anyone using the NEX HDR mode?

[ampguy]

where it takes 3 images and merges?

If so, what is your favorite +/- EV bracket? Today I used +/- 2 (out of 1-6 EV) and while I can see the extended dynamic range, I'm not sure if I like the HDR images over the first non HDR one.

Anyone else using the in camera mode, and if so, at what EV bracket settings?

 

[uhoh7]

I use the max, 6, and usually end up with too bright results straight out of the camera, so then I reduce the exposure.

With backlight subjects, bright windows, etc, it's usually better than without, but other subjects, as you say the first image can be the best.

For serious HDR I go raw with the brackets and shoot three sets from a tripod then use PS to merge the 9 shots.

That beats the in camera HDR for sure, but I'm sure true HDR experts can do better than PS HDR merge.

 

[pvdhaar]

Haven't used it yet, the NEX's feature set is quite rich; there's a lot to explore.. I'm still recovering from trying out the NEX at 7FPS for as long as it would go (which is till the card is full).. I'll give it a try though.

 

[dexdog]

I have playd around with it a bit, and while it is better than nothing, results are not that impressive; I agree with a previous poster that the results often look somewhat over-exposed. I don't have Photoshop, but I have gotten good results using a freeware program called Picturenaut. You can combine a bunch of different exposures very easily, and the result is a lot better than the NEX in-camera processing.

 

[vidgamer]

I have used the HDR mode occasionally. I find that it is very sensitive to motion, but if you can be steady, it will work handheld in good light. I like it. It does not produce that surreal look that seems popular - which is fine by me as I generally don't like that look. The results lack in contrast so I've been adding it in pp; I have read that you can increase contrast in-camera too. With some pp, I've been really happy with some of the results.

What you really gain is convenience and instant feedback. I have a pretty high success rate, and it gives you a normal exposure to fall back on should something not be right.

Having said all of that, you should be able to get superior results out of software. Not the software I have though. :-( I'm eager to give Photonaut a try, though.

(I have a lower success rate with the pano mode, but there, you definitely have better results if you stitch on the computer. Even so, I think it's fun and convenient to use the built-in mode. )

 

[ampguy]

I used the camera for a day in HDR mode, but only a couple shots were better than the originals, although they clearly did show more latitude. I used +/- 2 EV for the bracketing which appears to match the "auto" setting in a few of my test shots, but the bracketing goes from +/- 1 to 6, so maybe the 6 gives that hipster/artster type HDR that you see on flickr, etc.

 

[venchka]

The Fugly HDR comes from pushing sliders into The Twilight Zone. Nothing at all to do with expanding the dynamic range of the scene.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks

Thanks

Was reading an interesting article in the current Outdoor Photo magazine about a landscape photographer who uses HDR (he uses photomatix and lightroom) but depending on the publication uses the edgy twilight zone HDR or neutral increased DR for more traditional publications.

In his workflow example though, he didn't state what bracketing of EV shots he used for his examples.

I'm thinking that in theory a -6/+6 would give the most DR range, with a +/- 1 EV giving the least DR boost, but possibly more neutral looking ??

Haven't tested it yet though.

The Fugly HDR comes from pushing sliders into The Twilight Zone. Nothing at all to do with expanding the dynamic range of the scene.

 

[venchka]

If you have Lightroom, try the Enfuse plug-in. I have been using it with +/- 2 stops. I am leaning toward just the minus stops, 0-1-2, with +1 added depending on the scene. Enfuse is cheap and totally natural.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Venchka

Thanks Venchka

Don't have LR, but may get aperture at some point. I think the photomatix trial is standalone so I might try that first.

The NEX in-camera uses the same value for +/- from EV 1 to 6 steps, so to get negative, you might be able to set your standard EV to -2, then it would take the subseq. shots at -3 and -1 and merge with an HDR EV 1 bracket.

The limiting factor for me trying out out of camera solutions is I'll have to get the tripod out and carefully document the exposures I take. With the NEX's in-camera HDR, you just need a steady hand and/or high shutter speed, but as mentioned in this thread, the results are mixed, and flexibility is minimal.

If you have Lightroom, try the Enfuse plug-in. I have been using it with +/- 2 stops. I am leaning toward just the minus stops, 0-1-2, with +1 added depending on the scene. Enfuse is cheap and totally natural.

 

[mto'brien]

I have used it a time or two. i thought that the results were kind of ugly. But, it's probably me not willing to climb that learning curve yet. I will give it a more concerted effort soon.

