HDR III - DPChallenge Forums

06/04/2010 02:36:24 PM · #76

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
Me personally. I dont think ill ever HDR except for challenges... its driving me batty lol but for those who love it thats a great deal!

Photomatix can also be used on a single RAW file, which is useful for pulling maximum dynamic range from a shot that might still have over or underexposed areas after coming out of your RAW processor. For $39, I'll probably buy it, especially since the older freeware version cannot read the files from my 50D.

LOL I still havent figured out how to shoot raw lol shame on me

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

06/04/2010 02:43:11 PM · #77

Originally posted by JustCaree:

LOL I still havent figured out how to shoot raw lol shame on me

This might be of some help:

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

06/04/2010 02:45:36 PM · #78

Does Photomatrix do a better job of merging than PS CS4?

06/04/2010 02:50:55 PM · #79

Originally posted by chaimelle:

Does Photomatrix do a better job of merging than PS CS4?

I have no idea. I use PaintShop Pro and it does do a better job on an HDR merge than PSP X2. My main problem with it is that Photomatix does not seem to have any ability to let me change the white balance, so the default WB of a RAW file then gets hard coded into my output. I'm thinking for those images that need major WB adjustments, it might be better to output a series of TIF files from my RAW converter and let Photomatix merge those.

06/04/2010 02:51:21 PM · #80

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
LOL I still havent figured out how to shoot raw lol shame on me

This might be of some help:

YOU ROCK SPIFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

06/04/2010 02:58:12 PM · #81

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
HDR works both ways; you can use it to compress the dynamic range (with a very contrasty scene) or expand the dynamic range (with a very flat scene).

R.

Can you explain the bolded part in more detail? I've been trying to aquire some shots for this challenge but the lighting has been very flat for a few days.

It's not hard to explain. If you have a single, flat original that you want to expand the tonal range on, you can turn it into 3 exposures in RAW. Amp up the contrast a LOT in RAW, then using that increased-contrast version as baseline, create 3 tiffs as usual for pseudo HDR: an over, that's the brightest you want your brights; an under, that's the darkest you want your darks; and one more the midtones.

Note that this is the opposite of what you usually do for HDR, where the over is what controls the darks and the under is what controls the brights.

Anyway, now merge and tonemap the 3 of them, and play like crazy with luminosity and microcontrast and gamma.

Warning: this process is gonna get noisy, so be prepared with your DeNoise or Noise Ninja or Neat Image.

R.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

06/04/2010 02:58:30 PM · #82

Originally posted by chaimelle:

Does Photomatrix do a better job of merging than PS CS4?

Much, much better.

R.

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

06/04/2010 03:25:24 PM · #83

I am going to buy Photomatrix Pro Plus Bundle this weekend.

Next question (hopefully it has not been asked already)--Do you do any processing to the images before HDR? (color corrections, levels, etc.)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

06/04/2010 03:29:21 PM · #84

Originally posted by chaimelle:

Typically, for me, no.

R.

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

06/04/2010 04:14:41 PM · #85

Thank you! I appreciate that you are always willing to help.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/04/2010 04:15:54 PM · #86

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
HDR works both ways; you can use it to compress the dynamic range (with a very contrasty scene) or expand the dynamic range (with a very flat scene).

R.

Can you explain the bolded part in more detail? I've been trying to aquire some shots for this challenge but the lighting has been very flat for a few days.

It's not hard to explain. If you have a single, flat original that you want to expand the tonal range on, you can turn it into 3 exposures in RAW.

I can only shoot JPEG (or 2MP TIFF). That's OK, I just have a free program I got from the Panotools site I'm playing around with.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

06/04/2010 04:45:22 PM · #87

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
If you have a single, flat original that you want to expand the tonal range on, you can turn it into 3 exposures in RAW.

I can only shoot JPEG (or 2MP TIFF). That's OK, I just have a free program I got from the Panotools site I'm playing around with.

If you have a RAW processor at all, you can open a JPG or a TIFF in it and adjust exposure there. Anyway, you can just make 3 different PS versions and *call* them "exposures", that will work fine. Best to save them as TIFFs in PS though, some of the HDR programs don't understand JPG.

R.

Message edited by author 2010-06-04 16:46:26.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

06/04/2010 04:50:45 PM · #88

I open a photo in Lightroom, adjust exposure and export it until I have three or five, then open all in HDR Darkroom or photomatix.

Or, I open one exposure in PS and just play around with Shadows/Highlight, then USM and contrast until I get the effect I want.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/04/2010 06:49:17 PM · #89

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Bear_Music:
If you have a single, flat original that you want to expand the tonal range on, you can turn it into 3 exposures in RAW.

I can only shoot JPEG (or 2MP TIFF). That's OK, I just have a free program I got from the Panotools site I'm playing around with.

If you have a RAW processor at all, you can open a JPG or a TIFF in it and adjust exposure there. Anyway, you can just make 3 different PS versions and *call* them "exposures", that will work fine. Best to save them as TIFFs in PS though, some of the HDR programs don't understand JPG.

R.

I've been trying that too, using different Curves layers to export TIFFs from a PSD file. I always use TIFF as the intermediate format when editing. The HDR app I'm using* recognizes both TIFF w/LZW and JPEG. :-)

*EnfuseGUI 2.1 (Mac, Windows, Linux)

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

06/06/2010 12:48:13 AM · #90

Quick question about rules... Ok so I have a RAW image that I didnt do a 3 capture of... if I open it in the photoshop raw converter and save it under 3 different exposures and use that is that allowed??

Citadel

Nikon D7500

06/06/2010 01:10:01 AM · #91

Originally posted by JustCaree:

yup!

06/06/2010 01:14:18 AM · #92

good! now grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I get the image the way that I want it in photomatrix and save it open it in photoshop and its all dull and blah... wtf.... this challenge is driving me BONKERS

06/06/2010 01:21:38 AM · #93

Originally posted by JustCaree:

open it in photoshop and its all dull and blah... wtf.... this challenge is driving me BONKERS

It's still goiing to require some finesse to get the best out of it. Unfortunately, you chose to enter a challenge with an advanced topic that even many experienced members are not good at.

Try using some of PSP's clarify adjustment on it. (I thought you used PaintShop Pro, but you said "Photoshop" above...)

Message edited by author 2010-06-06 01:23:10.

06/06/2010 01:22:25 AM · #94

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Originally posted by JustCaree:
open it in photoshop and its all dull and blah... wtf.... this challenge is driving me BONKERS

It's still goiing to require some finesse to get the best out of it. Unfortunately, you chose to enter a challenge with an advanced topic that even many experienced members are not good at.

Try using some of PSP's clarify adjustment on it.

no its like the HDR goes away... like its not saving the WOWness at all... its crazy...

06/06/2010 01:25:15 AM · #95

The preview in photomatix will look a little different than the actual image does in your photo editor. You'll need to give it a little more zing with some further processing. I'm working on one of my own right now.

06/06/2010 01:28:54 AM · #96

ah forget it... Im not doing something right... and I cant explain to you what im trying to say... Ill just side step this one....

06/06/2010 01:34:52 AM · #97

Originally posted by JustCaree:

ah forget it... Im not doing something right... and I cant explain to you what im trying to say... Ill just side step this one....

My wife,

cowtownmom, also decided to sit this one out after I explained HDR to her! Especially when I got to the part obout how much people differ simply on what they thing HDR is and should be used for. If you have a natural looking image, it will get low voted for not looking like an HDR. If you have something with the stereotypical HDR look, then it will get slammed for abuse of the technique. There is no pleasing everyone on this.