Pre-Release Quality?
p.1 #1Pre-Release Quality?
I'm going on a trip soon and will be working with birds and thunderstorms primarily. For landscape and stills, I'll shoot RAW.
For example, one body for thunderstorms will work away at interval timer settings and RAW, while the other one I'll shoot pre-release JPEG Fine.
What's the quality on these JPEG images, especially in low light conditions?
Thanks in advance - Kev
For example, one body for thunderstorms will work away at interval timer settings and RAW, while the other one I'll shoot pre-release JPEG Fine.
What's the quality on these JPEG images, especially in low light conditions?
Thanks in advance - Kev
May 31, 2026 at 09:16 AM
p.1 #3Pre-Release Quality?
Looks ok for quality - not talking about the photo in general. I have never used Active D Lighting. Can you please share some input on how
you use it?
you use it?
May 31, 2026 at 05:58 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #4Pre-Release Quality?
If you’re after lightning strike images you should just invest in a trigger, way better hit rate.
May 31, 2026 at 09:07 PM
p.1 #5Pre-Release Quality?
kattz wrote:
Looks ok for quality - not talking about the photo in general. I have never used Active D Lighting. Can you please share some input on how
you use it?
Nikon Active D Lighting
Active D lighting reduces highlights and brightens shadows in your SOOC images, which I'll use when playing with color recipes. The image above would've shown more detail if I had kept it on at the time.
May 31, 2026 at 09:48 PM
p.1 #6Pre-Release Quality?
Unless I accidentally selected JPEG for a shoot, I never use it, except of course, when sending a file.
A. couple of points I would like to make..........
1. My workflow always first goes to DXO PL DeepPrime. I set "Luminance" on the maximum and send the finished image back to the NEF folder it came from. DXO DeepPrime removes virtually all noise from a RAW file and (to my knowledge) it does not accept JPEG's.
2. Regarding all the terms used to describe dynamic range: In the PS 2026 "Filter" dropdown there is a "Cameria Raw Filter". I sometimes adjust "Shadows" and "Highlights" here.
3. And last on this subject from me: LightRoom Classic (LrC) has a wonderful post-processing package under "Develop". I favor DNG files in LrC but I just did a quick look and found that this "Develop" feature in LrC apparently does a good job with JPEG's too.
Hope you find this helpful and....... Please feel free to comment or critique on my post.
Robert
A. couple of points I would like to make..........
1. My workflow always first goes to DXO PL DeepPrime. I set "Luminance" on the maximum and send the finished image back to the NEF folder it came from. DXO DeepPrime removes virtually all noise from a RAW file and (to my knowledge) it does not accept JPEG's.
2. Regarding all the terms used to describe dynamic range: In the PS 2026 "Filter" dropdown there is a "Cameria Raw Filter". I sometimes adjust "Shadows" and "Highlights" here.
3. And last on this subject from me: LightRoom Classic (LrC) has a wonderful post-processing package under "Develop". I favor DNG files in LrC but I just did a quick look and found that this "Develop" feature in LrC apparently does a good job with JPEG's too.
Hope you find this helpful and....... Please feel free to comment or critique on my post.
Robert
Jun 02, 2026 at 06:56 AM
p.1 #7Pre-Release Quality?
kattz wrote:
...while the other one I'll shoot pre-release JPEG Fine.
What's the quality on these JPEG images, especially in low light conditions?
I've been a Sony shooter for 14 years, always shooting raw. But last year I added a Nikon Z6iii to my kit, specifically for its pre-capture ability*. I immediately felt limited by its lower megapixel count and slow e-shutter, so quickly swapped it for a Z8. I hoped this would help my meager attempts at shooting birds. I was quite apprehensive about only being able to shoot JPEG in that mode, but have found it to be generally very good.
The main thing, as you probably know, is that JPEG files have much less latitude for adjustment after-the-fact. So it's important to have your white balance and exposure set appropriately. I've been (mostly) adapting to that just fine. But the one thing that I still miss from raw is the ability to tweak sharpness and noise reduction to my tastes; with JPEG those choices are made by the camera and while it does a pretty good job, I feel I could do better if I had a raw to work with. Specifically, at higher ISO, the Nikon noise reduction sometimes reduces detail more than I'd like, in its attempt to make a 'cleaner' image.
*I really wanted a Sony A1ii, but it was just too much for my budget to handle. Which is why I decided to give the Nikon a go. I'm happy with the choice.
Here's some recent attempts... (they are all roughly APS-C crops from the full frame)
...while the other one I'll shoot pre-release JPEG Fine.
What's the quality on these JPEG images, especially in low light conditions?
I've been a Sony shooter for 14 years, always shooting raw. But last year I added a Nikon Z6iii to my kit, specifically for its pre-capture ability*. I immediately felt limited by its lower megapixel count and slow e-shutter, so quickly swapped it for a Z8. I hoped this would help my meager attempts at shooting birds. I was quite apprehensive about only being able to shoot JPEG in that mode, but have found it to be generally very good.
