D200 Custom Tone Curve

[compleatangler]

My D200 seems to underexpose most of the time. It is my understanding that Nikon D-SLR's are calibrated, according to ANSI standards, to make whatever they see slightly darker than medium gray by about half a stop. I have added Fotogenetic's Custom Tone Curve EV3 v4.1 and experienced a significant improvement in shadow details and midtone contrast as well as a +0.33 EV boost. I highly recommend this curve.

[tonymidd]

Not noticed this underexposure with my D200 but I do shoot RAW 99% of the time and I also use the spot meter and expose for the highlights. Using Nikon Capture 4.4 you've full control over the final image.
Have you used the incamera image merge tool? I've not yet had chance to try this but it looks a very useful tool, if it works! The same thing in PS CS2 is not that specatular.

[compleatangler]

Tony,
If you go to Thom Hogan's web site you will understand why EV adjustment is needed. See: http://www.bythom.com/graycards.htm
You should download this curve into your Nikon D-SLR. You may like it as much as I do. You can find the download at: http://fotogenetic.dearingfilm.com/custom_tone_curves.html
It benefits any Nikon D-SLR because they all suffer the same underexposure problem.

[tonymidd]

Interesting read, I've come across this 12% theory before but the 18% card has served me well for over 50 years. I'd not heard that the 18% came from the print industry before, I always thought Kodak devised it and got the 18% value as the integrated grey from 'the averge scene' what ever that is.
As I understand it the use of custom curves only affects the in-camera processing for jpegs which I rarely use. If this curve is giving you the results you want that's great.
I use uncompressed RAW and spot meter the highlight area I want detail in; often with a true 1* hand held meter instead of the wider in-camera spot meter; and adjust the exposure by +1/2 or 1 stop,( the zone system in reverse). This gives me the option to adjust shadow detail in NC or PS. For wide dynamic range subjects I'll bracket and blend the images in PS.
As I say I've not noticed any underexposure with the D200, infact slight underexposure is preferable with digital, I've a friend who uses a 10D Canon and has his meter permentantly set to -1/3EV. I'd only start to worry if I was getting regular overexposure. Compared to the D70 I've found the D200's metering to be extremely accurate, I have far less work to do on the RAW files, usually selecting the correct WB is all that's needed.

[Choogster]

and theres me thinking it was a spelling mistake :D

[Wineman]

Thanks for the tip - how do you set the camera up though to use this Tone Curve?

Many thanks