Getting Started with Photography Histogram: Taking Nikon Z9 and Sony α6100 as Examples

First understand the left, right and height

The histogram has brightness/hue as the horizontal axis and the number of pixels as the vertical axis; dark parts tend to the left and bright parts tend to the right. It shows the tonal distribution of the picture, which is suitable for judging based on the subject and the expected tone. There is no fixed shape that every photo should be centered on. 〔G-HIST-01〕

Checking highlights with playback: Nikon Z9 example

Nikon Z9 enables highlight display and RGB histogram in playback information. The manual refers to the flickering area as a "possible overexposure" area, and says that the histogram can roughly assist in judging the overall exposure when the ambient light is strong and it is difficult to see the screen photo clearly; this is not a general model menu process or an accurate metering conclusion. 〔G-HIST-02〕

The camera display is for reference only

Nikon cautions that Z9 camera histograms may differ from histograms in imaging applications and should be used as a reference for observing actual tonal distribution. The Sony α6100 manual further states that its shooting histogram reflects the image displayed on the screen, not the final photo; when using flash or shooting low-light subjects, the shooting and playback histograms may be significantly different. 〔G-HIST-03, G-HIST-04〕