(...) Does the engineering definition of the DR, describe the useful DR available to the photographer?
(...)
Good question.
I understand that for users, ML have to be 'friendly'. We had discussions with a1ex about this offrecord to make best choices about how ML get access to special functions.
In fact, engineering tools are good; all ML developers here are a kind a engineer.
Plus, maths tools are good too; we should not be afraid by them.
Let me try to explain why:
Good observation is good science. Every time I can I repeat it. We need observations, experimentations, tests, etc.
However, without maths tools, observations are hard to interpret, it takes more times to understand what appends and/or how to correct engineering at the source (ML functions).
I don't say we 'have to' use complex maths etc.: I just say without some tools like these, progress will be hard and will take long times at this point where ML is.
a1ex made useful tools like that; ADTG_GUI, RAW_DIAG, etc. Of course it is hard to use for most of users, but it does not mean that we have to be afraid by them.
Then, it is why I think I was misunderstand some posts ago; it was not to find fault and depreciate someone, it was trying to help by underline where it should be.
The big challenge is that ML starts to access to very complex stuff since some times and it is equally more complex to help with simple stuff.
So, does the DR equation with FPN, RON, TN, .. considerations will be useful for photographers: Yes!
Photographers (users) maybe not understand (don't need to?) what appends with the ML on background, but it is clear that if we don't care off this, photographs (images/pictures) will not be as 'nice' as they could be.
For example, it clearly looks that with 5D2, with last offset/WL/ADTG/.. optimizations, we should pass over the 12 stops wall on a single frame with some FPN reduction. And with dual_iso there will be a gain too, of course. The 11.5, 12.0 or 12.5 stops numbers maybe not be relevant overall for photographs, but when they will see deep clean blacks (offset opt + FPN reduction), rich high lights and smooth middle tones (WL+ ADTG opt) on their photographs, it's quite sure that they see the gain.
