If an overexposed image is left uncorrected, what is the likely result?

• A. The image remains perfectly sharp.
• B. Significant distortion in the video picture.
• C. The audio becomes distorted.
• D. The frame rate doubles.

Answer: (B)

When a picture is overexposed, too much light floods the sensor, pushing bright areas beyond the point where detail can be recorded. If that extra light isn’t corrected, those highlights clip to white and the image loses contrast and texture in the bright regions. The result is a washed-out look with little tonal nuance, which many viewers perceive as a form of distortion in the picture. This issue is about image quality, not timing or sound, so audio distortions or changes to frame rate wouldn’t be expected outcomes. So, leaving an overexposed image uncorrected tends to produce significant distortion in the video picture due to loss of highlight detail and reduced dynamic range.