diff --git a/rtengine/dcraw.cc b/rtengine/dcraw.cc
index eee4f34c0..4786000bb 100644
--- a/rtengine/dcraw.cc
+++ b/rtengine/dcraw.cc
@@ -5497,7 +5497,8 @@ nf: order = 0x4949;
       for (c=i=2; (ushort) c != 0xbbbb && i < len; i++)
 	c = c << 8 | fgetc(ifp);
       while ((i+=4) < len-5)
-	if (get4() == 257 && (i=len) && (c = (get4(),fgetc(ifp))) < 3)
+    if (get4() == 257 && (i=len) && (c = (get4(),fgetc(ifp))) < 3 && strcmp(make,"Canon"))
+      // don't use this tag for Canon cameras as it's known to give wrong orientation some times
 	  flip = "065"[c]-'0';
     }
     if (tag == 0x10 && type == 4)
diff --git a/rtengine/improccoordinator.cc b/rtengine/improccoordinator.cc
index 6b100f021..6004a676a 100644
--- a/rtengine/improccoordinator.cc
+++ b/rtengine/improccoordinator.cc
@@ -346,11 +346,7 @@ void ImProcCoordinator::updatePreviewImage(int todo, Crop* cropCall)
         imgsrc->preprocess(rp, params.lensProf, params.coarse);
         imgsrc->getRAWHistogram(histRedRaw, histGreenRaw, histBlueRaw);
 
-        if (highDetailNeeded) {
-            highDetailPreprocessComputed = true;
-        } else {
-            highDetailPreprocessComputed = false;
-        }
+        highDetailPreprocessComputed = highDetailNeeded;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -416,21 +412,6 @@ void ImProcCoordinator::updatePreviewImage(int todo, Crop* cropCall)
         }
     }
 
-
-    // Updating toneCurve.hrenabled if necessary
-    // It has to be done there, because the next 'if' statement will use the value computed here
-    if (todo & M_AUTOEXP) {
-        if (params.toneCurve.autoexp) {// this enabled HLRecovery
-            if (ToneCurveParams::HLReconstructionNecessary(histRedRaw, histGreenRaw, histBlueRaw) && !params.toneCurve.hrenabled) {
-                // switching params.toneCurve.hrenabled to true -> shouting in listener's ears!
-                params.toneCurve.hrenabled = true;
-
-                // forcing INIT to be done, to reconstruct HL again
-                todo |= M_INIT;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     if (todo & (M_INIT | M_LINDENOISE | M_HDR)) {
         MyMutex::MyLock initLock(minit);  // Also used in crop window
 
diff --git a/rtengine/procparams.cc b/rtengine/procparams.cc
index e499e588b..1162af84f 100644
--- a/rtengine/procparams.cc
+++ b/rtengine/procparams.cc
@@ -361,22 +361,6 @@ bool ToneCurveParams::operator !=(const ToneCurveParams& other) const
     return !(*this == other);
 }
 
-bool ToneCurveParams::HLReconstructionNecessary(const LUTu& histRedRaw, const LUTu& histGreenRaw, const LUTu& histBlueRaw)
-{
-    if (options.rtSettings.verbose) {
-        printf("histRedRaw[  0]=%07d, histGreenRaw[  0]=%07d, histBlueRaw[  0]=%07d\nhistRedRaw[255]=%07d, histGreenRaw[255]=%07d, histBlueRaw[255]=%07d\n",
-               histRedRaw[0], histGreenRaw[0], histBlueRaw[0], histRedRaw[255], histGreenRaw[255], histBlueRaw[255]);
-    }
-
-    return
-        histRedRaw[255] > 50
-        || histGreenRaw[255] > 50
-        || histBlueRaw[255] > 50
-        || histRedRaw[0] > 50
-        || histGreenRaw[0] > 50
-        || histBlueRaw[0] > 50;
-}
-
 RetinexParams::RetinexParams() :
     enabled(false),
     cdcurve{
diff --git a/rtengine/procparams.h b/rtengine/procparams.h
index d3e614510..041a1fe5b 100644
--- a/rtengine/procparams.h
+++ b/rtengine/procparams.h
@@ -291,7 +291,6 @@ struct ToneCurveParams {
     bool operator ==(const ToneCurveParams& other) const;
     bool operator !=(const ToneCurveParams& other) const;
 
-    static bool HLReconstructionNecessary(const LUTu& histRedRaw, const LUTu& histGreenRaw, const LUTu& histBlueRaw);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/rtengine/simpleprocess.cc b/rtengine/simpleprocess.cc
index 8ba0853cc..6e1209d91 100644
--- a/rtengine/simpleprocess.cc
+++ b/rtengine/simpleprocess.cc
@@ -207,16 +207,6 @@ private:
         imgsrc->setCurrentFrame(params.raw.bayersensor.imageNum);
         imgsrc->preprocess(params.raw, params.lensProf, params.coarse, params.dirpyrDenoise.enabled);
 
-        if (params.toneCurve.autoexp) {// this enabled HLRecovery
-            LUTu histRedRaw(256), histGreenRaw(256), histBlueRaw(256);
-            imgsrc->getRAWHistogram(histRedRaw, histGreenRaw, histBlueRaw);
-
-            if (ToneCurveParams::HLReconstructionNecessary(histRedRaw, histGreenRaw, histBlueRaw) && !params.toneCurve.hrenabled) {
-                params.toneCurve.hrenabled = true;
-                // WARNING: Highlight Reconstruction is being forced 'on', should we force a method here too?
-            }
-        }
-
         if (pl) {
             pl->setProgress(0.20);
         }