rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Here's another. Again, the intent set an exposure that prevents blowing out highlights.
--Bob

(Download)

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

The final image is very nice but there is nothing to tell us whether the exposure was ETTR or EBTR or just placing the brightest cloud on Zone VII.

Since the brightest clouds are probably in direct sunlight even though the foreground seems to be in the shade of the clouds, a standard broad daylight exposure (EV 15) and some shadow recovery would have also worked.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

The scene was metered on the brightest portion and exposure increased 3 stops (ETTR). Placing the brightest part of the clouds in Zone VIII.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

So assuming that your meter measures middle gray like everyone else's, it would appear that you probably didn't blow the raw highlights with an EBTR exposure, even if the brightest clouds are a little short on tonality which can happen if you are aggressive recovering the highlights.

If you had placed those highlights instead on Zone VII or Zone VI, what would have been the harm? Noise in the dark portions of the image? Loss of tonality?

The posted image is only 1440 pixels wide including the white border so it's really hard to see how good it really must be. Downsizing a D800 image this much makes it impossible to judge. Maybe some selected crops at 100% would provide some convincing evidence.

If you still have the nef file you could post the RawDigger image and histograms like I did here. That would also reveal the actual net EV.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Scotty, Bob has posted a couple of images that would rank as above average at a minimum. He has also told us how he metered the scene to help him get his results.
He has a method that gets him where he wants to go and he shares that method with us. We can try it and accept or discard it. Our choice. I don’t understand what it is you’re questioning or why

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

What have not yet seen is a reason to follow a fairly complex process when we can get the same result simply by using the blinkers to avoid blown highlights.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

The method is anything but complex. The meter, as any except one that I know of, reads Zone V. How many Zones above that do I wish to place the metered part of the scene? Simply change the exposure by that many stops. That, to any reasonable person, would seem very straightforward and simple.

In case you didn't recognize that technique, it's The Zone System applied to digital. Meter for the brighter parts of the scene and process for the darker parts, which by way of exposure will be a bit higher in values than need be.

In this case, if the clouds had been brighter, I might have pushed this a 1/2-1 stop more.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You
A few minutes with RawDigger will tell you that Zone V is in the 1000-2000 range (14-bit). That means that Zone VIII is 8000-16000. It’s impossible to push it mor than three stops above your meter reading so there is no Zone IX for you camera.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

My reason for using ETTR is; by having taken the time to understand the system and testing my camera I know there are over 2 stops more exposure available beyond where the blinkies start. Normally I don't go beyond 1.7 as I am cautious by nature.

I also know that by exposing +1.7 the shadows will open more with no increase in noise. Yes I could push ISO up a couple of stops but that comes at a price I am unwilling to pay. Increased noise. By exposing more to the right (increasing exposure) everything gets more exposure. While the RAW files are lighter, bringing the exposure down in post recovers highlights without sacrificing shadows . It is really not a hard system to use, unless you are predisposed to being negative about something you don't want to employ.
But, the bottom line is; l am I happy with the images I get using this tool?

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Unless you have looked at the raw file values using RawDigger or some other program that looks directly at the raw file (is there one?) prior to processing, you cannot say with certainty where the blinkies start relative to the maximum 16000 value. Once you have opened the raw file in Adobe or other raw editor you are no longer looking at the raw file.

Since you seem to be using a D600, take a look at Nikon's Blinkies and ETTR and Nikon's Blinkies and ETTR - Followup to see the basis for my statement that the blinkies start close to a raw value of 8000 for my D610 and Df. You should get the virtually identical results that I got with my D610. I also got the same answer when I looked at the A7 II - blinkies starting around a raw value of about 8000. That means that for all three cameras there is only one stop to spare before the start of the blinkies.

The highlight warnings I see in Capture One Pro appear at very close to the same levels (+/- 0.1 stops) as the blinkies in all three cameras - one stop before the raw file blows out according to RawDigger.

I cannot speak for Canon or other brands but the methodology for testing using RawDigger is very simple to apply.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Scotty, as I have said before I have Raw Digger in my tool box. But it does me no good when I manage to get out and play. From previous testing I know I have a certain amount of latitude towards the right. I work with that in mind. If the blinkies start at f/x or SS 1/x I know I can go further and get away with it. It is as simple to do as it was to type this.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Rich, that's exactly the course to take. With testing, I know I can push about 5 or 6 stops, shutter speed, f-stop, or combination of both. That's all I need to know to produce the result I get. The key operative in both of our statements is using RawDigger as a tool to determine how much we can push, especially past the blinkies. That is done with a modicum of testing.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

As I demonstrated in this post.

It graphically illustrates what I said about having only one stop of extra cushion beyond the blinkies.

Notice how far the green histogram extends into the 8000-16000 range, Zone VIII.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Scotty, you keep dragging RawDigger out like it was God's gift to mankind. RawDigger is a tool that once it's used and the information obtained that's it. I don't drag my densitometer out every time I develop a roll or sheet of film. The data is assessed and put to good use afterwards. Your claim of one stop is based on your camera, that's one camera. So, arguing about how many stops is a moot point.
--Bob

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Actually, you just brought it up, not I.

I was just illustrating what you had just posted, "The key operative in both of our statements is using RawDigger as a tool to determine how much we can push, especially past the blinkies."

RawDigger is a research tool, not something anyone would use all of the time.