Camera, Lens, Tripod …. and very limited time to shoot right at high noon (high contrast).

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It’s what I first began shooting myself and later got used to coping with.  Basically,…

• No formal knowledge of the property
• No prior prep time or staging time alotted
• No time to bring in external lighting
• No time to waste…  basically… HDR to the rescue

Here’s some typical “Camera + Lens + Tripod” shoots.  Some new, some relatively recent…

VRBO Listing for new client wanting to stand out above the rest

Sandestin Burnt Pine MLS Listing

VRBO Shoot for existing client that values (through bookings) high end photos

MLS Shoot for Existing Client (has sold 90% of listings I shot in 60 days or less)

If you are trying to follow someone’s HDR tutorial, you will DEFINITELY get different results than they got if you are not shooting with the exact same sensor.

A single shot on a D3x is like taking two separate shots with an older Canon Rebel about 1 EV stops apart and then blending them in post.  So if a D3x shooter says you only need 3aeb with frames at +/-2EV, you actually need 6aeb at +/-1EV with your older Canon Rebel to get the same gorgeous post production results.  How do I know this?  I’ve shot with both!!!

So you can’t follow tutorials of someone shooting with a D3x if you only have an older Canon Rebel.  Here’s a chart showing some recent DSLRs and their sensor rankings.

What is extremely important to understand is that these numbers show ONLY the absolutes.  Even though a camera may have light show up for 10+ stops does not mean the data is clean throughout the entire histogram.  There is noise in shadows on all of these models.  And the noise print is dramatically different.

If you are shooting with even a brand new APS-C sensor, it more than likely will not have shadows as clean as even a 3yr old model with a full frame sensor.  Even at 100 ISO on both models.  Its just physics.

You can yank FILL LIGHT up to 70 on a Nikon D3 shot and the same scene shot with a Canon 60D might only be able to have FILL LIGHT pulled up to 30 or 35 before breaking down badly.  So the 60D shot never gets to be lightened up as much as the D3 shot.  Again, its mostly physics.  An APS-C sensor is simply much smaller in size than a full frame sensor.

For example, my Canon 60D is a 2010 camera, but its APS-C sensor can not hang at all even at 100 ISO with my 4 year old full frame Nikon D3 sensor shooting at 200 ISO.  And my old and crusty full frame 5D from many years back has better shadow data than the 60D as well (100 ISO on both).

When bracketing you only get extremely clean data in the center/sweet spot of each capture. A camera like a Nikon D3x gives you more clean data in the middle part of the histogram than even a Canon 5D Mark II. So if you have to bracket a huge dynamic range scene with 11 frames spaced 1EV apart with a D3x, you might want to consider bracketing only 2/3rds steps between frames with a 5D Mark II (and increase the number of shots to cover the same dynamic range).  With an APS-C sensor you will often need to go down to 1/3rd EV jumps between frames and take far more shots to cover the same dynamic range in order to caputure the same clean data throughout that range. Basically, the sliver of perfect data of each sensor (per capture) decreases as you move down the scale of the chart provided.

I know this because I’ve delivered nearly 15,000 commercial images that were originally fully bracketed series of 7-15 shots per image.  And I’ve used dozens of cameras from various brands like Pentax, Nikon, Sigma and the worst of dynamic range brands… Canon.  So I’ve done a ridiculous amount testing to try and find the holy grail of HDR capture.  In the end, there is no one camera sensor or system that is perfect, but what I’ve found are general rules that allow you to make sure you get the entire dynamic range of a scene nailed with what system you are currently using.

If you shoot timelapse and you are trying to squeeze every ounce out of shadows and pull in as much highlight detail as possible, then pay close attention to this chart.

If you only bracket 3aeb when shooting for HDR, then pay very close attention to this chart.  Your 3aeb is only as good as your sensor can cover (in Dynamic Range).  Lower Dynamic Range sensors result in banding and heavy noise issues when shooting high dynamic range scenes and only bracketing 3aeb.

