08-08-2026
04:47 PM
- last edited on
08-08-2026
11:06 PM
by
Tiffany
How do the f stops in a camera related to the decimal adjustments in DPP4?
Shutter speed and aperture and exposure compensation are expressed as f stops in the camera (1/3 of a stop, 2/3, 1 stop. etc.
But if you go to DPP4 and make adjustments in brightness, highlights, shadows, contrast, etc., the adjustments are made in decimal points.
How do they relate, or do they?
Steve Thomas
08-09-2026 06:58 AM
@stevet1 wrote:
How do the f stops in a camera related to the decimal adjustments in DPP4?
Shutter speed and aperture and exposure compensation are expressed as f stops in the camera (1/3 of a stop, 2/3, 1 stop. etc.
But if you go to DPP4 and make adjustments in brightness, highlights, shadows, contrast, etc., the adjustments are made in decimal points.
How do they relate, or do they?
Steve Thomas
Since editing adjustments are made by eye or watching the histogram I don't think a correlation to in-camera adjustment is important.
It is interesting that the adjustment range for RAW files in DPP4 is +/- 3 units, same a EC range in camera.
A quick test would be to record images at 0/1/2/3 EC in camera and then compare to the base image adjusted 1, 2, 3 in DPP4.
08-09-2026 09:04 AM
It appears to me that the brightness adjustment in DPP https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/UG-04_EditImage_0040.html#EditImage_0050_1 matches the exposure compensataion adjustment in the camera. +1 is one stop brighter and -1 is one stop darker.
It appears to me that the "input white level" adjustment https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/UG-04_EditImage_0040.html#EditImage_0050_11 can add up to 2 stops of dynamic range.
It appears to me that shadows, highlights, and contrast change the gamma curve in some unspecified way, but may also change the dynamic range. https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/UG-04_EditImage_0040.html#EditImage_0110_1
It appears to me that the Color Adjustment Tool Pallet operates in HSL color space. https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/UG-04_EditImage_0040.html#EditImage_0040_3
It appears to me that the Tone Curve adjustment allows manipulation of the gamma curve. https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/UG-04_EditImage_0040.html#EditImage_0060_3
08-09-2026 10:34 AM
Interesting question Steve. Thanks for asking. And thanks to both Johns for answering.
08-09-2026 04:05 PM
This is what I was talking about
These kinds of figures don't seen to relate to f stops in any way.
Steve Thomas
08-09-2026 04:44 PM - edited 08-09-2026 04:46 PM
Steve, you made me look! Brightness, of course, would be the primary bar that would apply. I notice a few things:
For the rest I notice only that Contrast, Color Tone, and Color Saturation are all +/- 4 and Shadow and Highlight are +/- 5, and gamma are -10 to +5? (max is unlabeled). I am wholly uncertain of what those ranges represent.
DPP manual at https://cam.start.canon/en/S002/manual/html/index.html . johnrmoyer makes reasonable assertions, but, really, it is hard to say from just the documentation.
Again, good question. I'm curious if anyone really definitively know the answer to your question.
08-09-2026 05:08 PM
@stevet1 wrote:
This is what I was talking about
These kinds of figures don't seen to relate to f stops in any way.
Steve Thomas
Those settings, other than brightness, have no direct relation to f/stops. They may be indirectly related in that more or less exposure may require more or less highlight adjustment, for example.
08-09-2026 05:43 PM
SignifDigits.
You wrote, "For the rest I notice only that Contrast, Color Tone, and Color Saturation are all +/- 4 and Shadow and Highlight are +/- 5, and gamma are -10 to +5? (max is unlabeled). I am wholly uncertain of what those ranges represent.
The Tone Curve adjustment ranges from - 100 to + 100. Figure that one out 😀
Steve
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