Question about exposure preset "scene-referred default"

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Question about exposure preset "scene-referred default"

Dave_G

I'm running darktable 4.0.1 under Linux. For a long time I've wondered why so many of my imported RAW images look underexposed in darktable, when they look fine on the camera. I consistently have to bump up the exposure in darktable to recover many of my images.

I recently discovered the culprit: It's the compensate camera exposure option in the exposure module. A common occurrence for me is photographing a dark bird against a bright sky. To get the correct exposure on the bird, I often need to bump up the exposure compensation in camera by 1 EV or more. When the compensate camera exposure option is selected, this intentional overexposure is ignored and I end up with an underexposed image.

I'm using a scene-referred workflow, and the scene-referred default preset is automatically applied to every image. Unfortunately this preset has the compensate camera exposure option enabled and I can't figure out how to turn it off. That preset is locked and I can't edit it.

How can I override the settings of the scene-referred default exposure preset?

MrSteveVee

According to DT they state:
The scene-referred workflow in darktable enables the filmic rgb and exposure modules by default when you open new images in the darkroom view. Set preferences > processing > auto-apply pixel workflow defaults to “scene-referred” now. Enter preferences by clicking on the gear icon in the top panel.
Does this help?

Dave_G

Thanks. But I already have auto-apply pixel workflow set to scene-referred. That's the problem. The scene-referred workflow (which I otherwise like and have been using exclusively since it became available) sets compensate camera exposure on and I can't see how to turn it off. Is there a way to do that?

jaw-dt

Have you tried creating a new preset? If you start with the scene-referred in the exposure module uncheck the exposure compensation module, click on store new preset and set it to auto apply does that work?

Dave_G

Yes, that's what I've done and that seems to work. I'm a little confused, though. If my new preset is auto-applied, and the built-in scene-referred default preset is also auto-applied, my new preset seems to override the built-in one, but I don't understand why. Anyway, it works.

jaw-dt

Dave_G Glad you were able to find a solution.

priort

If it is checked it just adds less exposure but I find doing auto exposure of the whole image at the defauit of 50% is pretty often a good starting point. If not select an area like a face or other and redo the picker... THere is a lua macro that will apply some basic settings including auto exposure, auto white and black rel filmic and a few other modules...its pretty clever...