The main thing, as you probably know, is that JPEG files have much less latitude for adjustment after-the-fact. So it's important to have your white balance and exposure set appropriately. I've been (mostly) adapting to that just fine. But the one thing that I still miss from raw is the ability to tweak sharpness and noise reduction to my tastes; with JPEG those choices are made by the camera and while it does a pretty good job, I feel I could do better if I had a raw to work with. Specifically, at higher ISO, the Nikon noise reduction sometimes reduces detail more than I'd like, in its attempt to make a 'cleaner' image.
*I really wanted a Sony A1ii, but it was just too much for my budget to handle. Which is why I decided to give the Nikon a go. I'm happy with the choice.
Here's some recent attempts... (they are all roughly APS-C crops from the full frame)
NIKON Z6_3 FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverte lens 454mm f/8.0 1/6400s 5000 ISO 0.0 EV
NIKON Z 8 VR 300mm f/4E lens 420mm f/6.3 1/2000s 500 ISO -0.7 EV
NIKON Z 8 VR 300mm f/4E lens 420mm f/6.3 1/1600s 500 ISO -0.7 EV
NIKON Z 8 VR 300mm f/4E lens 420mm f/5.6 1/1600s 500 ISO 0.0 EV
Jun 02, 2026 at 07:57 AM
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p.1 #9Pre-Release Quality?
Yes, JPEGs.
kattz wrote:
These are JPEG? They look great!
kattz wrote:
These are JPEG? They look great!
Jun 02, 2026 at 02:58 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #10Pre-Release Quality?
Nikon produces fantastic JPEG files. Like Mike said, best achieved with the 45mp sensor of the Z8/Z9 because of the automatic downsizing of the precapture output.
Jun 02, 2026 at 03:03 PM
p.1 #11Pre-Release Quality?
I generally shoot motorsport in jpeg to keep file sizes smaller when rattling off thousands of shots over a weekend, with older cameras it also made a huge difference to fps and buffer but that isn't such an issue with Z bodies.
JPEG image quality is fine for that use as long as your white balance and exposure is in roughly the right ballpark, as has been said you just lose a bit of post-processing flexibility in noise reduction, white balance and shadow/highlight recovery range. But can still do plenty of with jpegs in Lightroom or other software.
Some (downsized for internet) examples from the Z5ii:
_DSC8743 by Ben, on Flickr
_DSC9883 by Ben, on Flickr
_DSC0751 by Ben, on Flickr
JPEG image quality is fine for that use as long as your white balance and exposure is in roughly the right ballpark, as has been said you just lose a bit of post-processing flexibility in noise reduction, white balance and shadow/highlight recovery range. But can still do plenty of with jpegs in Lightroom or other software.
Some (downsized for internet) examples from the Z5ii:
_DSC8743 by Ben, on Flickr_DSC9883 by Ben, on Flickr_DSC0751 by Ben, on FlickrJun 02, 2026 at 04:17 PM
p.1 #12Pre-Release Quality?
RoamingScott wrote:
Nikon produces fantastic JPEG files. Like Mike said, best achieved with the 45mp sensor of the Z8/Z9 because of the automatic downsizing of the precapture output.
Just to clarify...I think the downsizing only happens for C60 and C120 drive modes. C15 and C30 are still full resolution.
Nikon produces fantastic JPEG files. Like Mike said, best achieved with the 45mp sensor of the Z8/Z9 because of the automatic downsizing of the precapture output.
Just to clarify...I think the downsizing only happens for C60 and C120 drive modes. C15 and C30 are still full resolution.
Jun 02, 2026 at 06:32 PM
RoamingScott
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p.1 #13Pre-Release Quality?
Yeah, that’s correct and hopefully a limitation going away with the Expeed 8 generation. 60 is 19mp, 120 is 11mp.
MikeEvangelist wrote:
Just to clarify...I think the downsizing only happens for C60 and C120 drive modes. C15 and C30 are still full resolution.
MikeEvangelist wrote:
RoamingScott wrote
Nikon produces fantastic JPEG files. Like Mike said, best achieved with the 45mp sensor of the Z8/Z9 because of the automatic downsizing of the precapture output.Jun 02, 2026 at 06:53 PM
p.1 #14Pre-Release Quality?
Guys, this really resolved some quality questions for me re: JPEG quality. Appreciated!
How about low light - yes, I see the fireworks post, and the photo looks great, but for me, I often shoot nighttime landscapes, and lightning can "burn through" the image and create noise of its own.
Would post example here, but leaving on a trip and renewal right now is too much for the wallet.
How about low light - yes, I see the fireworks post, and the photo looks great, but for me, I often shoot nighttime landscapes, and lightning can "burn through" the image and create noise of its own.
Would post example here, but leaving on a trip and renewal right now is too much for the wallet.
Jun 03, 2026 at 09:28 AM