Highlights recovery can't be pushed

[verysame]

Hi there,

 

I'm testing a raw image.

Here's what I've noticed. It seems the highlights can be pushed only that much, whereas in Adobe Camera Raw I have more room.

A few images below:

 

[Kodiak]

•

 

Hi verysame!

 

Yes, I noticed something similar… though I was comparing AP

with an other RAW converter.

 

I notice, as well, that your example is more on the extreme side

of recovery though I prefer the -100 of AP to that of PS. In this

very example, AP seems to render more tasteful results.

[James Ritson]

Hey, you are correct, the highlights slider can seem a little underpowered at first. Have you tried removing the tone curve? See the video Raw Conversion Quality and it'll show you how to do this: http://affin.co/rawquality

 

Having removed the tone curve, you should find the highlights slider much more effective. You can then add your own custom tone curve (again, the video demonstrates this) and shape the tonal range how you want.

 

Hope that helps!

[jorismak]

Don't forget that PS / Cameraraw also 'reconstructs' the top end of the highlights from the channels that are not clipped. So it really 'generates' more detail at the top, which you then pull back. No other programs (or not many) do this, so it will often have an edge up in this case. The tone-curve really is the key to get everything out of it in Affinity (which I like to work in linear space)

[verysame]

•

 

Hi verysame!

 

Yes, I noticed something similar… though I was comparing AP

with an other RAW converter.

 

I notice, as well, that your example is more on the extreme side

of recovery though I prefer the -100 of AP to that of PS. In this

very example, AP seems to render more tasteful results.

 

 

Hi Kodiak,

 

Good point, I too prefer AP's result in this case.

Nonetheless, there might be situations where a more manageable dynamic range can be handy,

 

Hey, you are correct, the highlights slider can seem a little underpowered at first. Have you tried removing the tone curve? See the video Raw Conversion Quality and it'll show you how to do this: http://affin.co/rawquality

 

Having removed the tone curve, you should find the highlights slider much more effective. You can then add your own custom tone curve (again, the video demonstrates this) and shape the tonal range how you want.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Hey James,

 

Yes, in the example I posted I imported the raw removing the tone curve.

Thanks for the link, though!

 

Don't forget that PS / Cameraraw also 'reconstructs' the top end of the highlights from the channels that are not clipped. So it really 'generates' more detail at the top, which you then pull back. No other programs (or not many) do this, so it will often have an edge up in this case. The tone-curve really is the key to get everything out of it in Affinity (which I like to work in linear space)

 

Hey Jorismak,

 

I tried Capture One, which if I remember it gives such dynamic to play with.

But you are right, not all editors allow to push too much.

I'm going to try RawTherapee again as right off the bat I can't remember how it did handle such situations.