Pick the comparison target
Use Original vs Current Edit for the full result, or Before Levels vs After Levels to isolate levels.
Image Levels Comparison Advanced Feature
Precise tonal analysis and comparison with advanced levels controls and metrics.
Upload an image to compare levels and tone-curve changes across shadows, midtones, and highlights.
Tone Metrics
Reference and current values calculated from browser-local rendered pixel buffers.
Upload an image to calculate percentile, range, and clipping metrics.
Tone Curve
Fine-tune the tonal shape after setting black point, white point, and midtones.
Point
- Input
- 1.000
- Output
- 1.000
- Preset
- Neutral
How to read this page
Levels reshape shadows, midtones, and highlights
This advanced image levels comparison page applies browser-local black point, white point, midtones, output levels, and tone curve changes, then compares the visible result with the selected baseline. Use the histogram and clipping map to catch crushed shadows or clipped highlights.
Scope
This tool compares visible levels and tone-curve changes. It does not recover exact Photoshop, Lightroom, or camera settings.
Watch the histogram
Input black, midtones, and input white markers show where the levels controls sit against the luma distribution.
Check clipping
The Clipping Map marks clipped shadows in blue and clipped highlights in red for the current edit.
Levels comparison guide
What Levels Comparison Shows
Black point, white point, and midtones
The levels comparison tool shows how B/M/W markers remap shadows, midtones, highlights, and gamma against the histogram.
Histogram levels and tone curve
Use histogram levels comparison with the tone curve to refine input levels, output levels, and curve response.
Levels vs brightness and contrast
Brightness shifts values and contrast changes separation. Levels directly controls black point, white point, midtones, output range, and curve response.
Levels terms and tone concepts
How to Read an Image Levels Comparison
Image levels comparison is the advanced tonal range page. It is not just another brightness or contrast control. A photo levels comparison asks how black point, white point, midtones, output levels, tone curve, histogram levels, tonal range, and clipping work together. The comparison is useful because levels remap the tonal range directly: shadows can be anchored, highlights can be protected, and middle values can be shaped without treating the whole image as one simple lightness slider.
The basic levels idea is input remapping. If x is a normalized input value, black is the input black point, and white is the input white point, then a simple normalized value is x1 = clamp((x - black) / (white - black), 0, 1). Midtones are commonly shaped with gamma: x2 = x1^gamma. Output levels then map x2 into the output range. The tone curve adds another lookup step, where input levels on the horizontal axis map to output levels on the vertical axis. Image levels comparison makes those concepts visible through B/M/W markers, tone metrics, a clipping map, and the histogram.
Use image levels comparison when brightness or contrast feels too blunt. A careful image levels comparison lets you decide whether the image needs a new black point, a protected white point, or a gamma-style midtone move. If image levels comparison creates a stronger result but warning values rise, check the clipping map before downloading the PNG.
Black point
Black point sets the input value that becomes the darkest usable tone.
- Role in the image
- Black point comparison shows whether shadows gain depth or become crushed.
- Concept or calculation
- Raising input black removes values below that point from the visible shadow range.
- Watch for
- Too much black point makes hair, dark fabric, and low-key backgrounds lose texture.
White point
White point sets the input value that becomes the brightest usable tone.
- Role in the image
- White point comparison shows whether highlights gain snap or become clipped.
- Concept or calculation
- Lowering input white stretches bright values upward and can quickly create highlight clipping.
- Watch for
- Check skies, white products, teeth, paper, and reflections after moving white point.
Midtones and gamma
Midtones shape the center of the tonal range without directly moving black point or white point.
- Role in the image
- In image levels comparison, midtones control whether faces, products, and interior details feel lifted or compressed.
- Concept or calculation
- The gamma formula x2 = x1^gamma maps the normalized input range through a nonlinear curve.
- Watch for
- A midtone lift can make the image clearer, but too much can flatten local contrast.
Output levels
Output levels set the darkest and brightest values allowed after the levels mapping.
- Role in the image
- They can create a matte black floor or protect highlights from reaching pure white.
- Concept or calculation
- After input and gamma mapping, output = outputBlack + x2 * (outputWhite - outputBlack).
- Watch for
- Output changes can reduce clipping but also reduce contrast if used too strongly.
Tone curve
Tone curve maps input tones to output tones with editable points.
- Role in the image
- Tone curve comparison refines levels by targeting shadows, midtones, or highlights more selectively.
- Concept or calculation
- A curve lookup table samples the curve so each normalized input can be mapped to a normalized output.
- Watch for
- Keep curves monotonic for natural results. Aggressive curves can posterize or create unnatural transitions.
Histogram levels
Histogram levels show how pixels are distributed across shadows, midtones, and highlights.
- Role in the image
- Histogram levels comparison makes B/M/W marker placement visible against actual image data.
- Concept or calculation
- Bars near the left represent shadows; bars near the right represent highlights. Edge pile-ups indicate clipping.
- Watch for
- Use the histogram as a map, not a rule. Some high-key and low-key photos naturally lean toward one side.
Levels after exposure
Use exposure to set the broad light level, then use image levels comparison to place black point, white point, and midtones precisely. Image levels comparison is strongest after the broad exposure direction is settled, because this avoids using levels to compensate for a globally wrong exposure.
Levels with contrast
Contrast broadly changes tonal separation, while levels directly remap endpoints and midtones. If contrast comparison shows a harsh edit, levels comparison can often recover a more controlled tonal shape.
Related comparison tools
Keep levels review inside the comparison workflow
FAQ
About this page
What does the levels comparison change?
It changes the visible input black point, input white point, midtones, optional output levels, and tone curve before showing the result against the selected comparison target.
Is my data safe?
Yes. Your image and adjustment data run locally in your browser and are not uploaded to our server.
How are levels different from contrast?
Contrast broadly changes tonal separation. Levels gives direct control over black point, white point, midtones, output range, and curve response.