Practice question · Sort into groups
Sort each description by the region of the characteristic curve it belongs to.
Groups: Toe · Straight-line portion · Shoulder
- Negligible density gain
- ISO speed defined
- Compressed deep shadows
- Gamma measured
- Evenly spaced mid-tones
- Flattened highlights
Hints
- Two regions compress tones and one does not.
- Speed is defined low on the curve; contrast is measured in the middle.
Show the answer
Toe: Compressed deep shadows, ISO speed defined
Straight-line portion: Evenly spaced mid-tones, Gamma measured
Shoulder: Flattened highlights, Negligible density gain
Why
The two compressed regions are not defects. Shoulder compression is what lets a negative hold a highlight several stops beyond what a straight response could accommodate, and it is the main reason negative film survives overexposure so much better than a digital sensor does.
Practise Film and the Characteristic Curve
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