Reply To: Pixel Value and Exposure

Hello Giovanni,
Thank you for your reply. Perhaps dismiss my “slow lens aperture” idea!
I have a Nikon D3200 camera, which has a CMOS sensor. With this camera I have performed some tests, for both JPEGs and NEF(RAW) images, and obtained the same “capacitor charging” curves.
I assume the sensor output is linear, so the “cause” must be the camera’s internal processing, programmed to suit general photography.
In fact, this non-linear camera output enables images to represent a greater tonal range, by compressing the higher brightness levels.
Possibly all “general photography” digital cameras work this way (?).
By comparison, your observation with the photoelectric cell seems much simpler, so I wish you good fortune with that project!
I’ve found this very interesting. Thank you for sharing your results!
Good wishes,
Peter