Digital Histograms

bogleric · Jun 28, 2005

Does anyone have some good reading relating to histograms for digital pictures. The RAW editors have themto display color levels, etc. However I would like to be able to interpret them better.

Any info / links is appreciated.

Thanks.

spiralout · Jun 28, 2005

I've always been curious about them myself... I never was good at the whole chart/graph thing.

I'd be interested to hear what they do, too.

*useless spam*

danalec99 · Jun 28, 2005

Understanding Histograms

DaphneOracle · Jun 29, 2005

Thanks for the link. It was uh.... enlightening,

Bryant

ksmattfish · Jun 29, 2005

If you search for "expose to the right" you will come up with a lot of articles (for and against exposing to the right) about histograms and exposure.

Digital Matt · Jun 29, 2005

If you just read every article on the luminous landscape website, you will be pretty informed about digital photography and photoshop.

bogleric · Jun 29, 2005

That was an excellent link, lots of interesting stuff... I had not been to the luminous landscape website before.

Thanks!

iSellJerseyShore · Jun 29, 2005

I think I need to read that article again on luminous landscape.... After I read it I was like "HUH?"... That was partially due to the fact that I was reading while I was half asleep....

Just wondering how many people here actually view the Histogram while you are shooting?

-iSellJerseyShore

Digital Matt · Jun 29, 2005

I always view the histogram. It's the only way to truly judge your exposure. You do not get an accurate picture from your little lcd screen. My 20D's screen, even at the lowest brightness, shows every photo at least a stop brighter. The historgram is the only way for me to know I got what I want.

colintinto · Jun 30, 2005

Yep, I've got my 300D set up to pop up the histogram after every shot. It's a great way to tell if you need to adjust things a bit.

One of my friends with the same camera was amazed when I showed the feature to him - he had no idea the camera could do that, and now swears by it.

Colin

iSellJerseyShore · Jun 30, 2005

Is there any other "suggested" reading for info about Histograms & how to use them?

-iSellJerseyShore

SLOShooter · Jun 30, 2005

I always look at the histogram first just to get a rough idea of the exposure and then I look at the image if need be.

Big Mike · Jun 30, 2005

iSellJerseyShore said:
Is there any other "suggested" reading for info about Histograms & how to use them?

Have you read the Luminous-Landscape article? That one, along with a handful of other articles there will give you a pretty comprehensive understanding of the histogram.

iSellJerseyShore · Jun 30, 2005

Yes I have, but it just kinda left me hanging there.... I think I will read it again...

-iSellJerseyShore

bogleric · Jun 30, 2005

Since reading these articles I have set my Rebel XT(350D) to always show the histogram and played around with it. This truly is a great tool to use. It helps take away the surprises when you load the image onto your computer and find it isn't what you thought.

I like the overlaying image and shooting to the right ideas. Does anyone have any thoughts as to which is best. The way I undestanding the overlay is you would have a frame exposed to the right for highlights and one more to the left for shadows. Which yields a better result by your experience?