Results will vary widely if you shoot 3aeb with a dynamic range monster like the Nikon D7000 versus the other (3aeb max) DSLRs at the bottom of the chart below.

<<< The good news is if you bracket tighter and wider than 3aeb, you can capture virtually any scene with ANY of the lowest ranked sensors below and still capture the entire dynamic range of the scene.  BUT!!! … only if you are willing to bracket 8-12 frames spaced 2/3rds to 1EV apart (scene dependent) >>>

*** I underlined the cameras released in the last few months

Introducting the Pentax K-r

NOTEWORTHY MENTIONS

• 6fps for continuous shooting. Very nice for quick HDR captures.
• New Night Scene HDR Mode
• Improved HDR Mode (adds auto alignment in camera and better blending modes)
• Same 921,000 resolution and 3 inch LCD like the K-7
• 1/6000 shutter speed
• 100-25,600 ISO

PENTAX USA K-r Product Page

———————————————-

PENTAX IMAGING USA K-r YouTube VIDEO

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaD3E2FtkJo[/youtube]

Also, I still have my Pentax K-x, but don’t use it often enough.  It’s a fun little camera and great image quality.  The K-r looks like it inherited most of the goodies of the K-x and even better goodies of the K-7.   My K-x reviews are:

HERE: http://hdriblog.com/pentax-k-x-review/

and

HERE: http://hdriblog.com/pentax-k-x-initial-test/

|||—— UPDATED FOR NEW CAMERAS TESTED BY DXOmark.com —–|||

What is important and relevant to HDRI is the dynamic range of your sensor. It really matters.  Unless you taking large and tight brackets of each scene then it really, really, REALLY matters even moreso than you think.  If you are following a technique taught by someone using say a D3x and they tell you all you need is X shots, but you are using a camera at the bottom of the chart below and taking the same number… there is no way you can match that person’s results. Its mathematically impossible.

I get asked all the time how many shots do I take when I shoot, but nobody asks me with what camera.  Everyone assumes they are all about the same for HDR.  They aren’t.

Gear used for capturing brackets for HDR is even more critical if you are only taking 3 shots.  It will directly impact the quality of your HDR file. IF YOU ARE SHOOTING FOR VFX WORK THIS IS SLIGHTLY LESS CRITICAL THAN IF YOU WILL BE TONEMAPPING FOR REALISM (only slightly less though).

I’ve captured and tonemapped over 13,000 images for architecture, real estate and commercial shoots.  I’ve forfeited all my vacation time the last 4 years just to do intensive testing about what works better.  Gear, post production, you name it.

I’m pretty obsessive compulsive about trying to get a realistic looking image for real estate interiors and I’ve bought and/or rented about 40% of the cameras on this list below. DXOmark.com seems on the mark as far as my personal results are concerned.

Dynamic Range of Camera Sensors (I chose to focus on modern day digital models only)

No test is perfect. DXOmark has attempted to do this objectively, but because ISO/Noise and how cameras can handle scenes, colors and other differing factors, this should not be the only way to base your purchasing decision.  For example…

Someone could use the Canon 1000D (also known as the Canon XS) plus a piece of gear to get pro HDR captures.

If you bought that entry level Canon 1000D/XS for $400+ and a PROMOTE CONTROL for $299, (which will soon be adding HDR Timelapse to its functions in addition to HDR capture and standard Timelapse), then you could take very large and tight brackets with the Promote Control attached to your 1000D/XS that will capture well beyond what the in camera AEB capabilities of every single camera on that chart above.  Yes, including a D3x or 1Ds Mark III.  Sometimes the piece of “kit” you add to the mix can make a lower end device perform very well (dynamic range speaking here).  Of course the pixel quality of a D3x/1DsMarkIII is easily better than a Canon XS, but at the cost of $8000 it should be.

I initially discussed the Pentax k-x some time ago and you can see my comments and test shots from that post: http://hdriblog.com/pentax-k-x-initial-test/

I still do not like the results from using the “HDR Strong” which is also HDR 2 under the two in camera HDR settings.  ”HDR Standard” which is also HDR 1 under the menu settings is less dramatic and the following workflow is what I used to get the image results above.

