ETTR... how far? (Page 2): Not necessarily. Looking at the histogram or preview image can be very misleading. In most cases, the histogram is representative of the jpg created in...

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Not necessarily. Looking at the histogram or preview image can be very misleading. In most cases, the histogram is representative of the jpg created in camera. When done correctly, the jpg and associated histogram really look like crap and are meaningless in assessing exposure. My exposure technique exposes well beyond the right to the point that chimping is useless due to the amount of blinking image in preview. However, in post processing a wonderful amount of detail is retrieved from the RAW file and the image looks fantastic.
--Bob

jackpinoh wrote:

You will need to look at the histogram on the back of your camera. If the right edge of the histogram touches the right edge of the histogram window, you are overexposing. If the right edge of the histogram is some distance from the right edge of the window, you can increase the exposure (ETTR) until the diagram is close to, but not touching, that window edge.

lsaguy Loc: Udall, KS, USA

ETTL
ETTR
Stand up
Sit down
Fight, Fight, Fight

There, now I got that out of my system.

Rick

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

billgdyoung wrote:

We read about ETTR, but how far to the right? A click? 2 clicks? Jammed against the right edge? Your comments, please.

Think "Black Jack" . . . as close to maximum without going over.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Bill_de wrote:

I thought that shooting raw you could expose beyond what is being mentioned above. Blinkies shouldn't necessarily be a problem.

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No raw has nothing to do with that, it is not a compensation of any kind, it simple records all the data the sensor is "seeing"/capable of taking in that moment. So it records every flaws as well, what you are talking about is compensating/counter acting for a possible over-, or under exposure at the time the picture is taking. The same is recorded when shooting raw, but it gives you a little more latitude for pp, but if anything is exposed too far (clipping either way), no raw file is able to bring back what is not there to begin with (already lost data)!

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

billgdyoung wrote:

We read about ETTR, but how far to the right? A click? 2 clicks? Jammed against the right edge? Your comments, please.

A great question for which there is no pat answer. Every camera behaves differently - e.g. my D-810 vs. A7R-II vs. H5D. So learn what each camera you use produces based on where you put the right edge of the histogram. It will take time, but your results will improve.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

speters wrote:

No raw has nothing to do with that, it is not a co... (show quote)

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I used to expose to the right with cameras like the Nikon D2H which had a poor noise performance using RAW files. I no longer do that with my "new" cameras.
I make sure though that I do not clip highlights so I settle with a histogram that comes kind of short of reaching the extreme right side of the histogram. I would have to show you what the histogram looks like in my exposures but I would have to be where you are to show you that.
If you are going to keep on exposing to the right just keep short of reaching the far right because clipping will take place. Any minor adjustments to the exposure are easily fixed in post.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

William, the only small drawback to that is that the histogram is generated from the included jpg image "developed" in camera. I use ETTR almost exclusively and the image on the back of the camera and resulting histogram are almost completely useless to me. The RAW file is recording a considerable amount of additional useable data that shows up in the jpg as blinkies. Thus, I hardly ever chimp.
--Bob

camerapapi wrote:

I used to expose to the right with cameras like th... (show quote)

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

rmalarz wrote:

William, the only small drawback to that is that the histogram is generated from the included jpg image "developed" in camera. I use ETTR almost exclusively and the image on the back of the camera and resulting histogram are almost completely useless to me. The RAW file is recording a considerable amount of additional useable data that shows up in the jpg as blinkies. Thus, I hardly ever chimp.
--Bob

Great info... thanks for taking the time to respond...

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Bill_de wrote:

I thought that shooting raw you could expose beyond what is being mentioned above. Blinkies shouldn't necessarily be a problem.

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They can be if you push it too far. Many current cameras offer 1-2 stops beyond where the histogram shows the data against the right side or when you start getting blinkies in the overexposure indicator on image review. Fuji cameras tend to give you even more latitude. Of course that latitude goes away as the ISO increases.