carlos C

Hi I’m new at this forum and I would like to post a question for every who was more experience in photography than me since I’m just a beginner. The question that I have is what are the major pros and cons in regards to shooting TTL and shooting TTR, recently I had found several YouTube videos in which in says is better than the other but don’t give a clear tangible explanation of why one is or is not better than the other. Can somebody with years of field experience share his knowledge about this topic will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

What is TTR? I have never heard that term before.

Welcome to the UHH.

Dennis

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

TTR = Through the Toilet Roll?

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

TTL is a metering technology — "Through The Lens."

In all my 50 years of studying photography, I've never encountered an acronym, 'TTR.'

I think you mean ETTL and ETTR — Expose to the Left and Expose to the Right.

ETTR is an attempt to use the full range of tones available from the sensor, which maximizes dynamic range. It is a different procedure for raw capture than it is for JPEGs captured at the camera.

JPEGs have about +1/3 stop before highlight burnout, and –2/3 stop of exposure latitude for best shadow retention. Raw files have about +/– two full f/stops of latitude in some cameras, a bit less in others. You have to make tests to determine what works for you. Cameras vary.

ETTL has never made sense to me. Essentially, it says, "Avoid highlight burnout at all costs." That means you're working in a very high dynamic range scene, so you expose conservatively to be sure there is detail in all subject matter except specular highlights. (Specular highlights are light sources, OR reflections of the sun or other point source light off of water, glass, or metal. They never contain details. They are supposed to "burn out."

Someone is always trying to come up with some scheme to record more detail in highlights and shadows. Photographic paper has a reflectance range of maybe 5.5 f/stops, which is about what a JPEG or other 8-bit file can contain. At base ISO, your sensor has a dynamic range for raw capture of around 12 to 15 stops, depending its size, age, and camera brand. So ETTL and ETTR are strategies to capture tones outside of the printable or displayable range, with the knowledge that you can compress (recover) them in post-production and simulate reality a little better.

EBTR = Expose BEYOND the Right (of a JPEG histogram, not a raw histogram — cameras don't display raw histograms). How far depends on testing, but the intention is to record more highlight detail and less noise. It only works if you post-process the raw data (JPEGs will be blown out).

Experiment, Experiment, Experiment! Using any of these strategies takes some thought and experience. Fortunately, "digital film" is free, once you buy the memory card!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Two links that might be useful.

ETTR in Practice

ETTR in Practice II

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It's an individual volition.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

I'm going to take a guess. TTR to the right, TTL to the left. Both normally preceded by "expose". Since you are new, you get the benefit of the doubt from me.
Exposing to the right when done while controlling how far to the right will allow you to give more exposure to the image with out blowing out the hi lights. Digital cameras have more latitude in the shadows and you can often expose to the left without sacrificing (too much) shadow detail and is done when highlight detail is the primary concern.
Left and right in this sense refer to which direction the histogram moves in relation to your exposure adjustment

PS exposing to the right can result in less image noise, to the left more

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I have never heard of TTR before. I use Nikon speedlights and the common terminology among Nikon flashes is TTL, TTL-BL, Manual flash and FP or high sync flash. I do not know what camera are you using so I will make reference to what I own, this could be different with other cameras.

TTL means through the lens. The flash uses the exposure meter of the camera to meter the light from the flash in the center of the frame. It works very well indoors but outdoors, if the light is bright it will result in overexposure of the subject. Under those circumstances a -1.7 stops of exposure compensation set in flash is the answer or at least a good beginning. TTL-BL is a term Nikon uses for TTL in back light. This modality of flash makes camera and flash communicate with each other resulting in a very pleasant fill-in flash outdoors. Used indoors the subject will not have enough light and will result in underexposure. For TTL-BL to be effective the subject must be in shadows or partially in shadows like many portraits outdoors.

Manual flash is very useful. It could be metered with a flash meter or start with a fraction of the power, lets say 1/8 of the power if subject is around 12 feet from the camera. If underexposure a higher setting will resolve the problem. Always check the histogram.
FP flash or high sync. flash is used outdoors for when the shutter speed is set beyond the sync speed of the flash. A majority of speedlights sync at 1/250sec as the higher shutter speed for sync. Using FP flash beyond that shutter speed it is possible to use the flash.

If you find out what TTR is, please let us know.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Never heard of TTR but if you’re referring to using a manual flash versus a TTL flash, the end result is the same - proper exposure. The manual flash requires additional setup steps than does the TTL flash. Additionally, a TTL flash can be used in manual mode too. With a manual flash, you have to adjust for subject distance. With a TTL flash, you don’t.

williejoha

Paul, I like your first answer. I use that technique all the time. You made my day, I am still laughing. Have a great day.
WJH

Bill P

Too many stinking acronyms out there. When one acronym is used for a thousand different things it becomes useless.

carlos C

it is when you take a photo and your histogram is exposed to the right but without clipping the highlights.

carlos C

Wow thanks so much for your explanation now it make sense. Thank you

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Carlos, which explanation? We are all trying to help but we are not really sure of your terminology.

AntonioReyna Loc: Los Angeles, California

I am glad you asked the question that I was thinking.