If you’ve never tried this k-x setting you need to do a few things to your camera settings…

1. Press the MENU button to go into the Menu settings and change file format to JPEG and press the menu button again to get back to the typical LCD settings.

2. Then press the INFO button which is just above the Menu button. On the top line over to the right four squares is the menu option “HDR OFF“.  You can change this option two ways.  You can highlight that option and then use the scroll wheel with your thumb moving it to the right to flip to HDR 1, then HDR 2  –OR– you can highlight HDR OFF and press the OK button and then a screen pops up with the three options and just select the one you want and hit OK again.  Obviously, the fastest way to do this is the first way I described.  Highlight HDR OFF and then use the scroll wheel to change it to HDR 1 or HDR 2.  You’ll see shortly why that scroll wheel is the better option.

Each of the images above are a combination of two captures that I brought into photoshop.  Those two captures which were shot from the EXACT same location on a tri-pod were taken by….

1. First taking a shot using the “HDR-1″ setting (also called HDR Standard).
2. Press and hold the shutter so that it takes the 3 consecutive shots (it is auto bracketing and will then immediately process the three shots over the next 10-12 seconds).
3. Then hit the INFO button & scroll the wheel to the right once to select “HDR-2″ (also called HDR Strong) and again press/hold the shutter to fire off the second bracket.

Now here’s the key… Before taking each exposure I forced the exposure compensation to at LEAST +1EV for each of the above outside shots and adjusted the interior shots up by almost +2EV.  That can be changed by using your right index finger and holding down the button just to the left of the shutter then use your right thumb to scroll the wheel to the right to increase the EV number.  Why do this? …

.. because I found if you fire off the camera when in either of the two HDR modes with exposure compensation set at ZERO, the merge to HDR and in camera tonemapping seems to over crush the highlights and you end up with very “dirty” mid tones and darker shadows than you would want ideally.

The camera is of course firing off three images. One under exposed, one middle, one over exposed.  It then merges those 3 bracketed shots to HDR in-camera, it then processes and tonemaps the HDR and saves the result as a JPEG.  You can’t get anything but a JPEG as a final file (unfortunately).

When I got back from shooting, I would then open the first shot (HDR 1 / HDR Standard) in photoshop.  Then FILE>PLACE the second image  (HDR  2 / HDR Strong) over top of the first image. I then drop the opacity of the top layer (HDR Strong) to about 30% as a starting point and then change its blend mode in the layers palette to either OVERLAY or SOFT LIGHT.  Then I just adjust opacity of that layer up or down to get the feel of the image to a satisfying level.  Save and export.

You may find that you like the HDR Strong layer better than the HDR Standard (your call and whatever floats your boat).  If so, simply reverse the layers so that the bottom layer is HDR Strong image and with the standard NORMAL blend mode and then have the top level be the HDR Standard image and change its opacity and blend mode as described above.

GOTCHAS - If you moved the camera slightly when you switched the camera menu settings between shots, you may need to use Photoshop’s align feature.  You click the bottom layer and shift select the other layer so they are both selected.  Then from the file menu EDIT>AUTO ALIGN LAYERS to have photoshop align the pixels.

UPSIDE:
You don’t need to do any MERGE to HDR and tonemapping because the Pentax k-x HDR Mode is doing that for you.

DOWNSIDE:
Fast moving objects make this two pronged approach a challenge and works best with static scenes. You need to use a tri-pod for best results. The time the k-x takes to process each shot can slow you down when shooting like this. You need a program that utilizes blend modes like Photoshop or a free application like GIMP (which is an open source, photoshop “like” app).

