Histogram, who uses it?

gonzogolf wrote in post #14564300
Yes, provided that preserving your highlights is your primary goal.

It's a question of keeping as much highlights as possible while looking how much of the graph that is lost to the left.

pwm2 wrote in post #14564473
It's a question of keeping as much highlights as possible while looking how much of the graph that is lost to the left.

Assuming that is the photo that you want to take.

pwm2 wrote in post #14564473
It's a question of keeping as much highlights as possible while looking how much of the graph that is lost to the left.

exactly. When dynamic range exceeds the sensor's ability to record it, you have to decide where and what you lose, the histogram lets you know where that is.

AAphotog wrote in post #14560855
Who uses the in camera histogram when shooting?
I have never used it and am wondering the benefits.
I usually shoot people (in manual mode) and just check that my exposure is dead center.
I know that there's a reason for the histogram and I am far from a professional(I think I have made it to the beginners stage by now)
So please people, SCHOOL ME!

I ALWAYS use it. And I use the RGB histogram.

Not entirely sure what you mean by "dead centre", but if you mean you are centering the histogram, then IMO, that's incorrect. One should adjust the settings (ISO, shutter, f/stop) so that the histogram is just touching or going past the right edge. ETTR = expose to the right.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorial​s/expose-right.shtml

If you are shooting RAW, then set your (Canon) to a minus 2 value for Contrast - this will help to get it closer to the actual RAW file. Don't know if this applies to other brands.

Personally I have found that if the exposure is a bit off the right edge (some would say over-exposed), I can recover the RAW file in Lightroom.

You must also consider the comments about dynamic range that are mentioned in the above posts.

If you are shooting JPEG, don't bother.

Glenn

elrey2375 wrote in post #14564508
Assuming that is the photo that you want to take.

Of course - if shooting jpeg, it's important to think about the final print when selecting the exposure. If shooting raw, the main thing is to capture what's important and then adjust before printing.

In the end, life is easy when the scene has little dynamic range, while a scene with big dynamic range will force us to sacrifice something. Maybe some clipped highlights. Or maybe some extra noise in the shadows. Or maybe some features totally lost in the shadows.

I always use it--my display is set for thumbnail and histogram on all my bodies

Mark II wrote in post #14564168
This ^^^

The only time I check the photo itself is to check for focus & sharpness.

"Blinkies" are ok for the overexposed but do nothing for the other exposure info.

Not until I started using the tools needed did I start getting what I wanted.

same here.

AJSJones wrote in post #14564291
That's all they're intended for I have them on by default, because it's easy to miss a spike at the right edge of the histogram. If you want to maximize the recorded dynamic range, you need to have your highest "non-blown" values just to the left of the right edge of the histogram - but not at the edge - the blinks tell you the rest of what you need to know.

gonzogolf wrote in post #14564300
Yes, provided that preserving your highlights is your primary goal.

I didn't exactly express the thoughts I had in mind - "you need to have the highest values you want to keep from being blown out" - exchange the red texts!

Rarely.

I'm really new at this, so I have come to depend on it.

I just don't trust my eyes yet, but am getting better at having the histogram reflect what I am trying to accomplish in manual. I'm still surprised when the exposure is exactly where I wanted it and don't have to change the Brightness in CPP at all.