Not really a bug, per se, (and not in Dt)

The application which is being used to do tho merge is using integer
arithmetic. (Dt uses floating point). When an int goes beyond its range, it
gets clipped to the maximum. Any correction then gets evenly reduced. So
for an integer between 0 and 255, a value of 255 gets increased by 30%, it
remains at 255. If reduced by nineteen percent, it becomes 206. The clipped
areas in your “bright” image got reduced to an even grey.

With fp values, nothing is really “out of range” (technically possible, but
nevermind that), meaning that if the value is to fall somewhere between 0
and 1, but it gets computed to 1.3 (or even 17.9), the variable can still
hold the number. If these numbers are then later reduced accordingly, and,
if reduced by nineteen percent, is still 1.053, or still at saturation
(>=1).

So, with the two images, the application does some maths on a certain value
near zero, and a certain value at 255, and it results in another value,
(somewhere in the vicinity of > 127). But with the tree images, at some
point, the high value got clipped, and then reduced, resulting in the even
grey circles. One can say, “but I used a 16-bit format.” Sure, but if it
was a 16-bit integer format, one still has the same problem, except now,
the values are 0-65535, and 65535 times 30% is still 65535, reduced by 19 %
is still 53083.

With a 16-bit fp, or a 32-bit fp, the answer is still 1.053; the only
difference is to what decimal place accuracy.

Perhaps, if  the images were sent to the algorithm in a different order, it
would not have resulted in the clipping. Pipeline order is important,
especially with integer mathematics.

Talk to the developers of the program doing the merge, to consider using a
fp pixel pipeline in their next major upgrade. (That is no easy feat. It
may involve a total rewrite, and a few years. Just ask the developers of
The GIMP).

Sincerely,

Karim Hosein
Top Rock Photography
754.999.1652



On Tue, 1 Sep 2020 at 15:49, Michael <[email protected]> wrote:

> I merged three files of a room and got a round discoloration. I then
> merged The lighter  and darkest image and the pic was normal. If it is
> a bug please fix it. If it isn't a bug nevermind:)
> --
> :-)~MIKE~(-:
> images
> https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/0B2xvsVTZy4y1ODR6dTk5UldpR3c

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