Lightroom 4 sliders: using standard charts

[LocalHero1953]

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I've been using Lightroom for 2 years now, through versions 3 & 4, and, like many, I have been deeply confused by what the Develop slide controls actually do to my images. There is plenty of advice online, often conflicting and confusing, and strong opinions about the effect of Tone controls, Clarity, Noise, Sharpening (etc etc).

 

So I downloaded some standard grayscale and colour charts (two that I've used I found here: AVForums.com - View Single Post - Samsung C530 Owners Thread), and I have learned more in 30 minutes by playing with the sliders than I have in hours of online reading. A particularly interesting and disturbing test is to compare the effect of the Clarity slider on the grayscale (a simple stretching of the contrast in a broad midrange) and on the colour chart (significant changes in colour relationships).

 

I would like to try similar tests of other slider controls. Can anyone recommend charts that could be used to explore the effects of Sharpening and Noise?

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[hoppyman]

It sounds like you have already been researching on this? I won't suggest some resources there then.

It's unclear from your post exactly how you are testing but be aware when looking at subtle grey tone changes that very few monitors represent them smoothly. I'm assuming a calibrated monitor in the first place. The camera LCD preview is very low resolution and small colour gamut too. Monitors will only show you sharpening/micro contrast changes accurately at 100% as well (within their own limitations).

Depending on what your intended output is those may be relevant. If your primary goal is prints then naturally test prints are the best way to compare.

[LocalHero1953]

Thanks for the advice. At the moment I just want to find out more clearly which tonal ranges and colours the LR controls affect, and the the charts show this more clearly than more complex photos.

Unfortunately my monitor is not calibrated, and I know that I will be limited in the conclusions I can draw until it is.

[hoppyman]

Yep, understood. I guess I was trying to add that you should understand the limitations when you form your judgements. If you look at a high bit sample grey gradation you might be horrified at what your monitor does to it (dithering/banding effects)

On resources, to go 'old school', I always keep updated on the books by Martin Evening and Scott Kelby on Photoshop and Lightroom. Martin is a pretty definitive source while Scott can be easier to digest and is practically focused.

For specifics there are dedicated books on Real World Raw and Sharpening by Jeff Schewe. I'm not sure what the current versions status is.

[Manolo Laguillo]

I've been using Lightroom for 2 years now, through versions 3 & 4, and, like many, I have been deeply confused by what the Develop slide controls actually do to my images. There is plenty of advice online, often conflicting and confusing, and strong opinions about the effect of Tone controls, Clarity, Noise, Sharpening (etc etc).

 

It's only my opinion, but I think you would profit from reading those parts of the old Zone System literature related with the general approach of it, with the why and how of that precise terminology and approach to the reproduction problem. Having clear ideas about how the scene can be photographically described, about what the photographic process (it doesn´t matter if analog or digital) can and can't do, allows the photographer to identify the spots where he/she can "interfere", so to say.

 

At first it's a question related with the meaning of words. Once we know what "black, shadows, middle grays, whites ans highlights" refer to, we are capable of controlling, step by step, everything.

 

And finally it's a question related with the slow buildup of your own criterium, your own taste. Don't expect to arrive at it quickly. There are no shortcuts.

[Bill Allsopp]

I made one a while back for this express purpose. I can let you have it (as a dng) if you provide an email address.

 

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I presume you are aware that if you move the cursor over the histogram in LR that it shows you which sliders affect which tonal ranges.

[LocalHero1953]

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Bill - thanks for the kind offer - I have sent you my email address separately. And thanks for the book recommendations - they were unknown to me.

 

Manolo - I agree with you. I spent a long time in the 80's trying to apply the Zone System, and my mind still thinks in those terms even though I use digital processes to control tonal range and contrast rather than film, chemicals, and paper.

 

My original explanation of "testing" was unclear. What I actually did was import the test charts into LR, and then watch the effects of the LR sliders on the histogram. The grayscale and solid colours show as precise spikes (not quite so precise in the charts I downloaded: the Clarity slider in LR can spread them fairly widely), so I can see on the histogram which parts of the range are affected by exposure/contrast/clarity/white/black/highlight/shadow sliders. Within these limits, it does not matter that my monitor is uncalibrated, though that is more of a problem when I have to adjust real world images.

 

I also used the grayscale boundaries to see the effect of the noise sliders on the boundaries between each grey area in the image itself (at larger than 1:1 scale). This was extremely helpful in understanding the difference between Amount, Radius, Detail and Masking.

[MindsEye]

Bill - thanks for the kind offer - I have sent you my email address separately. And thanks for the book recommendations - they were unknown to me.

 

Manolo - I agree with you. I spent a long time in the 80's trying to apply the Zone System, and my mind still thinks in those terms even though I use digital processes to control tonal range and contrast rather than film, chemicals, and paper.

 

My original explanation of "testing" was unclear. What I actually did was import the test charts into LR, and then watch the effects of the LR sliders on the histogram. The grayscale and solid colours show as precise spikes (not quite so precise in the charts I downloaded: the Clarity slider in LR can spread them fairly widely), so I can see on the histogram which parts of the range are affected by exposure/contrast/clarity/white/black/highlight/shadow sliders. Within these limits, it does not matter that my monitor is uncalibrated, though that is more of a problem when I have to adjust real world images.

 

I also used the grayscale boundaries to see the effect of the noise sliders on the boundaries between each grey area in the image itself (at larger than 1:1 scale). This was extremely helpful in understanding the difference between Amount, Radius, Detail and Masking.

 

Bear in mind that some of the sliders for Process 2012 are quite different from the sliders for Process 2010. In particular one of the biggest changes is the Clarity slider. I actually prefer the effect in Process 2010 where it provided a nice midtone contrast boost which was also the original intention of the slider. Now (Process 2012) it is too heavy handed and tends to give a grunge look, especially when dealing with photos of people. It's OK for landscapes but I miss the old Clarity slider as it provided a nice way to add a sense of depth by popping the midtone contrast.

 

Also the Brightness slider was eliminated because there was too much confusion between Brightness and Exposure. The Whites and Highlights sliders offer a little more control and IMO an improvement over the Recovery slider.

 

One can choose to use Process 2010 but I think there are enough improvements with Process 2012 to use that instead.

 

I've found that Topaz Detail3 does a better job with midtone contrast/adding a sense of depth than the new Clarity slider. I demonstrated this in the last webinar I did for Topaz. As soon as I get a link for the archived video from Topaz it will show up on the workshop page of my website

 

I agree with hoppyman that if your goal is a print then you need to test the effects of the sliders by making prints. Once you calibrate your monitor and do a few test prints you'll begin to be able to "read" your monitor and more accurately predict how the slider effects will look on a print.

 

Keep us posted on your tests!