What's a good histogram?

[Paul_Yeo]

Since u guys using histogram rather than seeing the pic in the LCD...wondering what's a good histogram?

is it a histogram that is balanced? whereby the chart is evenly distributed?

Pardon me, I never use histogram before. I just use my eye to see the LCD...

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

i dun use histogram as well, but from my basic understanding, its more for normal fotos to prevent over or under expose pictures.

if a histogram shows a skew to either side den the picture have more of that portion (left for dark, right for light?... i dunno...) so if u taking a shot that have scenery den should have quite even distribution...

for shots like white background in product shoot, the histogram is kinda useless, cos more than 50% of the pic would be white hence a skew... maybe i still not used 2 it...

 

[sulhan]

Since u guys using histogram rather than seeing the pic in the LCD...wondering what's a good histogram?

is it a histogram that is balanced? whereby the chart is evenly distributed?

Pardon me, I never use histogram before. I just use my eye to see the LCD...

Hi Paul....

Well....here is my take on what a good histogram would be....

Histogram is basically a guide for the users to have a feel of what the overall
distribution of the photo - if checked through the smalled LCD.....

On the Histogram:
a) Extreme right wall - highlights or white (areas on images categorised in this region are normally unrecoverable....resulting loss of detail....)

b) Extreme left wall - Black or shadow (areas on image that may be too black/dark or in dark shadows that may not be able to be recovered.....through post process....

Therefore....in general....a good histogram would be one which has a distribution centralised spread across the left and right....
If there are many shadows or highlight /white areas, then can't help it.....these would come up as spikes close or on the extreme left or right walls...

So depends on what you are shooting (scene) couple the captured scene with the histogram would give one a better idea on the overall subject brightness range of the scene.

Hope it helps...

rgds,
sulhan

 

[Drudkh]

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Digital_Imaging/Histogram_01.htm
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

 

[Garion]

Hi Paul....

Well....here is my take on what a good histogram would be....

Histogram is basically a guide for the users to have a feel of what the overall
distribution of the photo - if checked through the smalled LCD.....

On the Histogram:
a) Extreme left wall - highlights or white (areas on images categorised in this region are normally unrecoverable....resulting loss of detail....)

b) Extreme right wall - Black or shadow (areas on image that may be too black/dark or in dark shadows that may not be able to be recovered.....through post process....

Therefore....in general....a good histogram would be one which has a distribution centralised spread across the left and right....
If there are many shadows or highlight /white areas, then can't help it.....these would come up as spikes close or on the extreme left or right walls...

So depends on what you are shooting (scene) couple the captured scene with the histogram would give one a better idea on the overall subject brightness range of the scene.

Hope it helps...

rgds,
sulhan

Hi Sulhan,

I think its the other way round, extreme left wall for black/shadow, extreme right wall for highlights/white right?

 

[sulhan]

Thanks Garion.....

Hahah....i realised it when i got back home....and read it....

Thanks Bro....

Corrected it oreadi....

rgds,
sulhan

 

[Paul_Yeo]

OK. today, i will try to play with the histogram.

Thanks!

 

[XXX Boy]

A good histogram is no histogram! ;p

 

[megaweb]

I find below link provide useful information on histogram

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

which Drudkh has posted it previously. Have you read it?

If happen tt your graph appears more at the left side, it show it is underexposed. However underexposed does not mean your shot is not good ... most night shots are more to underexposed ... so what is a good histogram ???

 

[codling]

as indicated in the luminous landscape website, there isnt any such thing as a good or bad histogram...
its just to indicate to the user that there are certain parts of the pic are either over or under exposed...
the fz20 comes with a histogram display and i find it useful to check for over blown highlights in the pic...
quite useful esp out in the field where the sun is bright and u cant really see the details in the preview screen...