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Exposure technique - and exposure technology

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member

In July 2003 Michael Reichmann wrote this article “Expose to the Right” about Maximizing S/N Ratio in Digital Photography.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml


Now he has this new ‘part II’ article “Optimizing Exposure” from August 2011 about the mystery:
Why Do Camera Makers Give Us 19th Century Exposures With Our 21st Century Cameras?
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/optimizing_exposure.shtml


Interesting question, I think.
I imagine that Exposure To The Right could at least be available as an optional feature in RAW Format capture.
 

Lars

Active member
Some of Reichmann's conclusions have merit, but there are so many factual errors in that second article that I lost count.

There's always centerweighted, spot, and average metering for those who dont like matrix-style metering. And manual of course. Sounds like someone is just spoiled and lazy. I'm not even convinced that he understands how metering works.

For example, his idea that noise is caused by quantization and that is why dark areas are more noisy.:ROTFL:

He should stick to making informercials and let guest writers do the more technical writing.
 
S

Shelby Lewis

Guest
Ha! Funny Lars!

Anecdotally, I've also noticed that my Aptus II 6 files seem richer, "juicier" if you will, when I don't push them too hard to the right. I'm not sure there is any good answer... it could just be the way I process (ie. I'm the variable)... but, ETTR sometimes does some things tonality-wise to my files that I don't like.

I just try to get 'em like I want 'em in the camera if possible.
 

Anders_HK

Member
With a capable sensor and if the scene is clearly within the DR capability there may in fact be no need to ETTR, e.g. most portraits. If we speak of HDR landscapes and similar ETTR can be necessary in order to assure that the scene is to acceptance within the DR capability of sensor. In the end it comes down to the scene vs. DR limits and capability of our media and how "rich" with info we desire/need the files to be, does it not?

Regards
Anders
 

weinschela

Subscriber Member
ETTR is indeed available as an option. It is called exposure comp. Just set it where you want it. Personally, I have tried ETTR, and have returned to trying to get a conventional exposure right and dealing with shadows/highlights in PP. But this is an age-old debate.
 

Mike Woods

New member
Interesting article, particularly the bit about black cat/coal and white cat/snow receiving the same positive compensation.

I'm still thinking that one through:confused:

Mike
 
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