PENTAX 40 megapixel 645D Medium Format SLR Camera $9400 US Dollars

HDR NOTES OF INTEREST
1. Shoots a bracket, merges to HDR and merges IN CAMERA
2. Single shot Dynamic Range Expansion to handle highlights and Shadows

Pentax has finally released the Pentax 645D which is a 40mp medium format camera. Rather than list the massive breakdown of the camera specs I’ll simply link the press release below.
http://www.pentax.jp/english/news/2010/201008.html

The in-camera HDR capture/merge function is of course of particular interest to me, but I’ve yet to find what controls one has (for example: amount of bracketing/steps).

Other noteworthy features listed (but no juicy specifics) are:

INTERVAL SHOOTING

EXPOSURE BRACKETING

EXTENDED BRACKETING

I’ll post more if I find specifics, but don’t get too excited.  The release is initially limited to sales in Japan only.

I’m doing this because I never have time to do this when I am grinding through shoots on a weekly basis.  I’ll have the time to do so when I’m away.  I’ve always been curious about comparing cameras shot in the same light with the same lens to see what differences you get. I’m not bringing all my gear, but enough to be considered certifiably insane.

I’ll be messing around with the following cameras during the shootout:

Canon T2i / 550D
Pentax K-x
Sigma SD9
Sigma SD14
Nikon D3

I already use the D3 and SD14 extensively on a weekly basis for HDR work (real estate), but will be torturing them in different ways on the trip.  I’ll shoot the D3 and SD14 for HDR Timelapse simultaneously side by side, both with wide angle lenses. I expect the results will be like shooting with two different film stocks, but I’ll find out for sure in post.

Also I will be swapping out (removing) the Sigma SD14 SA mount and installing a custom Nikon F-mount on the SD14 using a 3rd party solution. I have three SD14 bodies so I’m willing to risk bricking one for the team.  This will allow me to test the Canon T2i and Sigma SD14 using Nikkor Primes (in the case of the canon, via a F-mount to EF mount adaptor).

So I’ll be testing the Canon T2i vs the Sigma SD14 with the following Nikkor Primes (which have aperture rings):

20mm f/2.8D
24mm f/2.8 AI-S
28mm f/2.8 AI-S
50mm f/1.4 AI-S
85mm f/1.4D
105mm f/2.5  AI-S

I’ll be curious to see which camera resolves detail better… the latest 2010 release from Canon ( T2i / 550D ) or the 3 1/2 year old Sigma SD14 that tied the Canon 5D in multiple head to head image tests worldwide.  Also (and more important to me in many ways) I want to see which camera captures more dynamic range per shot (single shots).  And finally, I’ll fire off brackets with the same settings on each camera to then merge to HDR to see if there are differences there as well.  I’ll do this while testing various white balance settings, including custom white balance settings on each camera.

Just so that I don’t completely geek out the entire trip I’m also planning to setup some kind of high fashion shoot with Las Vegas models – MUAs and Hair Stylists.  I’ll test out some multiple speedlite setups on some models as guinea pigs as I have on models in the past (all my model shoots are actually new gear test shoots and I tell them this up front).

Past guinea pigs:
http://digitalcoastimage.com/models.html

I might add something else to the mix, but so far these are tests I plan to do for sure.

Probably the most encouraging thing about the release is how several of the lens elements have been upgraded over coatings used for their other wide angle offerings.  Performance from this lens should be solid, but I’ll be reviewing it once I’ve gotten my hands on one and shot with it.

Also, generally the widest end of a zoom will be a tad soft in the corners so this lens “should” improve in quality as you zoom in a tad.  It might be possible that at 10mm it will be sharper than Sigma’s current APS-C wide angle zoom offering (which I own and use on a Sigma SD14).  I’ll be able to compare the Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM to the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 DC HSM head to head.

The Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM is equal to the following 35mm equivalent on the following cameras:

Nikon APS-C cameras = 12-24mm (35mm equivalent)
Pentax APS-C cameras = 12-24mm (35mm equivalent)
Sony APS-C cameras = 12-24mm (35mm equivalent)
Canon APS-C cameras = 12.8-25.6mm (35mm equivalent)
Sigma DSLRs = 13.6-27.2mm (35mm equivalent)

Sigma has also announced the following lenses:

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM

Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM

Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM

NEW CAMERAS

Sigma SD15 ==> which now has 5 AEB at +/-3.0EV (that’s huge!!!)

