Sigma Photo Pro contd.

JPEG notes

All JPEG's provided in this section of the review were saved at the 95% quality level, click here for more information.

Adjustment examples

Below you will find a range of different images all of which were created from the same X3F RAW source file. These images are designed to demonstrate the changes to the image each adjustment makes, obviously you can combine any of these adjustments as you desire. The word 'histogram' below is used to represent the exposure histogram of the image, histograms (from Photo Pro) for each adjustment are shown directly below their thumbnail.

Adjustment Mode

Three adjustment modes are available: Default, Auto and Custom. Default is as the name implies default processing, all adjustments set to 0.0. When set to Auto Photo Pro will attempt to optimize the image by making full use of the histogram and making subtle saturation adjustments when required. Custom implies some manual modification of an adjustment, a custom set can be saved and recalled from the drop-down list box shown.

Exposure (+/- 2.0 in 0.1 steps)

The exposure adjustment allows you to apply 'digital exposure compensation'. By moving the slider you are in effect applying positive or negative exposure compensation to the RAW data. This can be most useful for 'pushing' under exposed shots, the ability to pull detail out of over exposed highlights depends on the captured dynamic range, in our experience the SD9 had at least a stop (1 EV) of detail above highlight.

Exposure -1.0	Exposure 0.0	Exposure +1.0

Contrast (+/- 2.0 in 0.1 steps)

Contrast changes by stretching (increasing contrast; light shades become lighter, dark become darker) or compressing (decreasing contrast) the histogram across the dark to light scale.

Contrast -1.0	Contrast 0.0	Contrast +1.0

Shadow (+/- 2.0 in 0.1 steps)

The shadow adjustment allows you to make darker parts of the image darker (negative adjustment) or lighter (positive adjustment) without affecting light parts of the image. This essentially stretches or compresses just the bottom end of the histogram leaving the top end clamped and unchanged.

Shadow -1.0	Shadow 0.0	Shadow +1.0

Highlight (+/- 2.0 in 0.1 steps)

In a similar way to the shadow adjustment the highlight adjustment allows you to make lighter parts of the image lighter (positive adjustment) or darker (negative adjustment). This can be very useful for maintaining the overall look of the image while retrieving some overexposed detail such as sky color.

Highlight -1.0	Highlight 0.0	Highlight +1.0

Saturation (+/- 2.0 in 0.1 steps)

You have a wide range of color saturation control, everything from black and white to very vivid color. This adjustment is useful for applying subtle tweaks to color response, especially after some exposure or contrast adjustment.

Saturation -1.0	Saturation 0.0	Saturation +1.0