HDR (Photomatix) question

BALDYMAN

BALDYMAN

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I have noticed with you HRD fans out there (especially Pete) that you sometimes hand hold the camera for bracketed exposures. Thought i would try this the other day, nice fast exposures in continuous mode . when i got home tried to blend them in Photomatix and would not line up . Only slightly out but enough to notice. What does photomatix use to line up the images .Is it the outside extremities of the frame or the content of the file. Is it possible to manually line up the images be-for conversion to hrd.
 
Hasn't this silly HDR phase passed yet?
 
Baldyman, I tend to try and work from one image, if you go into Photomatix > Automate> Batch Process and process a single file (tick the Generate HDR image) you should be able to get started. I should think that if you want to process multiple shots you really need a tripod but maybe someone will prove me wrong.



Matt. said:
Hasn't this silly HDR phase passed yet?
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Very helpful.
 
Matt. said:
Hasn't this silly HDR phase passed yet?
Click to expand...

This comment could apply to all photographic manipulation from Photoshop to adjusting files in camera raw mode . HDR is only a tool to help the user to create the image they are hoping to achieve and as such , if required is there to be used. I am only trying to better understand the workings of the program as i would also ask for help with photoshop if required.
 
I have been hand holding using Auto Bracket and everything looks to be lining up reasonably well but unsure how Photomatix lines the shots up.
 
Would like to know also, tried a hand held HDR myself the other day and it also didn't line up correctly. Only had a quick mess around with though.
 
Photomatix will align hand held separate images, but you have to do your very best to get the images as near identical as possible or it wont hack it. I try not to move my feet at all between exposures and try to align a common reference point with a corner of the frame in all shots - if that makes sense? I usually use this technique for two exposures, one for the sky and one for the foreground when I've been caught without a tripod

You're better off using a tripod or generating 3 exposures from the same RAW file really.

At a pinch you can generate 3 TIFFS from a jpeg although it's obviously not ideal.

There's nothing wrong with HDR at all, like all techniques it can be overdone and misused, but it's a very powerful and exciting tool used with restraint.
 
Matt. said:
Hasn't this silly HDR phase passed yet?
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Haven't quite got to grips with it yourself then I take it?

Perhaps you meant it tongue in cheek - in which case a smilie would have got the message across. Otherwise though, a good case of "If you can't think of anything sensible to say - say nothing" I think.



So far as the lining up issue is concerned. I've only really been successful when HDR'ing when I've used a tripod. On occasions when I've wanted to HDR a shot and have not had the tripod then it's been the method of adjusting a single RAW to provide three differently exposed shots for me.
 
Matt hates most things. Lomo, HDR, selective colouring, photography ;) For hand held HDR super high speed mode on my camera, and I just don't move at all. I hear breathing out helps.
 
When generating 3 images from a single raw file, does it make much difference what you specify as the EV difference when loading them in photomatrix?

Have had a few dissapointing results with HDR recently and thought it might be partially down to that... haven't had time to have an indepth play and find out for myself.
 
I've only tried doing it from 1 RAW file in PS......but although I took the under/over exposure as far as it would go, PS said not enough dynamic range. Is Photomatix a free download? I fancy having a go, but don't want to shell out even more dosh and then find I hardly ever use it.
 
I dont use it much, but its a great tool to have so, in my mind. worth it. Certainly worth it with the exchange rate where it is :)
 
Janice said:
:eek: :D :naughty: I thoroughly agree!! ;)
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We must stop smuttifying other peoples threads!!!:D

Someone is back on form today - may have to create a smut / name change thread just for you ;) :lol:
 
photostar_1 said:
I've only tried doing it from 1 RAW file in PS......but although I took the under/over exposure as far as it would go, PS said not enough dynamic range
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I think this is due to PS reading the EXIF the same for all three shots created from the one RAW file.......try stripping the EXIF with Exifer then load your three files (from one) into PS.
 
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