Canon 10D, histogram, custom settings

[Harry Settle]

There is a lot of general information around, about how to interpret the histogram. Clipping black increase exposure. Clipping white, decrease exposure. Bracketing. . . etc. . . .

I am currently reading an article in the October special "How-To" issue of PC Photo magazine, on histograms.

They go into the same discussion, that I frankly never get enough of, about over and under exposures, and how to read the histogram. . . then they show a very flat histogram and spend a couple of words talking about setting the tone on your camera, show a bad histogram, but never show you a corrected shot.

I never see anything mentioned in any posts about anyone ever changing their tone setting on the 10D to anything other than 0. I plan on experimenting with my camera to see what results I reap, but, I am wondering if anyone has any information/advice on tone and the 10D?

[Scottes]

There is no such thing as a correct histogram.

A good histogram is one where there are no clipped highlights or shadows. Actually, you can even argue that one can clip shadows and still be OK.

As to tone, etc, shoot RAW and AdobeRGB. You'll get the most colors with the largest chance of correcting a photo - changing exposure, white balance, etc. Then use a RAW editor to make the image look good to your eyes.

[Harry Settle]

There is no such thing as a correct histogram.

A good histogram is one where there are no clipped highlights or shadows. Actually, you can even argue that one can clip shadows and still be OK.

As to tone, etc, shoot RAW and AdobeRGB. You'll get the most colors with the largest chance of correcting a photo - changing exposure, white balance, etc. Then use a RAW editor to make the image look good to your eyes.

While I agree that shooting raw and correcting on the computer can be done. I believe that too many are relying on shooting raw and editing as a crutch, instead of shooting the correct shot to start with. I am just attempting to better use my camera. I'm still learning, and not anywhere near the level that some of you others are here, just poking around, asking questions and trying to learn what I can.

[scottbergerphoto]

PC Photo's How To's stink! For a good review on how to use histograms, look in the tutorials of www.luminous-landscape.com .
Scott

[Harry Settle]

PC Photo's How To's stink! For a good review on how to use histograms, look in the tutorials of www.luminous-landscape.com .
Scott

I agree. They always leave me with as many questions as answers.

I have the hang of reading the histograms themselves, I was wondering what effect, if any, changing the tone setting on the 10D has.

I am running my setting from extreme neg. to extreme pos. with no noticeable change. (on the histogram) I am chalking this up to another half-a** review.

Thanks

[scottbergerphoto]

Changing the tone should have no effect on a histogram, provided you aren't looking at an RGB histogram. Chances are, unless you are using a 1 series camera, you haven't switched to that. The 10D and 300D only have Luminosity histograms that only look at 0-255, black to white.
Scott

[cbc]

I found this online video tutorial on http://colorbalancecoach.blogspot.com/ on how to read the photographic histogram, I hope that it can add to this article, and can help you as much as it did for me!

[NickSimcheck]

Thanks for the link, a lot of good stuff on that site...

Maybe a Mod could move this to the appropriate forum, so that other people might learn.