, and otherwise
keeps it smaller. The Optimal Quality option lets the camera allot bits intelligently based on