New Fuji user in need of advice on shooting settings.

JNR wrote:

Ysarex wrote:

JNR wrote:

Ysarex wrote:

2) If I'm shooting RAW, does Dynamic Range setting (DR100/DR200/DR400/AUTO) change anything? Should I leave it on Auto or DR100?

3) Same question about D Range Priority - does it affect anything if I'm shooting RAW? Should I leave it on Off or Auto?

Agree with Erick & Martin -- DR & D Range are for JPEG shooters -- leave them off and never think of them again.

Here's another person who has never, ever blown a highlight and indicates how to outguess the camera design - and of course it's OK to have that kind of confidence in your approach. However, misleading a new user on the actual facts crosses a line. DR most certainly was designed for both RAW and JPEG shooters - and please refrain from telling anyone to "never think" for themselves because you know better.

John Peltier is a well-respected pro, and he writes clearly and more intelligently about the topic here than we tend to find in the comments on this forum:

John Peltier has been revising that article for years now and he still hasn't gotten it right. He's handing out misinformation plain and simple. And here you are posting misleading information for a new user -- tsk, tsk, tsk.

"Knowing this, you could just always go out with DR400 set in bright, high contrast scenes to maximize the dynamic range in your RAW file. But this will come with the cost of added noise in your shadows and mid-tones." Seriously? maximizing dynamic range in your raw file comes at the cost of added noise? He's still confused after years.

Honestly, I think you're more confused than Peltier. At least he's trying to explain something and has clear samples. The OP will experiment and find out on his own what works for him - which is exactly what you didn't want him to do. Sorry, but he does have that right to find out for himself. I'd say that wraps up the discussion for now.

Sorry, I agree with Ysarex here. There needs to be a distinction made between maximizing DR (which using DR400 does NOT do, and maximizing highlight headroom (which it does …but with a LOSS of signal to noise ratio and overall DR). He should have clarified that by now. Same goes for that Pal2tech guy who’s explanation of the DR mode function is significantly wrong on multiple levels. Most peoples’ understanding of how these modes actually operate and how to use them (or not use them) is fundamentally flawed because of these guys.

https://www.jmpeltier.com/fujifilm-dynamic-range-settings/

Responding to comments from this entry, Peltier is likely answering clearly to the perspectives often voiced on this forum:

"I think there’s plenty of utility for using this in RAW photography.
Consider the documentary, event, or street photographer who is working quickly and doesn’t have the time to analyze highlight clipping while working, but still wants those areas protected. Activating DR200 or 400 will reduce the light reaching the sensor than what would with a DR100 setting, thus protecting highlight areas in their RAW file, assuming lowest possible ISOs. Or that photographer could just use DR100 at the base ISO and expose for the highlights (effectively underexposing the photo a few stops), then work the tone curves themselves in post-processing, but that makes composition overly complicated when you can’t see it. It also depends on the RAW converter they’re using since most will apply the D-Rng curve to the RAW file as shown in my example above.

I have made some edits to this article, mostly adding “for JPEGs” in numerous places where readers assumed I was talking about the RAW, as I did not make a distinction... All we can do is try to give photographers a basic understanding of the available tools and let them decide how/if they want to use them."

I will also add that DR is probably especially designed for pro shooters who live by the motto "time is money" and literally cannot afford to violate the cardinal rule: "be sure to get the shot." DR Auto often is a time-saver when processing, and is the best insurance against the occasional missed shot because it does its job of avoiding blow outs extremely well, but only when needed. Unfortunately, many folks here haven't given it the opportunity because the "never think" mentality is pretty strongly enforced on this issue.

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JNR