HDR Bracketing: One or two stops?

[Bobobird]

Thanks Mike. Dont have Lightroom only CS5.

[Shadowman]

i am using nikon d60. i tried to look for bracketing but i can't find it. just want to try learning and making HDR images. how to do it using my dslr? please help...

I have the D60 and the only way to bracket is to do it manually. The exposure compensation can be set to +/-5 stops. Page 67 of your manual.

[Colin Southern]

Thanks Mike. Dont have Lightroom only CS5.

CS5 has HDR functionality built in.

[Colin Southern]

Personally, I do not quite like the garish looks that many produce with HDR, preferring instead to be honest to the actual scene. Hence my interest in HDR is more for reflecting the true scene instead of mutilating it (called art by some).

I couldn't agree more. Ironically though, last time I checked the Photomatix website, the examples there were actually very good; I think the big "problem" is many folks mistake over-saturated - over sharpened - over contrast mush (oops, I mean ultra tone-mapped) images for HDR, and just go crazy with the sliders. The program is actually very good, although I think its sale needs to be "restricted" (if you catch my drift)!

[FrankMi]

I have the D60 and the only way to bracket is to do it manually. The exposure compensation can be set to +/-5 stops.

I have the D3100 and no Auto-Bracketing. Simply use the exposure compensation. No problem, it just takes a few seconds more to get the shots.

[_GUI_]

I would assume that he's talking about the processing of the HDR composite once the multiple exposures have already been combined. Many seem to forget that this step is necessary, and assume that an image is "good to go" once it pops out of the likes of Photomatix.

That is correct Colin, the 'ACR tone mapping' was just an ACR adjustment over the DNG file already containing the mix of the two shots 4EV apart as a result of the RAW fusion.

That is not the proper way to tone map any scene. I just wanted to adjust some ACR settings to obtain a fairly nice image straight from ACR. But the right way to do it is by locally adjusting brightness, either with some good tone mapping software or any manual procedure in Photoshop (e.g. using mask layers).

Regards

[Colin Southern]

That is correct Colin, the 'ACR tone mapping' was just an ACR adjustment over the DNG file already containing the mix of the two shots 4EV apart as a result of the RAW fusion.

That is not the proper way to tone map any scene. I just wanted to adjust some ACR settings to obtain a fairly nice image straight from ACR. But the right way to do it is by locally adjusting brightness, either with some good tone mapping software or any manual procedure in Photoshop (e.g. using mask layers).

Regards

Hi Guillermo,

Thanks for clarifying that (no pun intended )

Great to have you pop in and see us -- seems like so long between visits these days

[steve40]

A rule of thumb could be; a low contrast scene +- 1 stop would be sufficent; a high contrast scene +- 2 stops would be required. As a general rule useing +- 2 stops would always be on the safe side. And of course you can always tilt the exposure range; using your EV setting to get a little brighter, or darker set of images. The only cameras I know of right off, that will auto bracket 5 stops are some of the Nikons.

[Colin Southern]

A rule of thumb could be; a low contrast scene +- 1 stop would be sufficent

Hi Steve,

If its a low-contrast scene then you probably won't need to be using HDR anyway (most cameras are capturing around 12 stps of DR these days). Like Guillermo, I've never seen a situation where only a 1 stop bracket was of any benefit.

Canon 1D cameras have traditionally stopped at a +/- 3EV bracket, but I believe that they've extended this to 5 with the new Canon 1Dx (thanks Nikon!)

[steve40]

Hi Steve,

If its a low-contrast scene then you probably won't need to be using HDR anyway (most cameras are capturing around 12 stps of DR these days). Like Guillermo, I've never seen a situation where only a 1 stop bracket was of any benefit.

Canon 1D cameras have traditionally stopped at a +/- 3EV bracket, but I believe that they've extended this to 5 with the new Canon 1Dx (thanks Nikon!)

+- 1 stop was all I used to have, so thats what I used. What I mean by low/high contrast is intensly lighted with deep shadows, and normally lighted with mild shadows. +- 1 stop is ok, if you are not into surreal looking HDR.

[Bobobird]

PM worked.

Thanks for turning up Guillermo.

[Glenn NK]

Thanks Glenn. Do you have a link for the overexposure thread?

As for sending him a PM - good idea to prompt a return here if the "you have pm" email gets his attention. Will do just that.

Bobo:

I'm still looking for it, but in the meantime this one is interesting:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...=over+exposure

Guillermo doesn't chime in until post number 17, but it is enlightening.

