How does Adobe Camera Raw's Exposure slider differ from Photoshop's Exposure adjustment?

Asked 3/24/2020

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When I change Exposure on a RAW file in Adobe Camera Raw and compare the pixel values with the same file opened without that change, the result does not look like a simple linear scaling. I expected something like multiplying all linear pixel values by 2^EV. Also, if I reduce exposure in Camera Raw by -0.2 EV and then try to restore it with Image > Adjustments > Exposure in Photoshop by +0.2, I do not get the original values back.

What mathematical operation does the Exposure slider in Adobe Camera Raw actually perform, and how is it different from Photoshop's Exposure adjustment after the image has been opened?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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The question is a bit confusing. Photoshop proper doesn't open raw files from consumer digital cameras, what you probably meant is Photoshop plug-in, Adobe CameraRaw (ACR).

The difference is important because the exposure slider in Photoshop (Image - Adjustments - Exposure) operates in a linear fashion (image data numbers are multiplied by 2^SliderValue and clipped to mode maximum - 255, 32768, 1.0) while the slider in ACR works in a linear fashion only up to CameraRaw Process Version 2010 (PV2010, aka PV2). With later PVs the action is non-linear, it is through application of a curve that involves a shoulder.

Even with PV2 a curve is still applied unless you opt out by setting "Linear" in the "Curve" drop-down and bringing Black point, Contrast, and Brightness sliders all to zero. With that, PV2 is forced into a linear mode. The default value of Exposure slider is zero, but, depending on the camera model, some baseline exposure compensation is still applied behind the scene. To quote the part of Adobe specification explaining the concept of the silent baseline exposure compensation, "Camera models vary in the trade-off they make between highlight headroom and shadow noise. Some leave a significant amount of highlight headroom during a normal exposure. This allows significant negative exposure compensation to be applied during raw conversion, but also means normal exposures will contain more shadow noise. Other models leave less headroom during normal exposures. This allows for less negative exposure compensation, but results in lower shadow noise for normal exposures.

Because of these differences, a raw converter needs to vary the zero point of its exposure compensation control from model to model. BaselineExposure specifies by how much (in EV units) to move the zero point. Positive values result in brighter default results, while negative values result in darker default results."

The nature of "raw exposure modification" is different between doing it in the camera and in a raw converter. In a raw converter it's not a true exposure modification (exposure has ended when the shutter was closed, and can't be modified afterwords). What you have in a raw converter is lightness modification. Since modification of lightness is the function of ISO speed, the better name for the slider is "ISO correction".

Originally by user28381. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user28381

6y ago

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They are not the same operation.

In Photoshop’s Image > Adjustments > Exposure, the exposure control is essentially a linear gain: pixel values are multiplied by 2^(slider value), then clipped at the maximum allowed value.

In Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), the Exposure slider is applied earlier in the RAW-processing pipeline, before the image becomes a normal rendered Photoshop image. In older Camera Raw process versions it was closer to a linear exposure scaling, but even then other tone controls could still affect the result unless set to a fully linear configuration. In newer process versions, Exposure is not purely linear; Adobe applies a tone curve with a highlight “shoulder,” so the change is intentionally non-linear.

That is why -0.2 in ACR followed by +0.2 in Photoshop does not perfectly cancel out. ACR is modifying RAW data during rendering, while Photoshop’s Exposure adjustment is changing already-rendered pixel values. Tone curves, clipping, black point, contrast/brightness settings, and process version all affect the outcome.

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