What Does Clarity Actually Do?
Pal2Tech posted a video entitled Fujifilm Settings That Work Against You, and one of the settings he mentioned is Clarity. Specifically, he notes that Clarity set to anything other than 0 causes a short “Storing” pause. His recommendation is to keep it at 0 so as to avoid the delay. When Fujifilm debuted Clarity on the X-Pro3, their official recommendation was (likewise) to keep Clarity at 0, and if you really want Clarity, add it after-the-fact by reprocessing the RAW file in-camera or with X RAW Studio.
My take is a lot different than Pal2Tech and Fujifilm. While I would like Fujifilm to address and improve the Clarity pause on future models, things that slow me down help me to better anticipate the decisive moment and be better prepared for when it comes. In other words, if I slow down a little, I’m a better photographer, and I create stronger images. The Clarity pause, which is about the same amount of time as advancing to the next frame on a film camera, forces me slow down. It doesn’t have to be viewed negatively. Still, Fujifilm should work on shortening or eliminating it, because sometimes you do need to be quick. In the meantime, switching the camera to either CL or CH burst modes disables Clarity (sets it to 0), and when you do need speed, that’s an easy way to get it; switch back to S when it’s time to slow back down.
I published an article six years ago explaining Clarity, but I think a lot of people don’t know what it is, and why you might want to use it. Most of my Recipes have Clarity set to either a positive or negative value, and only a small number have it off (set to 0). I thought I would briefly go over it again, for those who are unaware. So let’s dive into what Clarity is and why you should use it in your photography.
Clarity is a micro-contrast adjustment that concentrates on the mid-tones. It affects highlights and shadows, but it primarily affects the various zones in-between, with only small changes to highlights and shadows. Increasing this micro-contrast (positive Clarity value) makes the image appear more crisp; decreasing this micro-contrast (negative Clarity value) makes an image appear more soft. Most simply, it either increases or decreases the contrast; however, it’s very sophisticated, changing how neighboring tones separate from one another within the photo rather than the global tonal map, which is largely—but not completely—untouched. Let’s take a look at some examples:
I’m sure you were able to spot the differences in the above images, especially +5 Clarity compared to -5 Clarity. You might think of positive Clarity as similar to a dehaze tool in software. Or you could consider it like using a lens with strong micro-contrast, such as Leica Summicrons. I’m reminded of sharp slide films like Kodachrome 25. Whichever way you want to think of it, the important thing to know is that using a plus-Clarity setting will produce more definition, providing a “pop” or crispness to your pictures.
You might think of minus Clarity as similar to a diffusion filter (like CineBloom or Pro Mist). It’s also along the lines of using a vintage lens. Some might describe it as taking the digital edge off your pictures. However you want to think of it, the important thing to know is that using a minus-Clarity setting will produce less definition, providing a softer picture aesthetic. A 5% CineBloom or 1/8 Pro Mist diffusion filter is roughly similar to -1 or -2 Clarity, a 10% CineBloom or 1/4 Pro Mist is roughly similar to -3 or -4 Clarity, and a 20% CineBloom or 1/2 Pro Mist is roughly similar to -5 Clarity. It is certainly ok to use a diffusion filter in lieu of minus Clarity, or even in conjunction with it for a more pronounced effect.
There are times when adding Clarity is most appropriate. There are times when reducing Clarity is most appropriate. It all depends on the feeling you want: hard or soft, gritty or dreamy, punchy or smooth. And, of course, Clarity set to 0 is right in the middle. There’s no right or wrong answer, but Clarity does have a notable effect on the image, so it does matter what you choose. The majority of Fuji X Weekly Recipes use minus Clarity, to add a little retro analog softness. There are some that use plus Clarity, either to replicate sharp slide film or gritty black-and-white. A smaller number use Clarity set to 0, which some prefer because there is no processing delay.
I’m not sure exactly what causes Clarity to take so long to process. Fujifilm has kept it all quite secret. Obviously it takes a lot of processing power, and is (by far) the most taxing of all the JPEG options. It’s clearly a complex application, whatever the camera is doing. Anything that Fujifilm can do to speed it up will be seen as positive, so I hope that is something they’re addressing for the next generation of X and GFX cameras. Clarity is one of my favorite JPEG tools; however, the Storing pause catches a lot of people by surprise. You can do what Pal2Tech and Fujifilm recommend (set it to 0), or you can accept it and use it to slow yourself down, which is what I do. There’s no right or wrong approach, only what works best for you and your photography.
