Highlight tone priority question

Zinch · Jul 12, 2020

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it with my phone...

It is a good practice to leave the Highlight tone priority ON all the time (in the M50)?

Also, is it reliable? I just found the option and haven't tested it. Do you use the "Enable" or "Enhanced" option?

I ask because I don't know if it affects the IQ. All I have found looking around in the web is it makes the base ISO (100) as one step higher (200), but that doesn't seem something I will notice (ISO 200 is pretty good in the M50).

Thank you!

Dareshooter · Jul 12, 2020

Well if you shoot raw and develop in a third party converter HTP won't be recognised and will probably look too dark. Canons DPP will apply HTP so your images will look as you shot them. OOC jpegs will be fine.

Zinch · Jul 12, 2020

Dareshooter said:
Well if you shoot raw and develop in a third party converter HTP won't be recognised and will probably look too dark. Canons DPP will apply HTP so your images will look as you shot them. OOC jpegs will be fine.

I thought what Highlight tone priority dis was modify the metering to try to not burn the highlights. Similar to what you do if reduce the EV to -1 (for example). It isn't the same? If there aren't any burn highlights, the Highlights tone priority does anything?

xtam667 · Jul 12, 2020

The theory is that HTP changes the tone curve at A/D converter level to preserve more highlights at the expense of noisier shadows. It is like exposing the highlights at a lower ISO than the shadows. It affects both RAW and JPEG. Auto Lighting Optimizer (ALO) is somewhat similar but is part of the JPEG engine so has no effect on RAW.

My experience using HTP since it had been introduced many years ago is that it makes a small but visible difference and the shadow noise penalty is bearable at low-ish ISO values. I try to keep HTP off by default and only switch it on for strongly lit high contrast subjects.

Pradipart · Jul 13, 2020

Zinch said:
Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it with my phone...

It is a good practice to leave the Highlight tone priority ON all the time (in the M50)?

Also, is it reliable? I just found the option and haven't tested it. Do you use the "Enable" or "Enhanced" option?

I ask because I don't know if it affects the IQ. All I have found looking around in the web is it makes the base ISO (100) as one step higher (200), but that doesn't seem something I will notice (ISO 200 is pretty good in the M50).

Thank you!

I shoot mainly portrait. I enabled HTP (Enhanced/D+2) when i shoot with natural light and the background is bright or backlighting.

I shoot raw and processed it with Canon DPP.

Try it for yourself to see the effect. Take some test shoots, use tripod. Shoot at ISO 200 in bright suny day with and without HTP enabled. Add +1 EV if necessary to make the effect more visible.

Dareshooter · Jul 13, 2020

Zinch said:
Dareshooter said:

Well if you shoot raw and develop in a third party converter HTP won't be recognised and will probably look too dark. Canons DPP will apply HTP so your images will look as you shot them. OOC jpegs will be fine.

Click to expand...

I thought what Highlight tone priority dis was modify the metering to try to not burn the highlights. Similar to what you do if reduce the EV to -1 (for example). It isn't the same? If there aren't any burn highlights, the Highlights tone priority does anything?

Got my acronyms muddled and my answer applied to ALO not HTP. Very sorry about that.

Zinch · Jul 13, 2020

xtam667 said:
The theory is that HTP changes the tone curve at A/D converter level to preserve more highlights at the expense of noisier shadows. It is like exposing the highlights at a lower ISO than the shadows. It affects both RAW and JPEG. Auto Lighting Optimizer (ALO) is somewhat similar but is part of the JPEG engine so has no effect on RAW.

My experience using HTP since it had been introduced many years ago is that it makes a small but visible difference and the shadow noise penalty is bearable at low-ish ISO values. I try to keep HTP off by default and only switch it on for strongly lit high contrast subjects.

Thank you. I was asking because I know I'll forget to activate it when the situation demnds it, but I guess it's better to only activate it when it's needed.

Zinch · Jul 13, 2020

Pradip ZX said:
Zinch said:

Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it with my phone...

It is a good practice to leave the Highlight tone priority ON all the time (in the M50)?

Also, is it reliable? I just found the option and haven't tested it. Do you use the "Enable" or "Enhanced" option?

I ask because I don't know if it affects the IQ. All I have found looking around in the web is it makes the base ISO (100) as one step higher (200), but that doesn't seem something I will notice (ISO 200 is pretty good in the M50).

Thank you!

Click to expand...

I shoot mainly portrait. I enabled HTP (Enhanced/D+2) when i shoot with natural light and the background is bright or backlighting.

I shoot raw and processed it with Canon DPP.

Try it for yourself to see the effect. Take some test shoots, use tripod. Shoot at ISO 200 in bright suny day with and without HTP enabled. Add +1 EV if necessary to make the effect more visible.

Yeah, I'll try it. It's only I am very busy for some weeks and wanted to know sooner

Zinch · Jul 13, 2020

Dareshooter said:
Zinch said:

Dareshooter said:

Well if you shoot raw and develop in a third party converter HTP won't be recognised and will probably look too dark. Canons DPP will apply HTP so your images will look as you shot them. OOC jpegs will be fine.

Click to expand...

I thought what Highlight tone priority dis was modify the metering to try to not burn the highlights. Similar to what you do if reduce the EV to -1 (for example). It isn't the same? If there aren't any burn highlights, the Highlights tone priority does anything?

Click to expand...

Got my acronyms muddled and my answer applied to ALO not HTP. Very sorry about that.

Don't worry! Thank you for your answer!

thunder storm · Jul 16, 2020

Zinch said:
Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it with my phone...

It is a good practice to leave the Highlight tone priority ON all the time (in the M50)?

Also, is it reliable? I just found the option and haven't tested it. Do you use the "Enable" or "Enhanced" option?

I ask because I don't know if it affects the IQ. All I have found looking around in the web is it makes the base ISO (100) as one step higher (200), but that doesn't seem something I will notice (ISO 200 is pretty good in the M50).

You'll hit the max shutter speed with lots of light. The difference in IQ is only very marginal in my opinion. In theory you'll have a bit more noise in darker parts of the picture.

Zinch said:
Thank you!

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Highlight tone priority question

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