Use of Pre-sets

[N+13]

I am about to attempt pre-sets for the first time. I use LR CC.

At import time, I am interested in:
- Doing a Transform "Auto"
- A Tone "Auto"

I am interested opinions as to the wisdom doing either or both of these.

I seek help in how this is done automatically during import.

Thanks of your help.
N+13

 

[clee01l]

You will find that opinions will be strong on whether to use auto tone. I find the it works better for some cameras than others. Adobe has made a determination of what the results for "AutoTone" should be. Many people do not agree. Some times it is a good starting point in develop settings, Never have I found it to be a "one size fits all" solution. Better for me is to add +25 to clarity and a few points to Vibrance. I can turn that into a preset, save it and on import include that preset in the Develop preset field of an import preset that i apply on every import.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I wouldn't use Auto Transform either. It sounds attractive to let Lightroom straighten all your slanted horizons on import, but every now and then Lightroom will think that some clear lines in your photo should be horizontal while in reality they are lines that should be diagonal (or at least not horizontal or vertical). The result will be that every now and then you'll get a photo that is rotated at a bizarre angle.

I agree with Cletus. I add some Clarity and Vibrance on import, but I don't use a develop preset for it. Instead, I updated the camera defaults. The reason is that this allows me to use different settings for different cameras, without always having to be on the alert that I select the appropriate preset on import.

 

[clee01l]

...I don't use a develop preset for it. Instead, I updated the camera defaults. The reason is that this allows me to use different settings for different cameras...

I'm sure that is how Adobe intended the camera defaults to be employed. But for me "camera defaults" are a black box. How do you know exactly what develop settings are being included in the set default? And since it has no descriptive name how do you remember 6 months or a year later what is exactly being included in the camera defaults. This is why I chose to use a predefined (and descriptively named) preset that I consciously apply at import.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I'm sure that is how Adobe intended the camera defaults to be employed. But for me "camera defaults" are a black box. How do you know exactly what develop settings are being included in the set default? And since it has no descriptive name how do you remember 6 months or a year later what is exactly being included in the camera defaults. This is why I chose to use a predefined (and descriptively named) preset that I consciously apply at import.

To me that's not such a big deal. If you want to know, you just look at what settings are applied on a freshly imported image, or you hit 'Reset' and look at what settings are applied.

 

[N+13]

To me that's not such a big deal. If you want to know, you just look at what settings are applied on a freshly imported image, or you hit 'Reset' and look at what settings are applied.

To both of you, Cletus and Johan, the information you provide is extremely helpful to me.

For Auto Tone, I can't agree more about your one size fits all issue though I often adjust sliders the way I like them using Auto Tone as the base. I will try the preset with clarity and vibrance.

For Transform, it is true, isn't it, photos that get butchered can be reset to the original by selecting the bottom of the stack or is there no develop stack, no way to undo the work of the preset?

Camera defaults are new to me. I will learn them now.

Thanks again for your guidance.
N+13

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Of course you can undo a develop preset, but only the entire preset is in the History panel (what you call the 'develop stack'). The individual adjustments are not, so you can't 'undo' one of the adjustments of the preset while leaving the rest. Of course you can go to the Transform panel and undo it there, but I found it happened too many times to be a useful preset at import, at least for me.

 

[N+13]

Again, I appreciate your help, Johan.