Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: LCCs - should be in the middle at '0' or to the right +1, +2 ?  (Read 1043 times)

narikin

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1371

I see the levels graph has a Zero in the middle, presumably to indicate correct exposure, but then goes +1 +2 to the right. should I be aiming my LCCs at the Zero exposure or be going higher - following 'Expose To The Right' (ETTR)?  Doubt it makes much difference in the end, but would like to know what is the correct aim point for LCC exposures.

Thanks
Logged

dchew

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1020
    • Dave Chew Photography
Re: LCCs - should be in the middle at '0' or to the right +1, +2 ?
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2018, 07:04:11 am »

I aim for “just right of neutral,” so not too much of the distribution is below “zero.”  But I can’t say I’ve ever seen a difference in the result when using darker LCCs.

Dave
Logged

Bart_van_der_Wolf

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8913
Re: LCCs - should be in the middle at '0' or to the right +1, +2 ?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2018, 09:46:57 am »

I see the levels graph has a Zero in the middle, presumably to indicate correct exposure, but then goes +1 +2 to the right. should I be aiming my LCCs at the Zero exposure or be going higher - following 'Expose To The Right' (ETTR)?  Doubt it makes much difference in the end, but would like to know what is the correct aim point for LCC exposures.

Hi,

In principle, it's best to somewhat ETTR, because that improves the Signal to Noise ratio (reduces apparent noise) which can be helpful for accurate dust removal. I think that the LCC image might be somewhat blurred (like it's done in other software) before removal of Lens Casts, but I do not have details about the exact algorithm used. I suspect it's not as sensitive to noise if it's indeed blurred. Also, using a low ISO can already help.

Cheers,
Bart
Logged
== If you do what you did, you'll get what you got. ==

narikin

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1371
Re: LCCs - should be in the middle at '0' or to the right +1, +2 ?
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2018, 10:25:05 am »

Thanks for advice.
Just to add a query to this: I mostly see 'dust removal' as a checked option in a processed LCC, but some other times it is greyed out. Even if I remake it.  Does this simply mean there was no dust to be removed, or is something else going on?

(this is partly why I wondered if I was exposing wrongly somehow)
Logged

Bart_van_der_Wolf

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 8913
Re: LCCs - should be in the middle at '0' or to the right +1, +2 ?
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2018, 10:42:47 am »

Thanks for advice.
Just to add a query to this: I mostly see 'dust removal' as a checked option in a processed LCC, but some other times it is greyed out. Even if I remake it.  Does this simply mean there was no dust to be removed, or is something else going on?

(this is partly why I wondered if I was exposing wrongly somehow)

Don't know, never noticed it myself. However, it could indicate there's too much noise to do a good job. For the metering of my camera, which places the exposure of a uniform exposure in the center of the histogram, I routinely use +2 EV on the metering of an LCC shot, which still leaves me 1.3 stops below clipping.

Cheers,
Bart
Logged
== If you do what you did, you'll get what you got. ==
Pages: [1]   Go Up