Great video as always David! I would like to add that HTP does actually affect RAW files, thats why there is the limitation of ISO 200 when you turn it on, the camera actually underexposes the whole image then boosts the low end up to the "correct" exposure in camera. This is also why you get more noise in the shadows. Try this, take 2 RAW photos of the same thing with very very bright highlights, do one with HTP off and one with HTP on. Then open both up in and RAW editor and look at what you can actually recover from each file with the highlights recovery tools in that program. I have found that when I shoot with HTP off, when blow out or close to blowing out highlights they are a complete mess when you lower them in post, but with HTP on you get a much more natural recovery of tones from the highlights. I also find it super effective when shooting people on stage and using high ISO, where it's easier to get bits of skin blowing out from constantly changing lights and it's a bit more of a safety net for me! My 2 pennies, hope it helps someone!
Interesting. I actually spent a lot of time comparing images before shooting this video because there was so much contradictory information online. And I did talk with the engineers at Canon, although they won't release any proprietary info. I just tried it again to be sure and I really think it depends which software you use. When I opened the three raw images in Capture One, I couldn't see a difference between OFF and ENABLE (D+). But the ENHANCED file (D+2) was significantly underexposed. Maybe a stop. HOWEVER, when I opened the same three raw files in Photoshop, I couldn't see any difference between them. We know that the HTP setting is embedded in the metadata, so that implies that some other programs like C1 are selectively applying some form of it - correctly or otherwise - by default. At the end of the day, use whatever setting works best for you, but I don't worry about it too much when shooting RAW.
@@DavidBergmanPhoto that could be it! I use C1 for all my editing (used to use LR a couple of years ago) I wonder if the embedded info could just be passed onto the software, interesting point! I'll have to dig in a bit more! Thanks David!
@@DavidBergmanPhoto There are two things going on here: (1) making sure there is enough headroom in the raw data to preserve highlight details - this is the part about doubling the ISO; (2) compressing the highlights so they fit the jpg dynamic range - this is the part that some software (particularly DPP) does automatically and other software doesn't do automatically, leaving you to do it manually with the highlights slider.
HTP is just under exposing. ISO 50, IS0 100 and ISO 200 (D+) are all the same, raw wise. Using the same shutter speed and aperture nothing changes in the raw data and the dynamic range measured with Hraw shows the same DR for all three. The area of clipped highlights are also the same. Software like DPP4 reads the HTP tag in Exif and brights the picture. Turn off that tag and it will just be handled the same as ISO 100.
I'm shooting videos with Canon camera, so I can't use raw. What I learned from the video: highlight tone priority--decrease highlight; Auto lighting Optimizer--increase the shadow. Welcome to discuss.
I Never use the Highlight Tone Priority because, just like David, I only shoot Raw. I haven't ever had the need to shoot jpegs until I was satisfied with the final picture.
I know your post is old, and I just came across this video, but he's incorrect. HTP Does in fact apply to Raw files. You can easily test this yourself by blowing out a sky by a huge amount and then bringing it back in lightroom with the highlight slider. You can't do the same thing if you blow out the sky and have HTP off.
Maybe because when in "Highlight Tone Priority", while the display indicates "ISO 200" the gain applied under the hood is more like ISO 100. The RAW image is therefore underexposed allowing D+ or D+2 curves with highlights protection to be applied on JPEG images. At least that is what I believe happens!
A very detailed explanation David. Thanks. I shoot birds and this helpful for me. Especially when the subject is a bright white bird which I frequently shoot. I have been using exposure compensation in these cases. I will try HTP to see if it helps. BTW, I only shoot JPGs, the highest file size on Canon with Standard Picture Style. I did some shooting in RAW, but was not impressed.
Interesting but I prefer to do the extra work and manipulate raw files. Also I'm an older person who's suffered with ADHD all my life and find that dynamic background you use very detracting.
Good video. I heard that Highlight Tone Priority was developed because brides would complain... that they would buy a very fancy wedding dress... with sequins, amazing patterns... etc... But in the pictures, all the details are blown out into a mass of white.
