[LIST][*][URL="http://dpnow.com/forum2/blog.php?b=309"]And also a look at recovering from over-exposure[/URL][/LIST]

Something went wrong. I think I had left the camera on spot meter mode, probably. Anyway, a photo I took at the weekend of my daughter, Elizabeth, teasing my brother-in-law's Jack Russell, Molly, required a fast shutter speed to freeze the action, but not this fast.

The exposure was f/7.1, ISO 100, 1/2500th sec using an Olympus E-620 and a 40-150 II Zuiko Digital kit tele zoom on a cloudless spring sunny day around noon.

[URL="http://fourthirds-user.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/23253"][IMG]http://fourthirds-user.com/galleries/data/550/P3251228-1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Going by the Sunny 16 rule (ISO 100 and 100th second shutter speed at f/16, the correct shutter speed would have been around 1/500th at f/7.1. So my shoot is at least 2 1/3rd stops under exposed and I think it was actually more than that.

After 3.54+ on the exposure slider in Lightroom 4 (working on the RAW file) plus shadows boosted and other tweaks, this is the recovered image:

[URL="http://fourthirds-user.com/galleries/showphoto.php/photo/23254"][IMG]http://fourthirds-user.com/galleries/data/550/P3251228-2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Here is the Lightroom settings view (click for a larger view) showing how much the recovery needed:

[URL="http://fourthirds-user.com/files/forum/settings-large.jpg"][IMG]http://fourthirds-user.com/files/forum/settings-small.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Sharpening was 60, radius 0.8, detail 25, luminance noise reduction on 77, detail 18, colour 100.

The E-620 is not a camera noted for exceptional dynamic range, so the result is all the more impressive. If you look at 100% (see below) the necessary smoothing to deal with noise generated by the severe levels adjustment has cost some fine detail and there is some film like grain in the dark areas, but I'm sure it will make a perfectly adequate 6x4 print, maybe even larger and it's perfectly OK for web use. Here are some 100% crops:

[IMG]http://fourthirds-user.com/files/forum/P3251228.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://fourthirds-user.com/files/forum/P3251228-3.jpg[/IMG]

So next time you accidentally under-expose a shot that has a modicum of value - don't bin it straight away - you might be able to make a miraculous recovery!