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I had highlight tone priority set at maximum today on the R1, for an outing with pikas. Did it help? Maybe! It didn't seem to hurt, at least. Exposure compensation set to zero here, and the highlights are not blown. Would it be any different than underexposing a bit? Maybe not! Perhaps it's a useful setting in the Exposure for Dummies category. Which means I'll probably keep it on :rolleyes:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Wi...93-Edit-XL.jpg
Here's another quick example, in direct sunlight. The histogram in Lightroom shows no blown highlights. I did set the EV to -0.33 on the camera, but normally I would drop it more than that in a case like this.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/Wi...73-Edit-XL.jpg
Assuming you didn't massively brighten in post, I have to wonder what metering mode you're using. I'd expect spot or center weighted to have seen the bright pika in the main metering area, especially in the first shot, and adjusted the exposure down a bit, then HTP lowering the exposure even more.
Or maybe you did an exposure lock without the pika in frame.
Or maybe the R1 has smarter metering, and exposes for the brightest highlight. I remember my 1Ds mk II would somehow keep highlights in check in ways that the T1i, 7D, and 7D mk II, and R7 for sure aren't doing.
I always use 'full frame' metering, and normally I add/subtract exposure compensation as I see fit. My experience is that blown highlights are common, so I'm pretty quick to compensate downwards to protect against that. My experimentation here is to see if the highlight tone priority will provide that protection by itself, without incurring any other penalty. This particular test is inadequate, because I didn't have the chance to try the same shot in standard mode.