My observation was that the resulting HDR image seemed to be achieved through the software lowering the contrast within the shadows and highlights for detail rather than actually blending the images. They came out with this weird kind of low contrast toward both ends of the curve but ok in the mids look. Boosting contrast in post just made the image lose all the detail almost instantly. Anyone else have that experience? I think the best way is of course to bracket and manually do it in different software, like mentioned above.

 

[ampguy]

Hi Brian

Hi Brian

Yeah, those are my initial results, lower contrast, but you do get more shadow and highlight detail. But it's odd that they would put this "feature" in the consumer camera if the output isn't more pleasing overall than the original image. It's like a geek setting. Maybe they were trying to put the whole enchilada of whatever photomatix or whatever does in-camera, and, then ran out of time and had to just ship it. Maybe future firmware upgrades will make it work better.

I have used it a time or two. i thought that the results were kind of ugly. But, it's probably me not willing to climb that learning curve yet. I will give it a more concerted effort soon.

My observation was that the resulting HDR image seemed to be achieved through the software lowering the contrast within the shadows and highlights for detail rather than actually blending the images. They came out with this weird kind of low contrast toward both ends of the curve but ok in the mids look. Boosting contrast in post just made the image lose all the detail almost instantly. Anyone else have that experience? I think the best way is of course to bracket and manually do it in different software, like mentioned above.

 

[mto'brien]

Yeah, those are my initial results, lower contrast, but you do get more shadow and highlight detail. But it's odd that they would put this "feature" in the consumer camera if the output isn't more pleasing overall than the original image. It's like a geek setting. Maybe they were trying to put the whole enchilada of whatever photomatix or whatever does in-camera, and, then ran out of time and had to just ship it. Maybe future firmware upgrades will make it work better.

I hope it is addressed in a future update, as well. But, maybe getting a true HDR straight out of the NEX is asking too much of the camera's small processor, I don't know? It takes my iMac a bit of time to do a "real" HDR in Photoshop and it has many times the processing power of the NEX. My guess is the software engineers at Sony worked out an HDR "simulation" that he NEX processor could handle so they could say it could do HDR.

OT, but my name is Matt O'Brien. When I signed up here I thought I had made my screen name matt_o'brien but I must have screwed it up as mto'brien somehow and now I'm stuck with it! (unless the mods could change it), so I understand how my name could get confusing. Please feel free to call me Matt...

 

[venchka]

I revisited my bracket sets last night. I need more work with the initial exposure, some real time chimping, and adjusting the midpoint for a given scene. In some casses I used 1 exposure at 0 or +1 and two that were underexposed. In other cases I used 0, 1 & 2 and only one underexposed shot. Hardly scientific.
I hope that the Oloneo software is affordable. The Project File feature helps a lot for crazy experimention. All you do is save various project files for different groupings of files and post processing in the software. Down the road, you open the Project File & the software gets the RAW files and does all the processing. Slick.
In the meantime, I will explore and keep good notes and share my results.


The NEX-5 is getting under my skin. I can see the LTM Nikkor-S 50/1.4 on the NEX. Live view focused to 18" on the LCD screen. I think that qualifies as RAD!

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Matt and Venchka

Thanks Matt and Venchka

Haven't heard of Oloneo, but some of what I've read about photomatix is that it keeps track of the images you use in an easy way, relative to some other HDR programs and plug-ins, as it was quite an ordeal and manual mode when I first tried this with 3 exposures and elements 8.

Yes, the LTM 50/1.4 at 18" should be incredibly RAD! If you temporarily don't need infinity, try putting a .5 - 1.0mm shim on your adapter, and you'll get even closer, but only out to 5-10 ft. or so.

I revisited my bracket sets last night. I need more work with the initial exposure, some real time chimping, and adjusting the midpoint for a given scene. In some casses I used 1 exposure at 0 or +1 and two that were underexposed. In other cases I used 0, 1 & 2 and only one underexposed shot. Hardly scientific.
I hope that the Oloneo software is affordable. The Project File feature helps a lot for crazy experimention. All you do is save various project files for different groupings of files and post processing in the software. Down the road, you open the Project File & the software gets the RAW files and does all the processing. Slick.
In the meantime, I will explore and keep good notes and share my results.


The NEX-5 is getting under my skin. I can see the LTM Nikkor-S 50/1.4 on the NEX. Live view focused to 18" on the LCD screen. I think that qualifies as RAD!