5D MKIII Highlight Priority mode

[groundbounce]

I've discovered the highlight priority mode, very nice, but now that I know how it works I wonder, is it a good idea? Essentially it's taking photos at half the ISO setting I actually set and then the brightness levels need stretching back out in post processing by a compatible raw editor that knows what highlight priority mode is.

So if I know my sensor theory right the brightest stop of the sensor is 50% of the brightness levels and each stop down is 50% of what is left so potentially I'm simply throwing away up to half my sensor data in exchange for not blowing any highlights.

If I did not use it I guess I would be bracketing or underexposing to be safe at which point I am back to where I would be using highlight priority but having to process it myself.

[John Liddle]

If you can put up with the end result only being available as a .jpg, you could try the in-camera HDR mode.

Alternatively, use AEB and blend the images yourself in LR or similar.

[groundbounce]

Yes i like HDR images and the camera will store the RAW files so it can almost be used as an auto bracket mode too that you can redo the HDR on a computer later with the original raws if you like. I was thinking more about moving stuff. I will be handing the camera to a friend for our wedding set up for him to point and shoot. Bracketing was also something I would consider as the camera is quik and at 3 shots per second (silent) I expect all three shots to be the the same photo. I could of course do just a single bracket shot 1 stop darker and manually achieve what the HLP does in camera in raw processing.

[colin C]

I tend to keep an eye on the Histogram and make exposure decisions/compromises based on that.

My two best friends in photography are the Histogram and the delete button.

[Farider]

I agree with Colin, I have the histogram on permanent display (in RGB mode) so I can keep a watch out. You have a good chance of recovering any detail that was under exposed but anything in blown highlights are permanently lost.

Ian