Then I ask him a question (No.20) and he replies in No.21 (these are the settings I use).

I'll look some more for the other thread.

Glenn

[olimike]

That's strange. I have a Nikon D80 which has 3 stops. The button is on the L front, below the flash button. But I am far from being an authority on the subject. It is somewhat depressing for some to say that three stops may be adequate, as I just dropped $3000 for the Nikon D800 because primarily it having up to nine stops. What prompted me was a book on HDR with unbelievable pictures & some of these pros using up to 18 stops. Intuitively it makes sense as the camera & software have more data to use for the image. If not, can someone explain that, just after I dropped that cash for a bigger toy of a camera

[olimike]

The rational I have heard for HDR is that is most closely resmbles how the eye perceives the incoming light i.e. if one is looking at a scene with high contrast, the pupils will quickly dilate/constrict based on where your eyes focus. For example, looking at a picture with high contrast & shadows to me at least, seems more unnatural as compared to live viewing.

[John Morton]

My first digital camera, an Olympus E500, convinced me to give up my 35mm camera (an Olympus OM4-T). I quickly fell in love with HDR imaging; but just as quickly realized that the limited bracketing range and poor low light performance of that camera were going to be a major detriment to my photography.

I switched to a Nikon D700 as son as it was released, and have never looked back. The nine frame bracketing range that Nikon allows for was a big factor in my decision to go with that model. I will often use the entire 9 frame option (using a tripod) (although sometimes 7 or 5 frames instead) because I never know before I do my HDR work just which frames I will choose to use for the final image. I do not usually end up using all 9 frames (although sometimes I do) but I will sometimes need to include the darkest or the lightest frame for my final image.

I have set the camera to record images from darkest to lightest, with the "proper" exposure in the middle of that range.

Here is a recent example of an HDR image:



I set the bracketing at one full stop between each frame, but sometimes I will just use every second frame (two stops apart) for my final image - another reason to shoot all 9 frames available for bracketing!

[Colin Southern]

My first digital camera, an Olympus E500, convinced me to give up my 35mm camera (an Olympus OM4-T). I quickly fell in love with HDR imaging; but just as quickly realized that the limited bracketing range and poor low light performance of that camera were going to be a major detriment to my photography.

I switched to a Nikon D700 as son as it was released, and have never looked back. The nine frame bracketing range that Nikon allows for was a big factor in my decision to go with that model. I will often use the entire 9 frame option (using a tripod) (although sometimes 7 or 5 frames instead) because I never know before I do my HDR work just which frames I will choose to use for the final image. I do not usually end up using all 9 frames (although sometimes I do) but I will sometimes need to include the darkest or the lightest frame for my final image.

I have set the camera to record images from darkest to lightest, with the "proper" exposure in the middle of that range.

Here is a recent example of an HDR image:



I set the bracketing at one full stop between each frame, but sometimes I will just use every second frame (two stops apart) for my final image - another reason to shoot all 9 frames available for bracketing!

Hi John,

With through-glass images like that one really needs to address the loss of contrast separately. To be honest, it can sometimes be easier to just expose for the highlights with a single exposure, and then "dig deep" with the fill light slider (there's often enough DR captured).

[John Morton]

That does look much better, Colin.

The "fill light slider" must, however, be a tool in ACR or Lightroom; I am not familiar with it, as I use Nikon Capture NX2 and Photoshop CS4. Too bad, because I definitely prefer your rendition of the image!

[Colin Southern]

That does look much better, Colin.

The "fill light slider" must, however, be a tool in ACR or Lightroom; I am not familiar with it, as I use Nikon Capture NX2 and Photoshop CS4. Too bad, because I definitely prefer your rendition of the image!

Hi John,

Yes - it's a control in ACR. Worth it's weight in gold too I might add.

Just to give you an expansion of it in action. The first shot is straight out of the camera, and exposes for the outside scene (through the doorway & windows). The second is the same scene with the fill light slider maxed out and small changes to brightness) (or in other words, "HDR without needing to do HDR").

[jcuknz]

Thankyou Colin for mentioning the 'fill light slider' becuase it prompted me to find it in Paint Shop Pro. I think its use should solve Peewee Mum's problems in that other thread.

[Nancy Moran G]

Never tried HDR but am trying to study up so I can attempt it soon. I have the Nikon ViewNet 2 that came with my 7000, but didn't load it. I do not see that will handle HDR, correct? What basic program would be good for a newbie?
I have a Windows 7 with Photo Gallery editing, and IPad 3 with IMovie editing.
Nancy