OUT Of Interest - Live View and Histogram

[mikew09]

Just out of interest as I struggle to develop my landscape / country style photography.

1. Who uses live view for landscape / seascape / sunrise / set photo shooting

and

2. Who uses the in camera histogram to check lighting / exposure at capture time.

I have used the histogram in PP with my limited knowledge of how it should look but never as an in camera aid.

Really interested to hear how this technique is used to improve the capture. To be honest, though I have had an initial play, have never really used live view in the 50D - to date :-)

[enVision]

I use live view often, but not all the time. I use the in-camera histogram all the time. I like it because I can see where I need to adjust the exposure.

[William]

:) Morning Mike, I shoot with my 30D , It does'nt have Live View, I line all my shots up with the View Finder, And every shot that I take I work off the In Camera Histogram, Every shot , I shoot in full manual RAW so I need to see if anything is blowing out or to dark in the Image so I can adjust the exposure accordingly , My keeper rate is usually about 98% out of 60 to 70 shots on a morning shoot ;)

[mikew09]

I use live view often, but not all the time. I use the in-camera histogram all the time. I like it because I can see where I need to adjust the exposure.

Thanks enVision. I can definately see the advantage in in camera histogram - I just need to learn how to use it correctly :-). Some members have pointed me to some tutorials which no doubt will help.

[terry.langham]

I will use live view only when I can't get a decent look through the viewfinder, but usually only to compose the shot once then turn it off while I am shooting the scene. I have found the battery dies really quick when using live view constantly.

Always use the histogram for landscapes and when getting a 'base' exposure in other situations. However in PP I rarely pay much attention to the entire histogram, but will use it to see what areas are blown out or blacked out.

[enVision]

Thanks enVision. I can definately see the advantage in in camera histogram - I just need to learn how to use it correctly :-). Some members have pointed me to some tutorials which no doubt will help.

Online ones? The only tutorial I've used which involved histograms was on a CD that came with a photography magazine I bought, but it was very basic.

[mikew09]

:) Morning Mike, I shoot with my 30D , It does'nt have Live View, I line all my shots up with the View Finder, And every shot that I take I work off the In Camera Histogram, Every shot , I shoot in full manual RAW so I need to see if anything is blowing out or to dark in the Image so I can adjust the exposure accordingly , My keeper rate is usually about 98% out of 60 to 70 shots on a morning shoot ;)

Thanks William. Defiantely see the value in using the histogram, I need to understand how to apply it effectively now. That is very interesting about your keeper percentage - not so for me :-). Hopefully understanding how to use in camera histogram will assist.

[Kym]

I use live view often, but not all the time. I use the in-camera histogram all the time. I like it because I can see where I need to adjust the exposure.

For landscapes off the tripod, esp. sunsets etc. I do the same.

[mudman]

mike, what i do is if the histogram is too far to the right (over exposure) i adjust the ev until the histogram is more to the left.
if nothing else i don't blow the highlights, and at times i get a histogram which has a long flat centre top area with little or no graph at either end. this seems to indicate good mid tones (which is what i try for) and little over or under exposure.
be aware that if you look at the histgram created by your software in PP it may not appear the same as your camera's histogram.
cheers

[Irru]

Both of my cameras only have live view (EVF), so that is not a decision I have to make.
I do love having the histogram there. I do not often shoot in M mode. I only have one dial on the GH2, and if I am using aperture/shutter priority mode, that dial controls that particular setting. If I push the dial in though (it is a push button as well) then it adjusts exposure comp, which is a combination of the other two exposure settings.

eg, in A mode, exposure comp adjusts shutter speed and iso, with the iso restricted within a range that I've set. If I have set a specific iso, then the exposure comp only adjusts shutter speed.

So I compose my shot, choose my aperture, and look at the histogram. If it is blowing out, I adjust the exposure comp.

It boils down to how easy it is for you to adjust Ev. If it is easy then use it! if not, consider using manual instead.

[Scotty72]

I'm similar to Kym in my usuage: If the camera is on a tripod, I mostly use LV (almost always).

Especially for landscapes and things like Vivid etc. (whereas, anything that requires fast focusing = LV is useless).

Generally, the newer cameras have a high res screen and a live histogramme. So, I tend to compose the shot in LV; then, if it's tricky lighting, I'll use the histogramme (generally, I try to go as far right as I can before I get blow-outs (sort like the modern Labor party :cool:); then, use the 10x LV zoom to help me manually focus then, fire away.

Scotty

[I @ M]

Online ones? The only tutorial I've used which involved histograms was on a CD that came with a photography magazine I bought, but it was very basic.

Here are two pages that will give you a good start.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/histograms1.htm

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/histograms2.htm

[ricstew]

Am I the only one who chimps and uses the blinkies? Although I do use the histo as well .....
cheers
Jan

[William]

Am I the only one who chimps and uses the blinkies? Although I do use the histo as well .....
cheers
Jan

:D No Jan, your not alone, I use the blinkies combined with the Histogram as well ;)

[Irru]

... What are the 'blinkies'?

