RAW files capture a higher dynamic range than JPEGs, like 13EV (in the best case) for my Sony NEX-5R.
This lets me make more adjustments in post, but I have trouble visualizing what those adjustments would be. Is there a way for me to get Lightroom 5 to show me more of the data in the RAW file, so that I can realize that a particular adjustment would make sense for this photo?
For example, if Lightroom could do exposure fusion when I press and hold a button, I could see the full potential of the image, and realize that this photo would benefit from exposure fusion.
As another example, I can drag the exposure / shadows / highlights slider up and down, but I don't know at what point it stops showing me data in the RAW file and starts doing lossy math on the data, essentially synthesizing new information. I wish Lightroom had an exposure / shadows / highlights slider that stops short of synthesizing new information, and merely controls how the 13-bit EV RAW data is converted down to 8 bits.
I phrased this question in terms of dynamic range, but it really applies to getting Lightroom to show me any information captured in the RAW over the JPEG.
As I said, the problem I face is that I can take advantage of the extra information only if I foresee an adjustment I'd like to make, but I can't think of that adjustment without first seeing all the information in the photo.
What's the way out, other than experience?