dj_paige wrote:
the solution is to turn off D-Lighting.
That's one solution, but then you don't get the shooting benefit when D-Lighting is valuable.
Another solution:
* Boost exposure in Lightroom (and consider -contrast and/or -highlights +shadows too..).
Which solution is best?
* If you don't want initially darker photos in Lightroom: turn ADL off.
* If you shouldn't have ADL on in the first place: turn ADL off.
* If you don't want to have to decide if it would be better to have it on or off: turn ADL off.
* If shooting with ADL would be beneficial, and you're willing to apply compensations (e.g. manually) in Lightroom, and your're willing to remember to turn ADL off when it is no longer beneficial, then turn ADL on.
If you're shooting jpeg, or processing with mfr. software, you can be sloppy, and leave it on when it should be off (since firmware/software compensations are automatic), but in Lightroom, it will be more clear whether it should have been on or off.
* If your coveted highlights are blown, and there's a gap on the left of the histogram - maybe you should have had it on. OK, yeah: you could also have manually down-throttled exposure, BUT there is a reason it's called Active Dynamic Lighting - it's intelligent (exposure drop is governed by meter reading), and immediately so - you: not so much (well, maybe you're more intelligent, but you're not as quick as your camera ).
* If your whole photo is underexposed, and will need to be boosted so much that it degrades quality (e.g. has too much noise in the shadows) - maybe you should have had it off.
Rob