Modern camera sensors can be very forgiving when it comes to making exposure mistakes. Even so, it is useful to have a basic understanding of how digital cameras capture images plus how the raw processing, either in-camera or applied during post-capture, affects image quality. Sure, it is easy enough on the computer to correct photographs that are under- or overexposed, but if you are keen to achieve optimum image quality, you’ll want to do all you can to nail the exposure at the capture stage. When looking at digital camera exposure, forget everything you think you know about film negative or transparency emulsions. The digital capture process is entirely different.

Sensors and raw conversions

In the early years of digital capture the exposure selection was critical because most cameras then had a fairly limited dynamic range and consequently less exposure wiggle room. This restriction put off some photographers from going digital because digital did not compare well to shooting, say, film