Great explanation of the features, thank you! I shoot in jpg and I have raw as a backup file. I don't want to sit for long hours at the computer anymore, even though I have CaptureOne and I can edit photos from years of photography without any problem.
good presentation.... i never use HTP... when on the run and not time to meter properly, i use multispot metering and ensure my highlight remains exposed to the right and my lows remain inside the left - then, i can manage in post retaining all the information in the file :) but this is a great presentation and a great option if shooting jpeg is ideal.
Great video but I tested this one on my Canon in Raw editing in Lightroom. Shot the same shot twice, both with same aperture and ISO; One with HTP D+ turned on and one turned off. The Raw file still had the HTP applied in Lightroom as the highlights were not blown out when I imported it and once edited the highlights looked much better and less splotchy. When shot at the same ISO I could not see any difference in the noise in the dark areas of the photo with or without HTP applied
With Canon and raw wise, ISO 50, 100 and ISO 200D+ are all the same. The problem when comparing is that people use DPP or Adobe. Both add different tone curves. Use something that doesn't add a tone curve.
I shoot thousands of photos a day that go live as I shoot. I'm using an R3 and often shooting into the sun. I have to shoot jpeg for the client with a Max file size of 2MB so my image is a 10 MP jpeg, size M, quality 3. I need a lot more dynamic range as do other sports shooters shooting for participants to purchase on the day of the event. I wonder how much I can get out of this setting. I will have to experiment tomorrow. Being able to shoot HDR 3 exposures per shot at 2 frames per second, saved as a jpeg is going to be where it's at for this type of work but we are a few generations of camera cpu away from that still.
Hmm maybe totally unrelated but i noticed my A7III has a metering mode called "Highlight Priority" which just exposes for the highlights. I was pretty excited to find it but then noticed a lot of my night images were just too underexposed. Still useful though.
I'm not familiar with that particular setting, but it would make sense - in an auto mode where the camera is picking the "correct" exposure - that you could say you prefer to expose for the highlights. That would darken the exposure accordingly.
Hi, can you give examples of noise (in shadow etc), banding, artifacts, and other types of bad quality in image? I saw images in forum and judged it okay but the commenters says there's noise, blablabla. I pixel peeped and couldn't really notice anything. Maybe it is subtle or they're nitpicking or both. Please enlighten me. Thank you
Afaik HTP also affects the RAW files. I read that someone falsely claims the opposite. maybe this is this video. I will try it out myself sometime again, but I remember doing a test that proved HTP also affects RAW files.
Like I said, most camera brands have similar settings. I am a Canon shooter and the question that came from the viewer was specifically about this function. Thanks for watching anyway and hopefully you'll find something useful in the hundreds of other videos I've done.
He used the Canon term "highlight tone priority" because that was how the question was worded. He also does say that it is called different names by different brands. I found the video informative even though I shoot raw and own different camera brands.
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Great video as always David!
I would like to add that HTP does actually affect RAW files, thats why there is the limitation of ISO 200 when you turn it on, the camera actually underexposes the whole image then boosts the low end up to the "correct" exposure in camera. This is also why you get more noise in the shadows.
Try this, take 2 RAW photos of the same thing with very very bright highlights, do one with HTP off and one with HTP on. Then open both up in and RAW editor and look at what you can actually recover from each file with the highlights recovery tools in that program. I have found that when I shoot with HTP off, when blow out or close to blowing out highlights they are a complete mess when you lower them in post, but with HTP on you get a much more natural recovery of tones from the highlights. I also find it super effective when shooting people on stage and using high ISO, where it's easier to get bits of skin blowing out from constantly changing lights and it's a bit more of a safety net for me!
My 2 pennies, hope it helps someone!
Interesting. I actually spent a lot of time comparing images before shooting this video because there was so much contradictory information online. And I did talk with the engineers at Canon, although they won't release any proprietary info.
