Local Contrast

Color

Enhances local detail and clarity using CLAHE (Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization).

Local Contrast boosts detail in localized regions of the image. Unlike global Levels or Curves, it operates on small tiles and equalizes their histograms independently. This brings out texture and detail in both shadows and highlights simultaneously.

The clip limit controls how much contrast is amplified. Higher values mean stronger enhancement but may introduce noise. Tile size controls how “local” the effect is.

Parameters

Enhancement

Clip LimitNumber

Default: 2.0 Range: 1.0–40.0

Contrast amplification limit; higher=stronger, may introduce noise

Tile Size

WidthInteger

Default: 8 Range: 2–128

Horizontal tile grid; smaller=more localized enhancement

HeightInteger

Default: 8 Range: 2–128

Vertical tile grid; smaller=more localized enhancement

Mask

Mask FitChoice

Default: None

Mask sizing

NoneCenter the mask at its native size — no resizing. Unmasked regions are unaffected.
StretchStretch the mask to exactly match the image dimensions. May distort the mask shape.
FitScale the mask to fit inside the image, preserving aspect ratio. Letterboxes where needed.
FillScale the mask to fill the image, preserving aspect ratio. Crops edges if aspect ratios differ.

Notes

Mask Fit only visible when mask is connected.

Pins: image (required), mask (optional). When mask is connected, the effect is blended with the original using the mask (white = full effect, black = original).

Usage Tips

A clip limit of 2–4 provides subtle clarity enhancement without artifacts.
Smaller tile sizes (4–8) create more localized enhancement; larger (16–32) is more global.
Use after Denoise to restore detail that denoising may have softened.
Connect a mask input to enhance detail in specific regions only.