[Hannican]

So ever since I started shooting I've been amazed by HDR images of all types, and run into them all over the internet.

I still feel like I don't completely understand how this works though- are people using something like the K10Ds "Multi Exposure" function to create these kinds of images?

If so- I've tried this and failed (even once on a tripod), and I'm wondering how it's done properly.

I just searched this forum for "HDR" and it returned 0 results, which is hard for me to believe...

Say I want to take a shot of a spectacular sunset, keeping the ground and some trees and whatnot also properly exposed, so I go for a 2 or even a 3 shot image- I set "Number of shots" in "Multi-exposure" to "3 times", but then what?

What is this "Auto EV Adjust" thing? I've played with it and can't seem to figure it out!

Do I need to be in fully Manual mode to do this properly?

[Jasvox]

Try search for "High Dynamic Range" in the search function, you should find plenty of results since this has been beaten to death in here over the last year or more.

Also, look it up as a general google search, you could spend days reading through the results there. The good thing here, you don't have to be a Pentax user to apply the techniques and theories you'll read about.

EDIT: also, trying using an asterisk after "HDR" (HDR*) and you should get at least 96 threads on HDR.

Jason

[dugrant153]

I just bought a K200D and it has an HDR function for JPEGs (it's one of the optional in-camera after-the-fact filters). I've got some pretty good results from it so far

Like Jasvox says, check google with the terms "High Dynamic Range". You'll find a ton of info like I did.

[le_roi_ponpon]

Hannican, the multiple exposure is not what you want to use. You use the Exposure bracket button (p129 of the K20D manual), to take (I strongly recommend a tripod) a number of separate pictures (preferably RAW) at various exposure compensation (e.g. 0 and +/- 2Ev), then you combine the shots in an HDR and "tonemap" it with dedicated software (I use qtpfsgui1.9). The tonemap is to compress the huge (16 or 32 bit/color) HDR in a into a 8bit/color image. Here is my first test done last week (3 photos at 0,+/2Ev) with two tonemapping parameters (one for a natural look, the other more drawing like). Hope this helps. Grégoire.

Attached Images

   

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Last edited by le_roi_ponpon; 01-18-2009 at 03:47 AM. Reason: typo (qtpfsgui and not qptfsgui)

[simons-photography]

ALWAYS use a tripod, the one thing many people possibly miss is paralax distortion and this will prevent the images lining up and a no go HDR image, before jumping into HDR you might like to remember that RAW images alone if shot proporly have a lot of scope. expose the image to just under blowing the highlights this of course may well make the image too bright on the whole: thats great, then in developing you can play with the histogram and put detail back to where you want it and control how dark the shadows are. I found full blown HDR to be very laborious although worthwhile in some instances if anything to increase the detail of the image simply because every final pixel in the image was the result of 3 seperate pixels. the real downside is cromatic aberation as this is increased in HDR

[simons-photography]

the image in my sig was originally done as a HDR it was no different from the one below which is straight from a single shot (well pano set actually yes I was doing HDR panoramics as routine once)

[bymy141]

The principle of HDR is simple to explain.
The sensor of your camera has limited dynamic range compared to the human eye.
So, as explained before, you take multiple pictures (bracket) of the same subject with exposures that range from under to over expose.
That is how you capture from more high light detail to low light details.

HDR pictures are stored in the HDR format.
This HDR format saves pictures using a floating point numbers to store pixels instead of integers found in jpg or raw formats.
This enables us to store an almost infinite dynamic range.

Once the multiple exposures are combined into an HDR format picture (using one of the various HDR software packages available),
you have a picture that contains much more detail in both shadow and highlight.

The next problem is to show all that detail on some output device.
Not only our camera sensors have limited DR, also our printers, displays and photopaper are very much limited in their DR.
That's why you need to compress the HDR picture in a L(ow)DR picture, however it is up to you to decide what detail to bring forward or not. This is an art to master.

Many HDR software packages bring detail forward to the light intesity of surrounding details more illuminated.
The effect is seen in the form of halos where these detail areas collide. Most packages have a lot of dials and knobs and lack good help functions. However, with patience and some reading you will learn.

HDR is fun and can produce some stunning results.
You should try more than one sofware package to see what is possible.
Unfortunatly the more difficult ones to operate can produce the best results in my experience.

Have fun, Bert

[janosh]

Bert, which HDR apps have you explored and which are your preferences?

What's your experience with Photomatrix ? Is it generally better than the HDR tools in CS3/4?

[Jasvox]

Some good reading from earlier HDR threads on Pentaxforums:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-software/41732-how-hdr.html

HDR software discussion:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-software/39240-checked-ou...se-winner.html

Jason

[Hannican]

I'm playing with Photomatix right now, which seems very easy.

I think perhaps that I might want to check out some of the others, but I don't know- this seems to do the trick so far.

[bymy141]

Bert, which HDR apps have you explored and which are your preferences?

What's your experience with Photomatrix ? Is it generally better than the HDR tools in CS3/4?

I've used FDR Tools 2.0, Photomatix Pro 3.0 and Photoshop CS4.
Photomatix is the easiest, and has the best featureset of the 3 I tested, however the halo effect is often killing the reality feel of the pictures generated.
FDR Tools requires a lot more effort to master and a lot more work (iterative working towards the desired result), but in the end deliver much better / natural effects.
I don't care for the PS capabilities, though I like LR 2 very, very much.

Most shots I make with my K10D, in RAW, bracket: 5 shots 2 stops delta.
It is amazing how well the results can be with hand held shots (resting against a tree of something).

- Bert

[Jasvox]

I think you owe it to yourself, if you are exploring HDR, to look at "Dynamic Photo HDR" software. There is a free trial download, like Photomatix. I have found it to be easier than Photomatix as well as has some features and tools Photomatix does not...resulting in a better outcome, at least for me.

Jason

[bymy141]

I think you owe it to yourself, if you are exploring HDR, to look at "Dynamic Photo HDR" software. There is a free trial download, like Photomatix. I have found it to be easier than Photomatix as well as has some features and tools Photomatix does not...resulting in a better outcome, at least for me.

Jason

I'll check it out. Thanks.

- Bert