Highlight Alert enabled on menus - Why?

swag72

swag72

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Sara
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I have followed Ric Type R's thread on menu settings for his 5D mkII. I looked with interest at the settings listed by EdBray and ccsharry. Anyway, I have played with the menu on my 50d and got that how it suits me - I have often wondered about whether you use the highlight alert.

I didn't get on with it at all, and I am surprised to see togs with far more experience than me using it. So, I guess I am asking why? I know what it does, but I just wonder what you gain from using it, then how you rectify what it tells you.

Sorry if I look really stupid now:bonk:
 
I enable highlight alert to show if I have exposed to far to the right. Digital camera use fully half their available tonal values on the birighest stops worth of data, so it is best to try and get the histogram as far right as possible without clipping.

Btw when shooting in RAW the histogram shown is that of the JPEG version of the image and not the raw image itself so a tiny bit of highlight clipping may be because of the JPEG processing.
 
Is this the 'thing' that most DSLRs do when in Histogram view, only now it's in full-screen?

I.e. blinking those areas which are over-exposed?
 
Another question that shows how little I have really tried this out!

When it shows that there are over exposed highlights, is this on the LCD when the picture has been taken or through the view finder as you compose the shot?
 
Yep, they are often known as "blinkies" for that reason. I'l often do a quick test shot to check for blinkies if I'm shooting at a wedding for the sole reason that I don't want to blow the highlights on the dress. Groom in dark colours and Bride in white is a classic situation for the camera going for 18% and blowing out the dress. Depending on the lighting and situation I'll either spot meter for the dress or dial in a little underexposure.

In a studio I always do a test shot, I've got loads of time then.
 
swag72 said:
When it shows that there are over exposed highlights, is this on the LCD when the picture has been taken or through the view finder as you compose the shot?
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It wouldn't be the viewfinder. The only 'active' part of that view is the superimposed display at the bottom and the focus points.

It would be on the LCD display, during picture review. I had a mooch about and found this which might be of some use to you.
 
AliB said:
I'l often do a quick test shot to check for blinkies if I'm shooting at a wedding for the sole reason that I don't want to blow the highlights on the dress. Groom in dark colours and Bride in white is a classic situation for the camera going for 18% and blowing out the dress. Depending on the lighting and situation I'll either spot meter for the dress or dial in a little underexposure.

In a studio I always do a test shot, I've got loads of time then.
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Maybe my type of pictures demonstrate why I have not found this of use. I can understand it on studio shots and the weddings - But wildlife? By the time I'd checked out the LCD the damn thing would have dissapeared!!
 
I think you are probably right swag! Plus the camera will expose better in those kind of natural surroundings than a huge meringue wedding dress. :)
 
I use it - I often intentionally blow out parts of the photo, so then the histogram becomes of less use. I want to know if the areas of the photo that I want correctly exposed are still OK.
 
swag72 said:
Maybe my type of pictures demonstrate why I have not found this of use. I can understand it on studio shots and the weddings - But wildlife? By the time I'd checked out the LCD the damn thing would have dissapeared!!
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The first thing that came to mind for me even before I read this post was swans. If you take a picture of a swan and the bird is blinking at you then you know you have no feather detail and have to adjust your exposure to get it. It is much better to find out in the field than to get home and find everything blown :)
 
If you're working wildlife then perhaps you should meter for the surroundings (probably mostly green!) and fix the exposure manually. Then you stand a better chance of catching your 'prey' in a better light
 
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