Here's an example of a feature I'm missing in Lightroom.

I use curves extensively, it's the holy grail of exposure editing. If
you're not using it, start using it!

So here it is in Apertu

http://sandman.net/files/aperture_curves.png

On a slightly (deliberately) overexposed image from Gotland. See the
"Range:" popup? It can be set to "extended", and it looks like this:

http://sandman.net/files/aperture_extended.png

It shows a larger spectrum of image data than can be displayed on your
monitor, i.e. a higher dynamic range. This is only populated if you're
shooting with RAW files of course. You then have more bits of image data
than JPG or your display can show. Using this, I can move the qhite point
*up*:

http://sandman.net/files/apterture_extended2.png

And you can instantly see the result. You suddenly have more image data in
the monitor-visible spectrum! Amazing, isn't it? Now, this may have been a
poor image to show this with since we don't have all that much *useful*
data in the upper range either way. But it's super useful for a lot of
bright images to get more data from the file.

Unfortunately, Lightroom doesn't seem to support this. Default it shows you
a poor-mans version of curves:

http://sandman.net/files/lightroom_poorcurves.png

And at first I wondered what the hell this curve was on about, it had these
stupid limits and regions. So you have to click the bottom right icon to
get to the real curves:

http://sandman.net/files/lightroom_curves.png

But, alas, no extended range here (or with the poorer version of curves) so
no way - as far as I can make out - to actually access all that glorious
image data from within Lightroom.

Anyone knows if I've missed something?


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Sandman[.net]