Nikon Picture Controls: What Are They & Why Use Them

Picture Controls are Preset Profiles designed to help you in optimizing your JPG images and allows you to customise and control the colour tones in your JPG images. Each of the Presets will have a different effect on your images such as: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape, and Flat. These Presets can be customised to suit your own style of photography making them a valuable part of setting up your camera when shooting JPG images.
Social media Links!
Facebook: bit.ly/39TcPEO
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Gear used during this video:
Nikon D500
Nikon 18-140mm lens
Vanguard Altra 264AP Tripod
Samsung Galaxy S10
BOYA BY-WM4 Mark II 2.4G Wireless Microphone
Filmic Pro App: bit.ly/3bsKN3i
Editing Software used:
Video editing: Cyberlink PowerDirector 19

[@johnnewham2235]

Thanks again Charles, once again you nailed it, spot on, clear and easy to follow, That's why I love your channel

[@CharlesNPhotography]

I appreciate that!

[@mm277hb]

great video! thank you! i liked the vivid look on that lake!!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you very much 😊

[@gregmeadowcroft952]

Thank you for the tips, just bought a D-7500 and what you just went over was great and super helpful.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you for your comment. I'm creating these types of tutorials to help people get more out of their cameras and into Photography

[@Officerbibble]

Great video Charles, I've been using Nikon for years, but only recently discovered the settings where you can customize the setting for each colour mode. It doesn't matter how long one has been taking photographs, it pays to go through the manual a little more often. There's always something new to discover.....and learn.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

hank you, and this is the great part of our walk as a photographer, we never stop learning.

[@joseghernandez2009]

I just discover your page today and I am very happy for your excellent information about landscape photography.Very well explained tutorial.Thank you very much for this fantastic information.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Awesome, thank you so much 🙏

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks for sharing... great video & comments...I will try your recommendations as I am only a hobbyist but just love taking pics... cheers 😀

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Please do! and thanks for watching my videos

[@indrajitadvani3742]

Thanks for explaining this Charles. I very much what Richard says below

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ArunBamania]

Very informative video. Thanks!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mikelyon5595]

Interesting: This is more detailed than any other presenter on Nikon's picture controls I've seen!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you so much for the compliments 🙏 I'm currently doing a Tutorial on the Nikon Z6II Artistic Picture Controls

[@jesusandresg1]

Thank you so much a very clear explanation

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You are welcome, and glad that this tutorial was of help to you 🙏

[@paul1340]

I found your video very helpful indeed. Thank you.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!, and I'll be releasing a new video in a couple of days that details the Picture Control settings on Nikon Z cameras 📷 👌

[@WesWarner]

Excellent tutorial Charles. Even though I leave my seeing permanently on vivid on my d300, I haven't played around with adjusting the profile. I might do that.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thanks for the comment Wes, I mainly use Landscape has the Vivid profile makes it to postcardy for me, but at times I will switch over to it if the need arises.

[@yvonnemalaquin9336]

very good clear details thank you

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!🙏

[@nikonman3971]

Farout Charles, Awesome job. I love your videos

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Awesome, thank you so much for liking the videos

[@Visorx666]

Thank you very much for this tutorial :)

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@1oo130]

Thank you Charles!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You're welcome

[@dannesweden4166]

Thank you from Sweden ❤

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You're very welcome, thank you for liking this video 🙏

[@black-and-light]

Great! Thank you

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad you liked it!

[@sharadshirali1546]

very informative and useful

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Stop-All-War]

Learn instead to use: K - Kelvin meter. From 3300 - 5500.. Changes colour temperature to accurately show life-like colour or manipulated ambience

[@CharlesNPhotography]

That is easy to do once you understand White Balance, but these types of tutorials that I create are aimed at people just getting into photography and don't know to much.

[@andrewgynn2252]

This was a big help excellent tutorial for my jpg images as i .want to learn my d7500 thank you from the uk.

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you for your comment, I'm planning on making many more tutorials aimed at people like you who shoot in jpg.

[@andrewgynn2252]

@@CharlesNPhotography Any help to get off auto would be a big help and a tutorial on basic camera settings i would also like to do macro i will only be shooting jpeg thank you

[@CharlesNPhotography]

@@andrewgynn2252 Thank you Andrew, I am in the process of doing a video tutorial just of how to shoot in jpg and how to setup your camera when using jpg

[@prithvirajchowdhury938]

This is really very helpful...❤️❤️❤️

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@prithvirajchowdhury938]

❤️❤️🥰🥰

[@ricardoantunesdeazevedo8304]

Finally I found a video tutorial perfect for me. I am that guy who takes thousands of photos and cannot even consider editing them. I only shoot JPEG (actually I use RAW+JPEG*) and VIVID even for night photography. Any tips for me about shooting cityscapes by night with maximum sharpness and quality with picture control? I have Nikon D850 and D810. Thank you !!!! brilliant video. Ricardo (Brazil)

[@CharlesNPhotography]

I'd increase the Sharpness and Contrast to your liking.

