Digital BW, The Print

Can I clarify some nits on this so that I have a clearer understanding?


> From: "Nunan, Mike" <mike.nunan@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:26:55 -0000
> To: "'DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com'"
> <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Tonal range recording
> 
<snip>

> With digital the contrast ratio of the
> sensor is fixed, 

The gamma (contrast) of the sensor is not linear (or another way to put it,
the senor is linear) but we apply a contrast/gamma curve when converting
from RAW to RGB.  This curve need not be fixed.  Right?


> so the best you can do is make sure you set the exposure so
> that you use the full sensitivity that's available,

I am getting there on this but see my other post.

>and then use curves in
> Photoshop to increase or reduce the contrast later.

Or better yet use a better transformation curve in the RAW processing stage?

> If you don't succeed in
> using the full dynamic range (i.e., the histogram is bunched up down the
> left-hand side) then if you choose to increase the shadow contrast you'll see
> more noise than if you'd done a better job of the exposure.

Because noise is fixed and I have less observations to play with hence
signal to noise falls?  This is the bit I am currently chomping on with
rusty math!

Thanks

Steve