# 5DMK2's histogram cf'd to Lr's



## dmd (Nov 5, 2011)

I know that the LCD previews on the 5DMk2 are jpegs and not the raw versions that I have the camera set for.  Since I use the histogram as a light meter of sorts, I pay lots of attention to it and found that, although the camera's highlight alert might show some clipping, the camera's histogram sometimes doesn't and it isn't until I import the shot that Lightroom's histogram DOES show the clipping.  Is this because the 5D's "Highlight Alert" is actually showing clipping in the raw version while the 5D's histogram is of the jpeg?  If so, then I'm thinking that the camera's "Highlight Alert" and the Lightroom histogram are both reading the raw file while the 5D's histogram is reading the jpeg.  Do you know if that's true?  This isn't life or death stuff, but it does seem odd.  Thanks


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## RikkFlohr (Nov 5, 2011)

If you reset your imported Raw file using the Lightroom>General Zeroed preset does it still show clipping?

Often clipping is introduced due to LR's default import processing (Namely the Brightness +50 and the Contrast +25 settings although others can affect this)


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## dmd (Nov 5, 2011)

Actually, Lightroom and the camera's "highlight alert" agree and both show clipping.  Only the camera's histogram does not.  Since some of you own the 5DMk2, I was hoping that maybe you'd seen this sort of thing and knew the reason.  I will certainly check brightness and contrast but am wondering if this warrants having the camera checked.  Lightroom itself seems never to have had issues with it's histogram (my conjecture only).


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## Jim Wilde (Nov 5, 2011)

I can't really answer your question, as I don't have the "Highlight Alert" enabled....in fact I had to RTFM to even find it! 

However I did find one image on my card that showed clipping with the Highlight Alert when I enabled it, also a touch in the camera Histogram, and a touch when imported. Applying the General Zero preset reduced some of the highlight clipping (and all of the black clipping). Not sure that helps you at all, as I couldn't really see an issue anywhere. I expected some clipping, that's what I got. One thing though, because I shoot Raw only most of my camera settings are fairly neutral so I wouldn't expect a huge difference between in camera Jpeg and imported Raw with standard develop settings.


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## dmd (Nov 5, 2011)

That's what I expected to hear.  It's probably a minor camera issue which I'll look into.


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## Adrian Malloch (Nov 7, 2011)

The histogram and the flashing highlights on the 5DmkII shows that the file is clipped outside of the 8bit (effectively 8 stop) brightness range that the Jpeg preview file (or indeed any image file) can show. However, since the raw file (not an image file!) is able to hold about 1.5 stops more highlight and 3 stops more shadow detail, then the clipping indicator should not be treated as an absolute boundary. It is just an indicator, but a very reliable one. That 1.5 stops extra highlight range isn't entirely useful image tone though; if you've pushed the limits by overexposing, those highlights tend to look a bit scratchy and quickly lose saturation as they are made visible by the Exposure slider in Lightroom.
I'd recommend you work around with the Picture styles menu on the camera. It doesn't affect the raw file at all, but it does change the way the LCD preview displays, and at what point the highlight warning flashing kicks in. Generally a flatter, duller Picture style will produce a more accurate highlight indication. Don't take it too far though; you could end up with un-recoverable highlights because the warnings have kicked in too late.
I don't take too much notice of the Histogram in Lightroom. Instead I use threshold mode (option on Mac, alt on Windows) when I'm dragging the Exposure slider to the left. If you've exposed it correctly, then by moving the slider until the last area you want detail disappears (the viewable clipping point) in the Threshold view, then move it left another 50 Exposure units (I think of it as half a stop). That area will now just hold detail. Do the same with Blacks, but leave it at the clipping point. You just want to see a feathery tracing of black scattered around your picture. No blocked out areas. Then use Fill and Brightness to make your picture look right. If you've moved them significantly, then you will need to go back to Exposure and Blacks to ensure you have the clipping points set right.
Good exposure, coupled with this technique has produced the most 'photographic' looking pictures for me and my students. It becomes the starting point for whatever creative technique you want to apply afterwards. As a photojournalist, I find that they are virtually ready for publication; though some refinement in Photoshop can lift them further.
Adrian


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## dmd (Nov 7, 2011)

Adrian,
Thanks for the cogent reply; that the discrepancy is actually between the jpeg image and the raw file and is not a hardware issue.  And thanks as well for the really insightful Lightroom technique tip.
Alex


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