Checking for blown highlights on a 5DM3?

[kat.hayes]

I'm pretty new to the 5DM3 and want to be able to look on the screen before taking a photo to see areas that are blown out.

1. Is there a built in zebra feature for doing this?
2. Is the histogram the better way of doing this?
3. If using the color histogram and it seems there is too much red, what does that mean? What options do you have to cut back on a color in a composition? Is there a way to make adjustments to cut back on colors or do you just need to make adjustments to your composition?

Thanks.

 

[YuengLinger]

In my 3 yrs using the 5DIII, blinkies are too conservative, that is, they scare me into thinking areas are blown out when they aren't.

The compound histogram is extremely reliable. I've never needed the RGB histogram. If my overall exposure shows good, only rarely has an orange, magenta, or red lost detail. I mean maybe ten times in over 100k exposures. Quirk of light hitting a satin gown or neon orange t-shirt.

Otherwise, RAWs are super malleable.

Cut back on color? Pull back ever so slightly on exposure, but, really, this body has no issues. Color is one of its towering strengths!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I'm pretty new to the 5DM3 and want to be able to look on the screen before taking a photo to see areas that are blown out.

1. Is there a built in zebra feature for doing this?
2. Is the histogram the better way of doing this?
3. If using the color histogram and it seems there is too much red, what does that mean? What options do you have to cut back on a color in a composition? Is there a way to make adjustments to cut back on colors or do you just need to make adjustments to your composition?

Thanks.

You can select to show flashing highlights in the viewfinder for overexposed areas, but its based on jpeg not raw, so you can push the exposure a little more. The histogram is also based on jpeg, so if you shoot raw, you are safe pushing the histogram to the right.

Since the camera does not adjust raw images in camera, you cannot adjust exposure of individual colors. I'm not sure that any camera can adjust the exposure of individual colors, the shutter opens and all photosites get the same exposure, and however many photons strike the sensor determines the exposure for each color. You can, of course adjust color in post processing. Set your exposure so that the brightest color is not overexposed. I find that my 5D MK III handles reds very nicely. If the red histogram slides off scale to the right, it might be overexposed. After using the camera, you should be able to determine when there is a issue. I assume that this is your concern. Depending on the scene and the spectral content of the lighting, one color will normally be exposed more than the others.

 

[pwp]

The highlight alert is handy but be aware there really is still a lot of headroom when it starts to blink. Like a lot of tools the more you use it the more useful it becomes. You learn and adjust to the subtleties. If you're unsure of your exposure and the situation permits, bracket your exposures. Maybe check out and get familiar with AEB. PJ's who shoot less tractable jpegs use AEB a lot.

Agree the compound histogram is useful and accurate especially where precision is important and exposure bracketing is impractical. Optional zebras would be ideal. :-\ Beats me why it hasn't been an option for at least the past decade.

FWIW I have been consistently amazed how much detail there actually is lurking in 5D3 highlights.

-pw

 

[scottkinfw]

Welcome to a great camera.

I find that a combination of the histogram primarily with the highlight alert settings are more than adequate.

If you want hacks for zebra stripes and other items look at magic lantern.

sek