I just tried it again to be sure and I really think it depends which software you use. When I opened the three raw images in Capture One, I couldn't see a difference between OFF and ENABLE (D+). But the ENHANCED file (D+2) was significantly underexposed. Maybe a stop. HOWEVER, when I opened the same three raw files in Photoshop, I couldn't see any difference between them.
We know that the HTP setting is embedded in the metadata, so that implies that some other programs like C1 are selectively applying some form of it - correctly or otherwise - by default.
At the end of the day, use whatever setting works best for you, but I don't worry about it too much when shooting RAW.
@@DavidBergmanPhoto that could be it! I use C1 for all my editing (used to use LR a couple of years ago) I wonder if the embedded info could just be passed onto the software, interesting point! I'll have to dig in a bit more! Thanks David!
@@DavidBergmanPhoto There are two things going on here: (1) making sure there is enough headroom in the raw data to preserve highlight details - this is the part about doubling the ISO; (2) compressing the highlights so they fit the jpg dynamic range - this is the part that some software (particularly DPP) does automatically and other software doesn't do automatically, leaving you to do it manually with the highlights slider.
@@DavidBergmanPhoto Before coming to this video, I watched a video from Canon that had a reply from them that said HTP is indeed applied to the RAW.
HTP is just under exposing. ISO 50, IS0 100 and ISO 200 (D+) are all the same, raw wise. Using the same shutter speed and aperture nothing changes in the raw data and the dynamic range measured with Hraw shows the same DR for all three. The area of clipped highlights are also the same.
Software like DPP4 reads the HTP tag in Exif and brights the picture. Turn off that tag and it will just be handled the same as ISO 100.
I'm shooting videos with Canon camera, so I can't use raw. What I learned from the video: highlight tone priority--decrease highlight; Auto lighting Optimizer--increase the shadow. Welcome to discuss.
Canon have raw videos too. Just not on lower end cameras
Thank you David for answering to my question, it was extremely helpful. I only shoot Raw.
Keep up the good work and stay safe.
Regards Carlos Silva
Thanks for submitting it!
I Never use the Highlight Tone Priority because, just like David, I only shoot Raw. I haven't ever had the need to shoot jpegs until I was satisfied with the final picture.
I know your post is old, and I just came across this video, but he's incorrect. HTP Does in fact apply to Raw files. You can easily test this yourself by blowing out a sky by a huge amount and then bringing it back in lightroom with the highlight slider. You can't do the same thing if you blow out the sky and have HTP off.
Thank you for this video. I'm doing more video than pictures but this actually helped me a lot when shooting at summer in bright daylight 🙂
Does it apply to video?
Thanks a lot David that was helpful, I am a new viewer of your content and I really appreciate your work.
Highlight Tone Priority is enabled, a D+
Great information David. I'm strictly a RAW shooter with a new R6 and couldn't figure out what I couldn't select iso 100.
Maybe because when in "Highlight Tone Priority", while the display indicates "ISO 200" the gain applied under the hood is more like ISO 100. The RAW image is therefore underexposed allowing D+ or D+2 curves with highlights protection to be applied on JPEG images. At least that is what I believe happens!
A very detailed explanation David. Thanks. I shoot birds and this helpful for me. Especially when the subject is a bright white bird which I frequently shoot. I have been using exposure compensation in these cases. I will try HTP to see if it helps. BTW, I only shoot JPGs, the highest file size on Canon with Standard Picture Style. I did some shooting in RAW, but was not impressed.
Interesting but I prefer to do the extra work and manipulate raw files. Also I'm an older person who's suffered with ADHD all my life and find that dynamic background you use very detracting.
Sorry about that! Still experimenting and might try a solid version soon. :)
Thanks! I was wondering what this feature was. Does this feature work in video too?
Wow and I thought mine was defaulted or something wondering why I couldn’t get to 100ISO. Behind happy I just found this
Good video. I heard that Highlight Tone Priority was developed because brides would complain... that they would buy a very fancy wedding dress... with sequins, amazing patterns... etc... But in the pictures, all the details are blown out into a mass of white.
