Complete Guide to Exposure Tools: False Color, Zebras, Zone System
Proper exposure is fundamental to good image quality. Whether you're shooting video, comparing color grades, or evaluating AI-generated content, understanding exposure tools helps you make better decisions. This guide covers all the exposure analysis tools available in DualView and how to use them effectively for comparison.
Why Use Exposure Tools?
Your eyes adapt to different brightness levels, making it hard to judge exposure objectively. A monitor in a dark room looks different than in a bright office. Exposure tools provide objective measurements that don't change with your environment.
- Consistency — Same reading regardless of ambient light
- Clipping detection — See problems before they're permanent
- Matching — Match exposure between shots or versions
- Compliance — Meet broadcast specifications
False Color
False color replaces the actual image colors with a rainbow gradient based on brightness. Each color represents a specific exposure zone, making it easy to identify problems at a glance.
Black
Shadow
Dark Mid
Skin
Highlight
Clipped
Using False Color for Faces
Skin tones should fall in the yellow-green range (50-60 IRE). If faces are showing orange or red, they're overexposed. If they're green or cyan, they're underexposed. This applies to all skin tones — the luminance values are consistent regardless of ethnicity.
When comparing two shots, enable false color on both and look for matching colors on faces. If one shot shows yellow and the other shows orange for the same face, exposure doesn't match.
Zebra Stripes
Zebra stripes overlay diagonal lines on areas exceeding a brightness threshold. They're less intrusive than false color and work well during shooting or playback review.
Common Zebra Levels
| Level | Purpose | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 70% IRE | Skin tone guide | Faces should just trigger zebras |
| 80% IRE | Highlight warning | Approaching danger zone |
| 100% IRE | Clipping indicator | Actually clipped pixels |
Zone System
The Zone System, developed by Ansel Adams, divides the tonal range into 11 zones from pure black (Zone 0) to pure white (Zone X). Each zone represents approximately one stop of exposure.
Key Zones to Remember
- Zone III — Darkest area with texture (dark shadows)
- Zone V — Middle gray (18% gray card)
- Zone VI — Caucasian skin tone
- Zone VII — Lightest area with texture
When comparing exposures, think about which zones contain your important detail. If critical texture falls in Zone II or Zone VIII, you may lose it to shadows or highlights.
Histogram
The histogram shows the distribution of brightness values across your image. The left side represents shadows, the right side represents highlights, and the height shows how many pixels have that value.
Reading the Histogram
- Spike on left — Crushed blacks, lost shadow detail
- Spike on right — Blown highlights, lost highlight detail
- Gap on left — No true blacks, may look washed out
- Gap on right — No bright whites, may look dull
- Spread across — Well-exposed with full tonal range
Comparing Exposure Between Shots
DualView's power comes from comparing exposure between two versions simultaneously:
- Load both images or videos
- Enable false color (or zebras) for both sides
- Compare the color patterns on matching subjects
- Look for differences in skin tones, shadows, highlights
- Check histograms to see overall distribution changes
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Tool |
|---|---|
| Z | Toggle zebra stripes |
| W | Toggle video scopes (includes histogram) |
| P | Toggle focus peaking |
Practical Applications
Color Grade Comparison
When comparing color grades, exposure tools help you see beyond the color changes. Two grades might have similar colors but different exposure curves. False color reveals if shadows are lifted or highlights are pulled.
AI Generation Comparison
AI-generated images often have different exposure characteristics than originals. Use the histogram to compare tonal distribution — AI images may clip highlights or compress the dynamic range differently.
Compression Quality
Heavy compression can affect shadow and highlight detail. Compare histograms before and after compression to see if the tonal range has been reduced.