Sigma DP1x

Sigma DP2s

And finally, last but not least, they have updated their RAW processing software program SIGMA Photo Pro to 4.0 which now is multi-core aware and is claiming it will improve IQ for all cameras.

Bigger is better when it comes to Dynamic Range of a sensor. It means you can capture more shadow detail and more highlights in a single shot. If you shoot architecture or landscapes you already appreciate the challenge of capturing a high contrast scene that has a massive dynamic range.

For HDR captures, this is incredibly relevant because an HDR file is only as good/clean as the RAW data you feed into the merge.

You can see below that Fuji was WAY ahead of it’s time with the S3 & S5 (fuji’s S3/S5 results apply when using the extended dynamic range feature which is controlled by a camera setting). It is no wonder that so many wedding shooters swore by that camera for shooting beach weddings and other high contrast scenes. As of now only the D3x can better the dynamic range of a S3 or S5 in one single shot.

The relevance to High Dynamic Range Imaging is the following. Lets say you capture a bracketed sequence with only 3 shots. Which of those cameras above do you think will give you the best data to work with when merged to HDR? Remember, an HDR file is only as good/clean as the RAW data you feed into the merge. If each RAW shot you feed into a merge to HDR has by itself a large dynamic range, then you increase the quality of the HDR file.

This is why I groan when I see someone shooting with a Nikon D3x or Fuji S5 Pro say you only need to take X shots to get X results.  Each camera is completely different in terms of its ability to capture dynamic range so when you limit your bracket to only 3 shots, the dynamic range of your sensor becomes incredibly relevant. As you fill in the gaps and take more shots with tighter EV steps it fills in data gaps and provides cleaner RAW data for the entire range.

I first touched on the subject of dynamic range of camera sensors about six months ago and there is a little more insight in that post which is linked HERE.  Other articles surrounding dynamic range, auto bracketing and FPS capture are linked as follows:

Autobracketing for HDR – Camera Specs

Fastest DSLRs for HDR Capture (wide AEB range only)

When I see someone say their HDR files and tonemapped images have noise issues, my first question is? How many shots did you take and what EV step between?  Because I can tell you I have ZERO, NONE, NADDA, ZILCH, GOOSE EGG issues with noise in my files.

Why?  Because I bracket big and tight.  Sometimes I’ll bracket a scene with 13 images at .7EV between steps or even more shots with only .3EV steps between.  And yes, it takes a lot longer to merge to HDR, but it also means the averaging that occurs in software from darks to lights between the RAW data you feed it will result in BOTH cleaner data (less noise) and milder hue/saturation shifts (better color reproduction).

I get asked weekly how my images look so free of noise, natural and how I control saturation levels.  That last paragraph is HALF the battle folks.  It took me about 2000 HDRs to finally figure that out and even though I recently crossed 13,000 commercially delivered images tonemapped from HDRs, I’m still learning and tweaking.  I’m far from satisfied with my own results.  It is a constant challenge for myself even to fight “overcooking” images to the point that a client comments “it looks fake”.

It is critical that you understand my goal is to get to the point that someone can’t tell I’ve employed a High Dynamic Range Imaging workflow / pipeline. I’m not there yet.  If your goal is to create colorful and possibly more saturated images than I am gearing for then you might not want to bracket tighter like I do because when luminance ranges get stretched in software using only 3 shots from an AEB sequence it by default will create hue shifts and saturation issues that you might actually want for your images (particularly if you are going for artistic and/or grunge looks).

Even if you don’t shoot for HDR I hope the chart at least enlightens you to the abilities of those camera models.  I’ve purposely eliminated the medium format cameras that DXOmark has on their site.  If you go to their site and want to check these stats out yourself then look for the following tab on their site (image below). When you do, that data will populate the field on the right so you can see the various cameras and how they stack up.  The X axis shows time so you can see when each was released in comparison to others.