Nice
Great explanation of the features, thank you! I shoot in jpg and I have raw as a backup file. I don't want to sit for long hours at the computer anymore, even though I have CaptureOne and I can edit photos from years of photography without any problem.
Thank you. How do these features bake into the video recording on Canon?
good presentation....
i never use HTP... when on the run and not time to meter properly, i use multispot metering and ensure my highlight remains exposed to the right and my lows remain inside the left - then, i can manage in post retaining all the information in the file :)
but this is a great presentation and a great option if shooting jpeg is ideal.
mikewinburn Thanks! It’s great that we have so many options and it really comes down to how much control you want over the final look of your images.
Great content! Thank you!! ♥️
Great video but I tested this one on my Canon in Raw editing in Lightroom. Shot the same shot twice, both with same aperture and ISO; One with HTP D+ turned on and one turned off. The Raw file still had the HTP applied in Lightroom as the highlights were not blown out when I imported it and once edited the highlights looked much better and less splotchy.
When shot at the same ISO I could not see any difference in the noise in the dark areas of the photo with or without HTP applied
With Canon and raw wise, ISO 50, 100 and ISO 200D+ are all the same. The problem when comparing is that people use DPP or Adobe. Both add different tone curves. Use something that doesn't add a tone curve.
I shoot thousands of photos a day that go live as I shoot. I'm using an R3 and often shooting into the sun. I have to shoot jpeg for the client with a Max file size of 2MB so my image is a 10 MP jpeg, size M, quality 3. I need a lot more dynamic range as do other sports shooters shooting for participants to purchase on the day of the event. I wonder how much I can get out of this setting. I will have to experiment tomorrow.
Being able to shoot HDR 3 exposures per shot at 2 frames per second, saved as a jpeg is going to be where it's at for this type of work but we are a few generations of camera cpu away from that still.
Hmm maybe totally unrelated but i noticed my A7III has a metering mode called "Highlight Priority" which just exposes for the highlights. I was pretty excited to find it but then noticed a lot of my night images were just too underexposed. Still useful though.
Anthony Johnston I am a Sony shooter too. I like that mode for shooting the moon. I am able to get a better idea of it as it’s so bright.
I'm not familiar with that particular setting, but it would make sense - in an auto mode where the camera is picking the "correct" exposure - that you could say you prefer to expose for the highlights. That would darken the exposure accordingly.
Hi, can you give examples of noise (in shadow etc), banding, artifacts, and other types of bad quality in image?
I saw images in forum and judged it okay but the commenters says there's noise, blablabla. I pixel peeped and couldn't really notice anything. Maybe it is subtle or they're nitpicking or both. Please enlighten me. Thank you
I believe it's pretty subtle too. I do think you'd see it more at very high ISOs since it is lifting the shadows somewhat.
I'd use hdr for this pic
Thank you
Afaik HTP also affects the RAW files. I read that someone falsely claims the opposite. maybe this is this video.
I will try it out myself sometime again, but I remember doing a test that proved HTP also affects RAW files.
Perhaps you just use software that reads the HTP tag in Exif?
How Can I active multiple exposure in 6D ?canon
If I shoot raw does it matters?
As I say in the video, I don't believe it does. There is some argument otherwise, but I say - shoot RAW and make it look how you want in post.
It underexposes 1 stop. If you use ISO 200(D+) it will be like using ISO 100 and exposure compensate -1, but the embedded JPEG will be brighter.
How to disable highlight priority
On setting of camera you can choose to turn off
This video is too Canon centric. It's of no interest to me as a Fuji, Nikon, Pentax shooter....
Like I said, most camera brands have similar settings. I am a Canon shooter and the question that came from the viewer was specifically about this function. Thanks for watching anyway and hopefully you'll find something useful in the hundreds of other videos I've done.
I’m a Nikon shooter, I found this video helpful. Thank you, David Bergman, keep up the great work and stay healthy!
He does cover that right at the start... 🙄
He used the Canon term "highlight tone priority" because that was how the question was worded. He also does say that it is called different names by different brands. I found the video informative even though I shoot raw and own different camera brands.
I love my Canon equipment.