RAW in LR3

[MLeeK]

[QUOTE=jwbryson1;2434703]

Since the brightness level of the rear LCD is user adjustable, and the rear LCD is viewed with hugely varying levels of ambient light, how do you know the brightness level of the rear LCD on your camera matches the metering mode used? Maybe the rear LCD is set to bright, or to dark.

I understand this but how do you reconcile that with the following. I've always heard and have been taught that you can take a photo, look at the LCD screen (assuming that you are not in really bright conditions which makes it tough to view) and get a "reading" of whether the photo looks properly exposed or not properly exposed. It it appears underexposed, you can adjust with the exposure compensation button on the top of the camera, recompose and take the shot again.

If the LCD is totally unreliable for these purposes, then what purpose DOES it serve? You must be able to rely on it for something.

EDIT: The quote above is from KmH, not jwbryson1.

You can rely on the LCD for reading your menus and settings, but when it comes to the image it's only a ROUGH estimate. You need to be using your histogram and the highlight warnings to TRULY know where your exposure falls.

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[Rephargotohp]

[QUOTE=jwbryson1;2434703]

Since the brightness level of the rear LCD is user adjustable, and the rear LCD is viewed with hugely varying levels of ambient light, how do you know the brightness level of the rear LCD on your camera matches the metering mode used? Maybe the rear LCD is set to bright, or to dark.

I understand this but how do you reconcile that with the following. I've always heard and have been taught that you can take a photo, look at the LCD screen (assuming that you are not in really bright conditions which makes it tough to view) and get a "reading" of whether the photo looks properly exposed or not properly exposed. It it appears underexposed, you can adjust with the exposure compensation button on the top of the camera, recompose and take the shot again.

If the LCD is totally unreliable for these purposes, then what purpose DOES it serve? You must be able to rely on it for something.

EDIT: The quote above is from KmH, not jwbryson1.

When people "Look at the screen "it's not to check the image because that image could be all over the place in brightness. What peoplel are checking, is the Histogram, That can give you an idea of exposure IF you know how to read a histogram

[Rephargotohp]

Drat Leeky, you beat me

[MLeeK]

LOL! We must have been typing at the same time!

[Rephargotohp]

I was peeking over your shoulder cuz I know you are the smart one in class

[MLeeK]

ROFLMAO! Um... yeah... Ok. But don't copy my homework cuz it always had problems.

[jwbryson1]

Love him or hate him, he knows what he's talking about. This is from Ken Rockwell's website:

"Even easier, every digital camera has a lighten/darken control, usually a button marked +/-, and cryptically called "exposure compensation." You tweak it to fix the next picture. Easy!

This is easy:

1.) Take a picture.

2.) Look at the LCD.

3.) OK? If yes, you're done. If not:

4.) Adjust +/- control to lighten or darken, and repeat from step 1 until perfect. Some cameras may hide the +/- control in a menu; on Canon compacts, press FUNC and click down one."

And, for the record, I know how to read a histogram.

[KmH]

Since the brightness level of the rear LCD is user adjustable, and the rear LCD is viewed with hugely varying levels of ambient light, how do you know the brightness level of the rear LCD on your camera matches the metering mode used? Maybe the rear LCD is set to bright, or to dark.

I understand this but how do you reconcile that with the following. I've always heard and have been taught that you can take a photo, look at the LCD screen (assuming that you are not in really bright conditions which makes it tough to view) and get a "reading" of whether the photo looks properly exposed or not properly exposed. It it appears underexposed, you can adjust with the exposure compensation button on the top of the camera, recompose and take the shot again.

If the LCD is totally unreliable for these purposes, then what purpose DOES it serve? You must be able to rely on it for something.

EDIT: The quote above is from KmH, not jwbryson1.

Don't believe everthing you hear. Use some logic and critical thinking to sort the wheat from the chaff.

The rear LCD can be used to check framing, if it can zoom into a photo you can check the focus sharpeness, but until they some how make the rear LCD calibrateable it cannot be used reliably to judge exposure.

The histogram even requires a large degree of interpretation as I outlined with the black dog/white dog example. The histograms main purpose is to check for clipping. and even then the histogram really needs to be used so you an see all 3 color channels.

[jwbryson1]

Since the brightness level of the rear LCD is user adjustable, and the rear LCD is viewed with hugely varying levels of ambient light, how do you know the brightness level of the rear LCD on your camera matches the metering mode used? Maybe the rear LCD is set to bright, or to dark.

I understand this but how do you reconcile that with the following. I've always heard and have been taught that you can take a photo, look at the LCD screen (assuming that you are not in really bright conditions which makes it tough to view) and get a "reading" of whether the photo looks properly exposed or not properly exposed. It it appears underexposed, you can adjust with the exposure compensation button on the top of the camera, recompose and take the shot again.

If the LCD is totally unreliable for these purposes, then what purpose DOES it serve? You must be able to rely on it for something.

EDIT: The quote above is from KmH, not jwbryson1.

Don't believe everthing you hear. Use some logic and critical thinking to sort the wheat from the chaff.

The rear LCD can be used to check framing, if it can zoom into a photo you can check the focus sharpeness, but until they some how make the rear LCD calibrateable it cannot be used reliably to judge exposure.

The histogram even requires a large degree of interpretation as I outlined with the black dog/white dog example. The histograms main purpose is to check for clipping. and even then the histogram really needs to be used so you an see all 3 color channels.

I'm not completely in disagreement with you. I get what you are saying.

Do you look at the histogram on every shot while in the field?