DPP clarity slider

[Ray-uk]

DPP 4.12.10.2 seems to have gained a Clarity slider, it is greyed with my 7D2 raw files, the user manual states that it only works with certain cameras. Does anyone know which cameras this works with ?

It is on the basic editing tab underneath Auto Lighting Optimizer.

[wq9nsc · Accepted solution]

Ray,

It works with the 1DX III but I haven't experimented with it to get a feel for how useful it might be and like other new parts of DPP (like noise reduction via the cloud) there isn't sufficient documentation to really make it useful. 

Below are three versions of an image I shot at a recent soccer scrimmage of my daughter after she scored a goal with her corner kick.  The first image is with clarity set to default 0 in the center of its scale, the second is exactly the same image except clarity is at +3, and the final is the image with clarity at -3 (slider absolute range is from -4 to +4). Image shot with the 1DX III and EF 200MM F2.0 lens @ 1/1250, F2.2, ISO 500.

The overall effect is to change the contrast and I am sure that it does it in a different way but how and when to use it needs clarity 🙂

Rodger

[Ray-uk]

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@wq9nsc wrote:

Ray,

It works with the 1DX III but I haven't experimented with it to get a feel for how useful it might be and like other new parts of DPP (like noise reduction via the cloud) there isn't sufficient documentation to really make it useful. 

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Thanks for that, looks like another feature that I wouldn't use, even if I could.

[jrhoffman75]

If it's like Lightroom it works on mid tone contrast. 

As Rodger points out, there is a DPP pdf manual identified as 4.12 dated the same day as the 4.12.10 software update, but it doesn't address what's new in the software. 

[wq9nsc]

John,

Thank you for that info and it probably does work much like Lightroom.  When you start getting into edits that produce often subtle effects, there needs to be good documentation or it becomes a distracting annoyance instead of a useful feature.

The image in the previous post was shot under good lighting with an EF 200 F2 which is a really sharp and high contrast lens so for comparison here is a pair of images from calibrating my EF 400 F2.8 IS II with 2.0X extender to the 1DX III body. It wasn't quite perfectly dialed in with this capture but it was the best of the test subject robin.  I generally don't like using extenders and particularly not a 2X but I decided to calibrate the pair just in case.  Because these extenders negatively impact contrast (in addition to sharpness and other distortion) it might be a better indicator of what the clarity slider does.  The first image is with clarity at 0 and the second is with it all the way at +4.

Shot with 1DX III, EF 400MM F2.8 IS II with Canon 2X @ F5.6, 1/2000, ISO 500  First image with clarity at default setting 0, second is at maximum clarity of 4.0.  Image cropped to around 30% from full frame sensor area.

And on edit, this combo was slightly front focused before calibration.  The bare lens is perfect on all three of my 1DX bodies but with the extender it needs an offset of 2 for what I felt was the best AF calibration.

Rodger