SP4 - highlight restoration & Dodge tool

[odklizec]

Here is another example of highlight restoration using SP3 and SP4 highlight restoration and with help of Dodge tool in the later one.

This is original out-of-camera JPEG:

Here is RAW processed in SP3 with maximum amount of highlights I was able to recover:

And finally, here is RAW processed in SP4, using its highlight recovery tool and with Dodge tool set to maximum value:

Not everyone will like the HDR-like look of the Dodge tool set to its maximum value. But it can be lowered. I just want to show you how useful is the new Dodge tool.

Here is a 100% crop comparing the SP4 and SP3 output:

 

[odklizec]

The orange/film-like cast of the above photo may not be everyone's cup of tee. It has nothing to do with Dodge tool. The orange cast is just an effect added by me in SP3 and then it was just loaded in SP4. Here is the photo processed with SP4 and without any colour/curves work:


What's important, SP4 dodge tool improves dynamic range of the photo.

 

[uKrris]

Thanks for this. Very interesting. Find the use of the word " dodge " to be strange - is this common use in RAW converters, or is this a Japanese translation to English much like " tastes "?. Asked Shortcut when the English version of SP4 (PRO) might be available but received no reply.

 

[odklizec]

Hi Chris! You are welcome! Dodge is an official term for selective correction of shadows/dark area(s) of the photo. However, in SP4 it's more or less an automatic process, affecting entire photo. All you can do is to change the amount of "Dodge" effect. See more details about Dodge and Burn technique...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodging_and_burning