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Nikon D810 Live Histogram Accuracy

jvora

Member
Hello :

Is the Live Histogram when viewed under Live View an accurate 14bit RAW Data representation or does it mimic data as shown once an image is taken which I believe is based on jpeg data and not RAW Data.

Kindly confirm.



Jai
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I don't know the correct answer, but have always assumed it's based on the image preview/projection onto the LCD...

OTOH, the internal metering is so good, I can't ever recall egregiously blowing a highlight using it.
 

jvora

Member
. . .

OTOH, the internal metering is so good, I can't ever recall egregiously blowing a highlight using it.
I find the internal ( via viewfinder ) metering conservative as well - Say this as when I get the RAW file to Bridge, I see that more “room” at the ends ( shadow or highlight ) than the histogram the camera shows AFTER the image has been shot in the non-live-view mode which results in highlights not being blown even if the jpeg data shows clipped or about to b clipped highlights.

It was this experience that got me to question if the histogram in the live-view mode was real data or like the non-live-view histogram which I believe is based on jpeg data.


Jai
 

bab

Active member
If you shoot and compare to Raw Digger you will have your answer! I would imagine the "RAW" histogram in camera has built in protection but the IDEA! of separate channel view with the RAW histogram is very useful in determining low light image captures. Especially when you can set the proper white balance/ color temp.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
The live histogram is from the live view image. And that is not about accuracy, but precision. The question is whether it is a good statistical sample on which to base exposure? You will have to test that.
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
The live view histogram is almost certainly based on a live video feed, in other words a decimated and processed acquisition. It will be at least debayered, zero offset corrected, white point corrected, color balanced, gamma corrected, and possibly noise filtered. Not necessarily in that order, and quite likely by a hardware, live (i.e. simplified, approximate preview) video processor, not the stills image processor.
 
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