# HDR Test



## MarkE (Aug 10, 2006)

Been having a play about with Photomatix and HDR images. This one was created from 6 shots, varying the shutter speed either side of the camera's auto value. Photomatix created the composite HDR image which was then pasted into Photoshop, desaturated, tinted and tweaked.

What do you think?


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Looks great mark

Really interested in this HDR thing as the pics looks so alive - if a little fake? - A contradiction I know but I can't explain it in any other way!!


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## dino (Oct 26, 2005)

Looks like something out of the brochure!! Very impressed


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## MarkE (Aug 10, 2006)

I know, the HDR image tends to look a bit artificial - amazing detail, though.

For reference, the original digital camera image, with everything on auto, looks like this :










As you can see, the sky is burned out and there's not a lot of detail on the front of the car.

The composite HDR image looks like this :


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## j450n (Jun 21, 2006)

sorry for being a bit thick but what is hdr ? looks intresting


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## MarkE (Aug 10, 2006)

j450n said:


> sorry for being a bit thick but what is hdr ? looks intresting


Every shot you take is a compromise - the brightest parts of the image are burned out and the darkest parts end up black. Neither extreme shows the detail that is present.

For an HDR image, you take a "best possible" shot based on the optimum aperture and shutter speed setting for the shot (i.e. the Auto mode on a digital camera) and then vary the shutter speed to take more shots either side of the "best possible." So if the optimum shutter speed is 1/500sec you take the same shot at the following shutter speeds :

1/600
1/550
1/500
1/450
1/400

(This is why you need a tripod)

Using software (I used Photomatix), you can create a composite image which gives you the best of both worlds - you can see the detail in the darkest parts of the image but the lightest parts are not burned out. You can see the results above.


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## Wmffra (Oct 30, 2005)

Very nice :thumb:
How long did it take to produce the above image?


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## MarkE (Aug 10, 2006)

Wmffra said:


> Very nice :thumb:
> How long did it take to produce the above image?


A few minutes to set up the tripod and frame the shot, about a minute to take all the shots. Downloaded into the PC and Photomatix created the HDR image in about 30 seconds. Saved it off and loaded it up into Photoshop. Desaturated, tinted and adjusted the brightness and contrast to taste, removed the registration number, resized and added the watermark, saved and uploaded. All in, less than 10 minutes from setting up the shot to posting the link here.


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## j450n (Jun 21, 2006)

that is cool i'm going to have to try that :thumb:


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## Wmffra (Oct 30, 2005)

MarkE said:


> A few minutes to set up the tripod and frame the shot, about a minute to take all the shots. Downloaded into the PC and Photomatix created the HDR image in about 30 seconds. Saved it off and loaded it up into Photoshop. Desaturated, tinted and adjusted the brightness and contrast to taste, removed the registration number, resized and added the watermark, saved and uploaded. All in, less than 10 minutes from setting up the shot to posting the link here.


Cheers
I really like the end result . . . . . Well worth the effort


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## Mike Graham (May 18, 2006)

Also, the best way to get a good HDR is to use no more than 3 images with an extended Low Dynamic Range, i.e. Normal Exposure, then 2 or more stops below normal, and 2 or more above.


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## db_abz (Jan 19, 2006)

Wow, impressive results!
I still struggle to take one good picture though, never mind 6 in a row!

I imagine the next generation of digital will have this function in built if it gets popular, automatically adjusting the shutter speed and taking 6 quick pictures.

Dave


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## dubbers (Apr 3, 2006)

Mike Graham said:


> Also, the best way to get a good HDR is to use no more than 3 images with an extended Low Dynamic Range, i.e. Normal Exposure, then 2 or more stops below normal, and 2 or more above.


The Canon 350D makes this easy as it can bracket -2/+2eV. Also shoot in RAW file format as there is more colour information.


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