HDR with 5 exposures? I've done a fair amount of HDR using 3 bracketed images. It's fairly easy with the AEB in my Canon 40D and the 400D. However, I've seen a few people doing HDR...

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

I've done a fair amount of HDR using 3 bracketed images. It's fairly easy with the AEB in my Canon 40D and the 400D. However, I've seen a few people doing HDR with 5 (and sometimes even more) images. How is this being done? Is there a trick in the camera I'm not aware of, or are they'd tethered and using a computer to bracket 5 images?

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I do not know what "are they'd tethered" means, but I am sure the merging is accomplished with an HDR program in their PC.

I have tried 7-image, 5-image, and 3-image HDR, and find very little difference. I currently compile & process 3-image sets, using the free HDR program "FDRTools Advanced": http://www.fdrtools.com/front_e.php .

3-image HDR of my son, with Thunder Mountain & the city of Sedona, in background

3-image HDR looking north on Oak Creek, just south of Sedona AZ (yes, the dirt is really that red)

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

Nikonian72 wrote:

I do not know what "are they'd tethered" means, but I am sure the merging is accomplished with an HDR program in their PC.

I have tried 7-image, 5-image, and 3-image HDR, and find very little difference. I currently compile & process 3-image sets, using the free HDR program "FDRTools Advanced": http://www.fdrtools.com/front_e.php .

What I mean is, how are they getting the 5 images? AEB on my camera only allows for 3 images. So the only way I could easily get 5 images would be to have my camera tethered to my pc and control the camera with software (which I can do).
Before I did that though, I was wondering if other people are achieving the 5 images by another method (since a tethered approach isn't as portable).

SpiffyPhoto Loc: Southern Wisconsin

les_stockton wrote:

I've done a fair amount of HDR using 3 bracketed images. It's fairly easy with the AEB in my Canon 40D and the 400D. However, I've seen a few people doing HDR with 5 (and sometimes even more) images. How is this being done? Is there a trick in the camera I'm not aware of, or are they'd tethered and using a computer to bracket 5 images?

Yes .... there are other methods to achieve 3 , 5, 7, or more photos for HDR ...... My 7D will only take 3 bracketed shots to be used for HDR .... What I do and get the same result is take one photo (could be your favorite one) and load this photo into your favorite post processing software ..... I use Lightroom3 and make 7 photos of this same photo..... leave one photo as is and change the exposure by 1/3 stop of the other 6 photos (3 photos +) (3 photos -). Save each photo into a folder and use you HDR program to make a HDR image ...... I hope this helps ..... this does work ... I have did it ...... :thumbup: :-)

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

For multiple bracket images, I shoot on manual with a pre-selected aperture. Once I determine proper exposure, I change shutter speeds, making exposures at -2, -1, normal, +1, & +2.

True HDR are individual images taken in the camera. Manipulating a single image in a PC to achieve under & over-exposed additional images is called tone mapping. The resultant images appear similar, but are not the same.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

Ok. I can see doing that, as opposed to doing AEB.
I'll experiment and see what kind of results I get with 5 exposures.
I think that I would only benefit from that many in certain instances where the range in the subject view were truely broad. In most cases, I think the range isn't that wide and 3 exposures is enough (in which case I'll use AEB).

Thanks again.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

By the way, that Oak Creek image is superb.

SpiffyPhoto Loc: Southern Wisconsin

Nikonian72 wrote:

For multiple bracket images, I shoot on manual with a pre-selected aperture. Once I determine proper exposure, I change shutter speeds, making exposures at -2, -1, normal, +1, & +2.

True HDR are individual images taken in the camera. Manipulating a single image in a PC to achieve under & over-exposed additional images is called tone mapping. The resultant images appear similar, but are not the same.

It doesn't matter to me if anyone takes my advice or not ..... like the old song "I did it my way" if you don't agree with me .... "do it you way" ..... just trying to help ...... wishing you all the best .........

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

les_stockton wrote:

I've done a fair amount of HDR using 3 bracketed images. It's fairly easy with the AEB in my Canon 40D and the 400D. However, I've seen a few people doing HDR with 5 (and sometimes even more) images. How is this being done? Is there a trick in the camera I'm not aware of, or are they'd tethered and using a computer to bracket 5 images?

Not sure if anyone answered the question as you asked. Here's how you do the 5-shot thing:

1) Set your bracketing to -1, 0, +1
2) Take three shots.
3) Set your bracketing to -2, 0, +2
4) See step 2
5) Ignore shot #5. It's the same as Shot #2.

If you have your exposure increment set to 1/3,you could conceivably take about 24 shots in total. Just remember the "0" guy is redundant after the first set.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

JimH wrote:

quote=les_stockton I've done a fair amount of HDR... (show quote)

Thanks. I'll try this technique too.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

JimH wrote:

1) Set your bracketing to -1, 0, +1
2) Take three shots.
3) Set your bracketing to -2, 0, +2
4) See step 2
5) Ignore shot #5. It's the same as Shot #2.

Brilliant!

ShakyShutter Loc: Arizona

Some cameras are able to shoot more than 3 bracketed exposures.

Not sure exactly what you are doing for HDR processing but the two shots you posted are not particularly suited for HDR treatment. In fact Sedona is one of the most challenging places to shoot due mainly to the over dominance of the red soil. It tends to skew everything.

Here's a three frame HDR taken about the same place and about the same time as you shot. These three frames were 2 stops apart. I'm guessing 2 stops was not far enough apart to make an interesting extreme HDR since my results were marginal as you can see. This was processed in Photomatix Pro 4.0.

Sorry Doug, I mistakenly thought Stockton had posted the photos as examples.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

ShakyShutter wrote:

Some cameras are able to shoot more than 3 bracketed exposures.

Can you tell which cameras? Just curious.

Bobbyvit

Some cameras have the ability of 5 shot bracketing. I have a Pentax K-5 with this and works well with HDR. It also has 3 and 2 shot bracketing.

Patw28 Loc: PORT JERVIS, NY

les_stockton wrote:

ShakyShutter wrote:

Some cameras are able to shoot more than 3 bracketed exposures.

Can you tell which cameras? Just curious.

Nikon D700 and I presume just about any recent nikon DSLR's
Even the P7000 allows 5 frames. ( P7000 is one of their 'P-compact' series, in the $350 range.)

BTW: a number of the 'big boy's make the same claim: 3 frames at 2EV
is just as effective as 5 frames at 1 EV.