None Photomatic HDR?

Peter10d

Peter10d

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Having used the trial version of Photomatix for some time, either I have not mastered it or it is not right for the look I am after. Can a similar level of HDR be achieved using GIMP or Elements, if so how?
I have read on many occasions that Photomatix is the best for HDR, but before I pursue with it and maybe commit to buying it, I would like to try something else.


Typo - title should read Photmatix
 
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Hard to describe without posting other peoples pics.
Basically to get more colour in the pics, without an over heavy hdr look, if that makes sense.
Having viewed many hdr pics on here and elsewhere, there appears to be a percentage of folk that have got the PP spot on. As they do not state their process I am wondering if others use software rather than Photmatix.
 
Try Oloneo.........beta version is currently free, and having tried it, it does produce good, natural looking HDR shots.
 
Photomatix is about the best HDR software, but it is all about how you shoot and the settings you use.
 
Thanks for all the replies.
For the above example I did only use one shot to generate 3 files from, but on other occasions I have used 3 bracketed shots, but with not much success. I will have a look at some of the links and then decide if I wish to end my hdr experience as a failure for me.:(
 
I often use as many as 12 exposures at each increment. Depends what you're shooting really, you cant just take any old photo and tonemap it.

Usually i have an idea in my head of what I want, as with any image, lighting is everything.

My personal opinion is that people just HDR any old image to try rescue it from the bin.
"oh it's ****, needs deleting, i'll HDR it first though, it might look cool"
 
swanseamale47 said:
Photomatix is about the best HDR software, but it is all about how you shoot and the settings you use.
Click to expand...

Photomatrix is the HDR software with the most buttons, options and shiny gadgets.. but in my opinion that just encourages a lot of users to play with the image far too much when they'd have been far better off exporting the tonemapped version back into PS or Lightroom.. Photomatrix is a crude tool for saturation, levels, etc..

Give FDRtools a try, but use the Advanced version as the Basic version is very basic.

And you really need to use more exposures.. if the scene in fornt of you is truly worth HDR it will take more than 3 exposures +/-2 in order to do it justice.. it's really worth going as far as 7-12 exposures.
 
Alastair said:
Photomatrix is the HDR software with the most buttons, options and shiny gadgets.. but in my opinion that just encourages a lot of users to play with the image far too much when they'd have been far better off exporting the tonemapped version back into PS or Lightroom.. Photomatrix is a crude tool for saturation, levels, etc..

Give FDRtools a try, but use the Advanced version as the Basic version is very basic.

And you really need to use more exposures.. if the scene in fornt of you is truly worth HDR it will take more than 3 exposures +/-2 in order to do it justice.. it's really worth going as far as 7-12 exposures.
Click to expand...

It works for me.
 
I can't get the hang of Photomatix. I'm sure I could if I put more effort in, but at the moment I use Dynamic Photo HDR. It seems to require less effort, and the presets just work without any/much tweaking, with my shots at least.
 
Nik are about to launch an HDR product that looks like it might be worth waiting for... PREVIEW
 
GrittyShaker said:
That's pretty good for a free program. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Its not bad at all. This is a 5 shot of my lounge that I tried it out on. I know its not a great or interesting shot, but I like the depth to it. I also got to the result alot quicker then I would have in photomatix, and without the watermark!
p647964780-4.jpg
 
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