---
title: wantsExposureAdaptation
framework: scenekit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
path: scenekit/scncamera/wantsexposureadaptation
---

# wantsExposureAdaptation

A Boolean value that determines whether SceneKit automatically adjusts the exposure level.

## Declaration

```swift
var wantsExposureAdaptation: Bool { get set }
```

## Discussion

Discussion When using a High Dynamic Range (HDR) camera, SceneKit applies a process called tone mapping to translate the wide range of luminance values in the visible scene to the narrower range of brightness values that can be shown on a display. One measure of tone mapping is the exposure value, whose effect on the output is similar to that of the shutter speed (or exposure time) of a real-world camera—lower exposure values result in a darker image, and higher exposures result in a brighter image. You cannot adjust exposure value directly—instead, SceneKit determines a tone mapping curve (including the exposure level) from the minimumExposure, maximumExposure, exposureOffset, and whitePoint properties along with a measure of scene luminance. If this property’s value is true (the default), SceneKit automatically measures the current luminance visible to the camera during rendering, and adjusts the exposure level accordingly. Additionally, when the scene luminance changes, SceneKit automatically animates a transition to the new exposure level (see the exposureAdaptationBrighteningSpeedFactor and exposureAdaptationDarkeningSpeedFactor properties). note: The visual effect of automatic exposure is similar to how human visual perception adjusts to changes in environmental lighting. For example, consider a game scene where the player moves from a darkened area into full daylight. At first, the exposure value is low, allowing for visible detail in the darkened area, but no detail in the white daylight outside. As the player moves into the daylight, the entire view becomes blindingly bright, but over a brief time the player’s vision adapts: detail becomes visible in the bright area, and the darkened area loses detail. If this property’s value is false, SceneKit’s tone mapping effect is constant. Instead of responding to scene luminance, SceneKit uses the averageGray property to determine the tone mapping curve. This property has no effect if the wantsHDR value is false.

## See Also

### Adding Automatic HDR Exposure Adaptation

- [exposureAdaptationBrighteningSpeedFactor](scenekit/scncamera/exposureadaptationbrighteningspeedfactor.md)
- [exposureAdaptationDarkeningSpeedFactor](scenekit/scncamera/exposureadaptationdarkeningspeedfactor.md)