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Tonal range
The tonal range, also known as the subject luminance range or brightness range, is the difference between the maximum (highlights) and minimum (shadows) amounts of light reflected from a subject. This is measured as a ratio e.g. 100:1.
The tonal range is used in calculating the exposure and development needed to record the scene accurately. This is achieved by plotting the maximum and minimum subject luminance on a film’s characteristic curve. The exposure should then avoid compression in the non linear areas of the film’s curve.
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