Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5100 for HDR Landscape/Architecture Photos??

Learn something new every day, eh? I've got a D90, but I don't usually do anything that requires bracketing.

Hi Dave, I suggest you check out the comparison at Nikon D3200 vs D5100

IMO, it still depends on what your pictures are for.

The D5100 can be manipulated to take three images that may be used in a dedicated HDR Program such as Photomatix Pro. First, make sure you are in the P, S. A, or M mode. Next using your LED, hit the "I" button twice to reveal the settings on the right side. Scroll to Bracketing and click, then set your bracketing to 2.0 AE. Next go to the choice of how to shoot (single shot, Continuous, etc.) and set it on Continuous. Then shoot (a tripod is recommend and absolutely needed in low light situations). The camera will shoot three shots, one at -2 EV, one at 0 Ev, and one at +2 Ev. It's a trade-off for the D5100 not having a dedicated multi-image layered image HDR setting.

Sure, there is an in-camera HDR setting in the D5100, but using it does not give one the ability to manipulate the tonal values in a dedicated HDR program. The HDR in-camera setting will shoot two shots, one overexposed and one under-exposed, then tonemap the two images. The resulting image is better than one shot at just 0 Ev, but still not as good as a true HDR image.

These three images are quick shots I just shot of my back yard and shop to show the differences.

This image was shot at proper exposure, 0 Ev. Notice how the shadowed areas are too dark.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...drtest_0Ev.jpg

This image was shot using the in-camera HDR function, better, but IMHO still too bright overall.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...est_hdrset.jpg

This is a bracketed three-shot image with the bracketing at 2 AE. Three images were shot, one at -2 Ev, one at 0 Ev, and one at +2 Ev. The HDR image was tonemapped using Photomatix Pro with a default setting in which all I did was manipulate the black point and the white point.

http://backup.cambridgeincolour.com/...tonemapped.jpg

Hope this helps other people with D5100 cameras, who wish to do a more dedicated HDR Image than what the camera delivers.

Caz