[Leumas]

So since I'm on a composite kick these days, I'm curious what people out there are finding this mode useful for; I am of course speaking of.......Additive.
The others are quite straight forward on their uses.

Bright: Simulates double exposures, and is useful for star trails, car trails etc.
Average: Virtual ND simulating long exposures by averaging many.
Additive: What is this even good for???

[Not a Number]

In-camera Composites Using Creative Shooting Modes - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

[kypfer]

In-camera Composites Using Creative Shooting Modes - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

What a pity information like this isn't included with the cameras, either in a booklet or on the CD. Going to the effort of developing what can be some really awe-inspiring functionality then hiding it away in some sub-menu with little more than a cursory reference in the text of the manual seems rather counter-productive. Try looking for "composite" in the manual index ... another example of needing to know the phraseology used just so's you can find it, assuming you know it existed in the first place

[Rondec]

I have only used average -- mainly with the DFA 15-30 since you can't use filters on it, although I have used it with other lenses when I don't happen to have a ND filter with me and I want a long exposure.

[MossyRocks]

Additive: What is this even good for???

Think long exposure time similar effect to average but meant to be used when it it dark and say you want to shoot at ISO 100 but need longer than a 30 second exposure. While you could use bulb mode you will eventually get artifacts from an excessive shutter speed as the sensor warms but additive avoids that. Also for things like star trails it would produce the trails but you would have a brightened foreground and the sky background would be brighter.


I actually don't use the built in composite modes and instead use a release cable I made, put the camera into high speed continuous mode and set the shutter speed, f-stop, and ISO to what I want and just flip the switch letting it rip until I get enough shots. Then I process and combine on the computer allowing me to do what ever I want. With the built in modes you end up stuck with 14 bits of data from the composites where as combining on the computer results in the full 16bits and with a large enough number of shots you get a real 16 bits of data. A while back someone posted some starnge effects that they got using a large number of shots in one of the composite modes. I did find the thread and eventually we wandered into the weeds of technical details on the subject. In reading that you will learn more than you ever wanted to on the subject.

[photoptimist]

I've used all three and all three have there uses.

"Average": Good for simulating the effects of an ND filter as long as none of the frames have clipped highlights

"Bright": Great for star trails & meteor showers. (But does really weird things with moving people & objects)

"Additive": Good for scenes with very bright moving/changing specular reflections or moving in-frame light sources. For example, the water globules of sun-lit fountains & waterfalls tend to turn into gray globes with "Average" mode. But by setting the exposure for the brightest reflections (so they don't clip) and then setting the "Additive" frame count to expose for the rest of the scene, the scene looks good and the specular reflections are bright without being blown.

[Roadboat24]

I use Additive quite a lot when I'm doing a still life, light painted shots. Multiple frames let me paint, with a small flashlight, on each area, slowly adding to the whole. Like this one. https://www.flickr.com/photos/169910694@N05/46973791345/in/dateposted-public/

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Last edited by Roadboat24; 03-19-2020 at 03:12 PM.

[robgski]

What a pity information like this isn't included with the cameras, either in a booklet or on the CD.

True, but the manuals listed on PF, written by a third party, are very useful.

[stevebrot]

If one can't imagine how "additive" might be useful, then I would suggest testing it on various subjects to see how it works. (suggest, perhaps something like astro)


Steve

(...don't use that one, but figured out the other two by shooting...)

[mikesbike]

The manuals as supplied with the camera, or in many cases via download only, are not thorough or very well-written, which has been true for many years now. Even the exclusive and usefully efficient, and thankfully long-established Pentax Hyper System is glossed over, so many new to Pentax are unaware they have this excellent feature. I remember the manual for the PZ-1p, being more complex than previous designs but very efficient, was truly well written. I think perhaps also for other subsequent models, like the MZ-S, which I have but would need to look over to be sure.

Now it seems outboard tutorials are needed. These I think are fine but should just be for demonstration, not as owners-manual replacements.

A lot of good info in this thread. I have used the HDR feature of my KP on occasion with good results. It is very conveniently accessible with the new topside controls design. It must be the newest type as I can use it hand-held.

These potentially very effective tools can be interesting to investigate to see what effects they may bring to various scenes one may face.

[Leumas]

In-camera Composites Using Creative Shooting Modes - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

Seen that a long time ago....it provides no info on what additive is actually useful for, just what it does.

Think long exposure time similar effect to average but meant to be used when it it dark and say you want to shoot at ISO 100 but need longer than a 30 second exposure. While you could use bulb mode you will eventually get artifacts from an excessive shutter speed as the sensor warms but additive avoids that. Also for things like star trails it would produce the trails but you would have a brightened foreground and the sky background would be brighter.


I actually don't use the built in composite modes and instead use a release cable I made, put the camera into high speed continuous mode and set the shutter speed, f-stop, and ISO to what I want and just flip the switch letting it rip until I get enough shots. Then I process and combine on the computer allowing me to do what ever I want. With the built in modes you end up stuck with 14 bits of data from the composites where as combining on the computer results in the full 16bits and with a large enough number of shots you get a real 16 bits of data. A while back someone posted some starnge effects that they got using a large number of shots in one of the composite modes. I did find the thread and eventually we wandered into the weeds of technical details on the subject. In reading that you will learn more than you ever wanted to on the subject.

Facinating!

I've used all three and all three have there uses.


"Average": Good for simulating the effects of an ND filter as long as none of the frames have clipped highlights

"Bright": Great for star trails & meteor showers. (But does really weird things with moving people & objects)

"Additive": Good for scenes with very bright moving/changing specular reflections or moving in-frame light sources. For example, the water globules of sun-lit fountains & waterfalls tend to turn into gray globes with "Average" mode. But by setting the exposure for the brightest reflections (so they don't clip) and then setting the "Additive" frame count to expose for the rest of the scene, the scene looks good and the specular reflections are bright without being blown.

Interesting! I'll check that out sometime.

I use Additive quite a lot when I'm doing a still life, light painted shots. Multiple frames let me paint, with a small flashlight, on each area, slowly adding to the whole. Like this one. Not a Pair | Craig Adamson | Flickr

Hmmmm similar to how you could use Bright Mode, but more subtle I suppose. Very cool!

[stevebrot]

I use Additive quite a lot when I'm doing a still life, light painted shots. Multiple frames let me paint, with a small flashlight, on each area, slowly adding to the whole. Like this one. Not a Pair | Craig Adamson | Flickr

I read this and the light went on for all sorts of applications. Thanks for the mental nudge!


Steve

[pentaxic]

Second shot is 1/125 @f8 / 300mm . The first shot exif is wrong I think it was about 1/50 sec

[Leumas]

Second shot is 1/125 @f8 / 300mm . The first shot exif is wrong I think it was about 1/50 sec

Interesting....I'm trying to figure how this was achieved with Additive?

I'm guessing the Moon was not in one of the frames

[Roadboat24]

These were also done using the same technique in additive mode.
Howling at the Moon by Camera Clicker on YouPic
Light Painted Painting by Camera Clicker on YouPic