Pansonic TZ80 (ZS60) Four month user review and reappraisal Part 2 Photoshop strategies

Arcade, TZ80

In the previous post  I described some usage strategies designed to coax the best possible (RAW) files from the TZ80.

In this post I describe some post capture strategies in Photoshop Camera Raw (Lightroom has the same functions but in a slightly different user interface) to further enhance those files for optimum printing output.

With most cameras which I have used in recent times including several M43 and ‘One Inch’ sensor models very good output can be achieved with a few modest adjustments in Camera Raw.

But files from the TZ80 require  much more vigorous intervention.  A few subtle adjustments will not do the job.

The three tabs on which I concentrate are Basic, Lens Corrections and Detail.

TZ80

Before getting to the details here are some basic principles:

The unprocessed files which come off the TZ80 tend to have somewhat low mid tone contrast, low local contrast and low sharpness with low color saturation.  Sometimes the RAW files look so flat and soft they might at first seem beyond redemption and sometimes that is so. But energetic resuscitation in Camera Raw can be successful, sometimes surprisingly so.

The basic aim of processing is to make the files look brighter, clearer, sharper and more colourful.

Each of these things is easy enough to achieve but each increases luminance noise (grain) so effective luminance noise control strategies are essential for success.

Note that ‘Contrast’, ‘Clarity’ and ‘Sharpness’ are each variants of the same concept which is to enhance the  brightness differential between adjacent parts of the image.

Contrast increases the brightness differential between mid tones in the image.

Clarity is Adobe’s name for a type of local contrast which works like the Unsharp Mask  filter in Photoshop.

Sharpness increases the brightness differential between closely adjacent tones in a spatial dimension of 1-3 pixels.

No extra information can be imparted to a file with adjustments but if applied effectively the combination can impart a markedly enhanced appearance of sharpness.

I start in the Basic Tab.

I don’t worry too much about getting the adjustments ‘right’ first time around. Everything can be changed at any time and likely will.  If I drag a slider too far it can easily be pulled back any time later.

Adobe suggests you work down the adjustment items from the top but I usually start with Contrast and drag the slider to the right by an amount which looks right for the particular image.  This will often be in the 20-60 range and much more than I would use with an image from a larger sensor camera.

Now I look at the histogram. Most of the tones should be midway between the left and right ends of the scale. If not I move the Exposure slider to make them so.

Now I drag  the Clarity slider to the right. When I work with images from a micro Four Thirds camera I find I have to be very cautious with this slider as Panasonic M43 files already have substantial local contrast. So my M43 files might receive +5 Clarity. But files from the TZ80 often benefit from much larger displacement of the Clarity slider to the right,  often in the range +20-+40.

Now I look at the histogram and inspect the highlights, which after cranking up Contrast and clarity will usually be over the top, requiring strong left drag of the Highlights slider, to zero if required.

Now I look at the image. Do the dark tones appear overly dark with lack of detail ?  If so I drag the Shadows slider to the right until they appear more natural.

I now experiment with the Vibrance and Saturation sliders. With cameras having a larger sensor I rarely use the Saturation slider as it too easily pushes colors over the top. But the TZ80 files are a bit lacking in color to start with so I often find I need to drag the Saturation slider to the right.

So now I have a file which is brighter, more contrasty and more colourful than it was at the beginning.  Things are looking up.

But increasing Contrast and Clarity also increases luminance noise and the details still lack sharpness. 

So I move to the Detail Tab.

Again Adobe suggests you start at the top and work down, I suggest a different strategy. Note that modern cameras have virtually eliminated chroma (color) noise from RAW files so it is usually un-necessary to make any further action regarding chroma noise.

I start with Noise Reduction (Luminance). I find all TZ80 files need some NR, even at ISO 80.  The amount varies from around 5-50 at low ISO to around 50 at high ISO settings.

I view the file at 100% on screen for these adjustments.

I don’t try to eliminate all grain with the NR (Luminance) slider as doing so destroys details.

The Detail tab default setting is 25. I reduce this to about 15 for low ISO images, 5 for high ISO images.

Now I look at the Radius slider. The default will usually be 1.0. For low ISO files at the wide or mid range of the zoom I push this up to around 1.6-2.0. For images taken with the long end of the zoom this goes up to the maximum which is 3.0.

Last I increase the Amount and watch the image as I drag the slider to the right. I generally use about 50 with M43 cameras, but the TZ80 needs between 50 and 100, the high figure being required with images made using the long end of the zoom.

Butcher-bird  TZ80

Warning to grain phobic readers:   You ain’t gonna like this.  You must use a high level on the Amount slider to banish that mushy look which characterises the unmodified RAW files but the more you drag the slider to the right to more grainy the image becomes.   

The good news is that grain which appears really prominent on screen may be almost invisible in a print.

Hint: Reduce on screen size to 50%. Suddenly everything looks better. My experience is that if an image looks good at 50% on screen it will usually print well without any appearance of excess grain.

The Lens Corrections tab is next. Here I can remove chromatic aberration if any is evident, remove residual distortion and remove any purple or green fringing which may be present.

Now I usually go back over the Basic and Detail tabs again, repositioning each slider until I arrive at the best possible result for each image.

At this stage experience and practice play a large part in achieving an optimal overall result, balancing grain and sharpness.

Suggestions for readers:

Hint 1: Be bold. Make large adjustments with the sliders and constantly review the result, pulling back when you have overdone it.

Hint 2: Print. I find that mid tone contrast, clarity (local contrast) and sharpness are more important than grain which is less evident in a print than on screen.

I am making prints at an actual picture size of 410 x 540mm from TZ80 files. These look clear and sharp with good presence on the wall. Grain is barely noticeable and only when I get my face right up close to the print with extra strong spectacles.

Summary  Is the Panasonic TZ80 the ultimate do anything supercamera ?

Well, not quite. But it can make better pictures than some reviewers appear to believe with good technique at Capture and specific strategies in Adobe Camera Raw.