B__R wrote:

 

If I hold down the Option key, the indication of clipping starts at the same exposure level as when not holding down the key. Also same behavior at 1:1. I'm looking at the image of a snow-covered field and the image obviously get blown out before clipping is indicated.

 

Is there some preference that defines the level for clipping?

 

Thanks.

The new process (PV 2012) attempts to rescue bright highlights before they start clipping by compressing them in a film-like rolloff fashion. This causes the detail in the highlights to fade before they actually become clipped. In the old version (PV 2010 which is used in LR 3) they would just completely blow out. You will see this in the histogram by the bunching that occurs in that region instead of the clipping that you would have seen in LR 3 or that you will see in LR 4 when you select the old process. In general this should lead to better highlight detail even if you clip them and that is what I generally see. You do need to have a well calibrated monitor though that is not set too bright and that can resolve shades of white well. If you go here: http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/Calibration/monitor_sensitivity.htm l what differences can you see in the right column? On a good, well calibrated monitor, you should be able to see the split in cells number 2 and 3 from the bottom in the right most column (255). If you can't it is likely that you are not actually blowing out but that your monitor is not able to show the detail that is still there to you.

The splits in those cells should be a little hard to see. The fact that you

see it is a good sign. You can't change the point where clipping is

indicated unfortunately. When you push highlights to the brink, you should

use whites, not highlights to bring them back. This is different than in LR

3. In LR 4, highlights are light areas, not the very bright highlights that

are now called white areas. A little confusing indeed.