[William]

... What are the 'blinkies'?

On my Camera, It's a highlight warning that flashes on and off in the blownout parts of the image thats on the same screen as the Histogram, Newer camera's may be different :)

[enVision]

I use that also. On my camera, and therefore, I'll assume most camera's, when reviewing the images with the histogram, it also has that 'blinkies' thing showing at the same time, which means I can use both :)

[mrDooba]

I use the histogram and the blinkies all the time.
When I expose I aim to slightly overexpose the brightest parts of the scene:eek: Doing this will mean I get the most amount of detail possible(especially in the dark parts):D It's a fine line and I want the slightly overexposed parts to be easily recoverable in ACR.

[kiwi]

Am I the only one who chimps and uses the blinkies? Although I do use the histo as well .....
cheers
Jan

Yes

[ricstew]

Nahanah no I'm not Kiwi......I like my blinkies. The yellow for the blacks and reds for the whites. After a while you get to recognise how much and where they blink and how much you can recover in LR or where ever. I love the histogram in LR.....

[mikew09]

mike, what i do is if the histogram is too far to the right (over exposure) i adjust the ev until the histogram is more to the left.
if nothing else i don't blow the highlights, and at times i get a histogram which has a long flat centre top area with little or no graph at either end. this seems to indicate good mid tones (which is what i try for) and little over or under exposure.
be aware that if you look at the histgram created by your software in PP it may not appear the same as your camera's histogram.
cheers

Thanks Mudman - will keep that in mind for sure. I am starting to look forward to utilising the histogram and the use of setting to get the correct capture.

[mikew09]

For landscapes off the tripod, esp. sunsets etc. I do the same.

Thanks Kym

[mikew09]

Both of my cameras only have live view (EVF), so that is not a decision I have to make.
I do love having the histogram there. I do not often shoot in M mode. I only have one dial on the GH2, and if I am using aperture/shutter priority mode, that dial controls that particular setting. If I push the dial in though (it is a push button as well) then it adjusts exposure comp, which is a combination of the other two exposure settings.

eg, in A mode, exposure comp adjusts shutter speed and iso, with the iso restricted within a range that I've set. If I have set a specific iso, then the exposure comp only adjusts shutter speed.

So I compose my shot, choose my aperture, and look at the histogram. If it is blowing out, I adjust the exposure comp.

It boils down to how easy it is for you to adjust Ev. If it is easy then use it! if not, consider using manual instead.

Very easy to adjust on the 50D

[mikew09]

I'm similar to Kym in my usuage: If the camera is on a tripod, I mostly use LV (almost always).

Especially for landscapes and things like Vivid etc. (whereas, anything that requires fast focusing = LV is useless).

Generally, the newer cameras have a high res screen and a live histogramme. So, I tend to compose the shot in LV; then, if it's tricky lighting, I'll use the histogramme (generally, I try to go as far right as I can before I get blow-outs (sort like the modern Labor party :cool:); then, use the 10x LV zoom to help me manually focus then, fire away.

Scotty

Thanks Scotty, histogram use seems to be the key thing to get my head around.

[mikew09]

Am I the only one who chimps and uses the blinkies? Although I do use the histo as well .....
cheers
Jan

Thanks ricstew, I will ahve to have a look at my 50D, I am not sure it has them in camera.

[mikew09]

Test status change

[Scotty72]

Since writing this, I've acquired a hoodman Loupe to use with Liveview. I Don't know what I did without it. :D

[dantheman]

Live view is great for composition and focus, but also serves as a mirror lock up. with programs like ACR i never bother to use histograms.
Dan

[mikew09]

Since writing this, I've acquired a hoodman Loupe to use with Liveview. I Don't know what I did without it. :D

Never seen one of these loupes before but can definately see the attraction in them. I often go out for a morning walk as an early lunch break to take photos (just a practice / improve skill type thing) very very often the shot is hard to view on the lcd. Depending on cost I may consider one of these - thanks Scotty.

[Scotty72]

Never seen one of these loupes before but can definately see the attraction in them. I often go out for a morning walk as an early lunch break to take photos (just a practice / improve skill type thing) very very often the shot is hard to view on the lcd. Depending on cost I may consider one of these - thanks Scotty.

Like many things - you have the choice between name brands at around $100+ or the eBay knockoffs from about $30. However, experience tells me that with optics, you get what you pay for.

[johndom]

At work I just use the highlights/blinkies for exposure advice. The histogram is extremely useful info, but the highlights tell you more quicker.
The other thing with the camera screen, it is way more contrasty than the images ,and one has to remember not to lose ones nerve when looking at it.

[graemelee]

Thanks for the links to Histogram understanding I & M

[mikew09]

Since starting this thread I have started using the histogram more and more, especially with landscape shot. It does help me capture as full as possible dynamic range in the shot to aide pp later on. Not tht great at it yet but getting there.

[melmo78]

i only use live view if i cant get low enough to the ground to see through the view finder if i want a composition thats from the ground facing up etc.

Im starting to use the histogram and the blinkies more.