[@kenkrugh6964]

Thank you

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thanks for the Comment

[@Powerstroke98]

I've seen this video before Charles, but opted to come back again. On my D750 I tend to like the Vivid choice, but I'm going to give Landscape a shot, and add in some additional changes to them, to see how it goes. I was surprised when looking at the trees on the right of your shots, how shaded they where in the Landscape shot, so I've added some brightness, as well as the other changes you made to yours. I'll give it a try and it's easy enough to return, if it's not to my liking! Thanks for taking the time out to make this video, as I'm positive for those that have seen it, it gives a good ability to how this particular setting works, and set to their liking! Thank you!

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thank you so much for your feedback. My channel is all about helping photographers improve their photography

[@alfredschneider2528]

Thanks a lot

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Most welcome, thanks for the comment

[@cjmadridtv4289]

Thankyou for thid

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You're welcome

[@stevesiri4760]

Great Job Charles. D500 all good. Now welcome to the Z. Nikon changed everything concerning picture control and RAW files. Picture control on the Z series especially the Z9 now pickup your settings in picture control, Ouch. They even deliver them preset in the Z9. Bottom-line I consider this a BIG mistake by Nikon. Additionally, be sure to check what works best for you.... You may be surprised by some unwanted sharping etc... Keep the passion, Steve

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Thanks for sharing

[@JustinPoggioArtworks]

Great video. If I have the camera saving photos in both RAW and JPEG does using these settings only affect the JPEG version of the photo or both?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

The Picture Controls are only saved into the JPG file, But if you're just shooting in RAW then what you see on the LCD Screen is a thumbnail view of what the image would look like if these Picture Controls were applied

[@JustinPoggioArtworks]

@@CharlesNPhotography thanks for clarifying that for me 👍🏻

[@CharlesNPhotography]

@jpoggioArt You're welcome

[@archivardejong7018]

Thank you for the instruction. Newbie question, I would ike to use the vivid color setting by default but the 'set picture control' option is unavailable with the 'mode select dial' in auto / auto without flash. I have my D5500 on auto without flash as I do not want to flash to pop out. Which dial mode and or setting do you recommend (if possible) for having vivid color + no flash + the other camera settings in 'as much as possible' auto?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Yes you can! take a look at this link. www.dummies.com/article/home-auto-hobbies/photography/customizing-the-picture-controls-on-your-nikon-d5500-144459

[@archivardejong7018]

@@CharlesNPhotography Thank you

[@DaddyDenTV]

Thank you from Russia

[@CharlesNPhotography]

You're welcome

[@cliffdariff74]

My Nikon colors, esp red, are too saturated... which metering should I attend to?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Metering doesn't affect colours, it's the white balance you chose that controls colour. If you're using Auto-White balance and it's to red, then move the point towards the blue area.

[@andruandrei1756]

In set picture control o have just LPF i have a Nikon d750

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Hello, I'm not sure what you mean has just about all Nikon cameras have: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Monochrome 🤔

[@Dkreativemind]

Thanks so much,,, but still confuse on how to setup my Nikon d7500 for snaping,,, to get the best picture quality

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Happy to help! This video may help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3qcn4Zobppmgbs

[@larsberner3186]

Hi Charles, Afgain a very usefull video from you. Can do just the same finetune with my jpgs image on my d5300? Any god ideas is usefull.. Thank you. Best regards from Denmark Lars

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Hi Lars, do you mean use the Picture Controls to modify your jpg images on you D5300? If this is what you mean, then yes, this should be possible

[@sdhute]

Does the monochrome mode have additional feature for grain ect ?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Yes it does! All of the Picture Controls can be fine tuned to what you like, so for Monochrome you could adjust the contrast and sharpness to make it more punchy

[@golemiovanco5055]

hello sir i will ask you if you for settings for portrait mode

[@golemiovanco5055]

sharpening, clearity, contrast, brightness, saturation, hue? for portret mode ?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

I reduce Contrast -1, and leave the rest alone

[@nickreid5939]

Can i use Portrait on all my pictures ?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

Sure you can.

[@MDanceInc]

were you shooting in RGB or sRGB...??

[@CharlesNPhotography]

I always shoot in sRGB

[@justbored3.14]

Should I do this if I will edit raw pics in post?

[@CharlesNPhotography]

No you don't, but what they do is help you in giving you an idea of what the raw file could look like once it's edited. That's what I use these for.

[@stewartmiller3630]

Thanks. This is exactly what I am looking for. Clear advice

[@CharlesNPhotography]

@@stewartmiller3630 You're welcome Stewart, glad I was able to help you out.