What is Dynamic Range in Photography?
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Loading... - Khalish Jasmay
- 01 Feb 2023
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We’ve all heard the term “dynamic range” when reading the latest and greatest offerings of camera manufacturers — “this camera has the highest dynamic range in its category!” We understand that a greater dynamic range is generally a good thing to have.
Maybe we even know and employ this concept in our photography already, but the exact science is still a little fuzzy. So what is it, exactly, and how do we utilize it properly in our photography?
In this article, with the goal of understanding the technical aspects of photography and photographic equipment, we will explore the particular phenomenon that is dynamic range.
Dynamic Range: An Example
Before we start here, consider this question: Have you ever had a secret or an ‘aside’ comment that you needed to whisper to the person next to you? You had something to say that you didn’t want anyone to hear, and needed to say it discreetly (“Why are we holding this long meeting when a simple email to the group would suffice?”). Do you ever wonder why we whisper?
The answer may be obvious, but more specifically, we don’t want people to hear what we are saying. In technical terms, a primary source of sound is what is called a “signal.” When a signal is too low for something to detect, or the output is too low, we say that signal falls outside of the dynamic range of that thing.
It could be a person’s ear or eye, it could be a microphone or speaker, or it could be the sensor on your camera. We whisper because the sound it makes falls out of the dynamic range of the distant listener’s ear. That ear can’t properly capture and make sense of the whisper from a distance.
Additionally, let’s say this room has a projector that contains a fan and an air conditioning unit blowing cool air. The person speaking at the front of the room speaks with his or her voice. This ambient noise in the room — all of these things combined — can actually be considered “noise” relative to the person whispering in the back. Read More…
