HDR problem

[Risto K]

Hello,

I'm experiencing problems when trying to import / link exposure sets in ptgui 9.1.3. The program doesn't seem to recognize the pictures for being essencially the same, but with the different exposure. And I get the "no exposure sets found" error when trying the manual linking, which is in the attached picture. I have read the faq's, but nothing seems to help.

I'm shooting with 5dmkIII and ef8-15 and in manual mode. I usually use 0-+2 bracketing. I use lightroom 4 for exporting and noise control etc.

Any ideas?

Sincerely,

Risto

[John Houghton]

Risto, Your screenshot looks fine, but only shows one exposure set.
All the sets must have exactly the same exposure settings as the one
in the screenshot so that they repeat in a regular sequence as
referred to in the error message. If you have checked and verified
that they are, please supply the project file (not the images) by
uploading it to your private web space or a file sharing site such as
http://www.ge.tt/ and post a download link here.

John

>  hdrproblem.jpg
> 118KViewDownload

[Risto K]

Dang it! :D I selected another set of pictures, which had identical exposures 1/30, 1/80 and 1/200

So it means that when shooting 360/180degrees panorama, you'll have to use same settings when shooting the sunset and the darker parts of the panorama? I would imagine that it could be beneficial to adjust the exposure if there's extreme variation in the light

Thanks John :)

[Ken Warner]

That's why you shoot a bracketed set of images then blend and tone map them.

[Risto K]

Sure, but my problem was that if the bracketing isn't enough.

[Ken Warner]

Shoot 5 bracketed images instead of 3. Some people shoot 7.

But remember, what ever you produce is going to eventually be reduced to 8 bit images on a computer. There is only so much you can do before the result starts to look over produced.

[Risto K]

Thanks! It's a good idea. I was using 5dmkII for so long and as it happens, mkII has only 3 shots available.

[Erik Krause]

Am 06.10.2012 20:14, schrieb Risto K:
> So it means that when shooting 360/180degrees panorama, you'll have to use
> same settings when shooting the sunset and the darker parts of the
> panorama? I would imagine that it could be beneficial to adjust the
> exposure if there's extreme variation in the light

You can do that if you merge to HDR and tonemap (or better: exposure
fuse) using some dedicated program before stitching. However, you might
face very different lighting throughout the panorama. PTGui might
succeed adjusting that differences but this depends on the content and
your skill.

--
Erik Krause

[Luc Villeneuve]

When I need HDR for an action shot, because people or cars are moving fast, you cannot do a multiple exposure.

I develop my images (RAW) more then once (+2 and -2) I then merge these 3 images. Look at your histogram to be sure that you have the best exposure possible. It's not like a real bracketed images but it will give you more images to play with.

You can also use this technic if you feel that you need a darker or a lighter image for a scene. Always keep your RAW files.

Luc

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[Ken Warner]

I used to do that. But now I just adjust the levels to get what I want. I'm not sure that the pseudo-hdr really gives you anymore than what's in the original image.

[Roger D Williams]

My experience has been similar in that I used to swear by RAW + HDR. Now I simply call up the SNS-HDR program on my single RAW (in my case DNG) image and let it work its magic.

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Ken Warner]

Could you make a before/after pair of images available? Where the after has been operated on by SNS-HDR

[Henrik]

The whole point of HDR/Fusion is to capture a wider dynamic range then the camera is capable off, if you can capture the whole scene in one shot then no need for any of these steps - just a proper RAW conversions. i could me wrong and if so please correct me

thanks

Henrik Tived

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Re: [PTGui] Re: HDR problem

[Roger D Williams]

I could, but am busy with something else right now. Sorry. If you download SNS-HDR and try it as a free trial you can see what it does with your own images, which would surely be more helpful than seeing what it did with one of mine. Not a brush off; just trying to be helpful!

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Roger D Williams]

Yes, you're right, Henrik. But it took SNS-HDR to convince me... It is the first RAW developer in my experience that does natural looking tone mapping from a single RAW exposure. And of course it can only recover what was recorded in the original image. It also has controls that I find "intuitive." And what I do these days is take three bracketed exposures and try single-exposure development on the best of the three. If that doesn't work I add in one or both of the other two exposures and let SNS-HDR do its full thing. So far it has never failed, and most times I get away with using only the single exposures. So much so that I am thinking of keeping bracketing to the most problematic scenes. De-ghosting is not one of the program's strong points, but an upgrade that addresses this weakness has been promised and must be about due by now... Judging by the programmer's success so far I have great expectations.

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Henrik]

Hi roger,

SNS is a great little program and should be in every panographrs tool kit, it will be great if ghosting will come in it. Alternatively you can do Ghosting in Photoshop, which is probably the best (at ghosting) I don't care too much for its HDR, but sometimes it will do the job.

I juggle between SNS, Photomatix, EnfuseGUI and HDR Expose and Photoshop CS6

RAW conversion CaptureOne Pro and Adobe Camera RAW, mostly the later

 
Henrik Tived

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[Roger D Williams]

That's interesting, Henrik. Particularly that CS6 can do de-ghosting. I have just decided to upgrade to CS6 as otherwise I would be shut out from future upgrades to CS5 under Adobe's new policy. I have also just joined the NAPP in the hope of picking up more skills, as I am often baffled by the multiple options and tools in PS. Of course I use the ACR in PS to remove CA... Only the individual modules within DXO consistently do any better, but DXO refuse to create modules for the lenses I use for my panoramas. So I have to duck in and out of PS to remove colour aberrations. Maybe I should also duck in and out for de-ghosting... Where is that capability found?

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Henrik]

Hi Roger,

Its in the HDR section under tools or under automate, you take your series of bracket shots, do the ghosting and conversions to 32-bit file and then open it up in your favorite HDR app and do the HDR in there. the HDR portion is written by one of the HDR's forefathers (his names escapes me ) but have a look at Christian Bloch's www.hdrlabs.com there are some really good information there and his upcoming book version 2 would be worthwhile investment

 
Henrik Tived

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[Ken Warner]

I understand -- that's ok...

[Roger D Williams]

Thanks, Henrik. I ordered his book from Amazon. Due out the end of the year, right?

I will check out PS CS6 de-ghosting as soon as I have managed to purchase the upgrade. They make it really difficult for people living in Japan who want the English version of the program. (Sigh) and I have to battle with the telephone--no fun with my deafness.

Oh, wait a minute. Convert to 32-bit file? You mean an HDR file? I want to feed the results for SNS-HDR. Can I do that, i.e., if I don't convert it but save it as TIFF?

Roger W.

Sent from my iPad

[Henrik]

Roger,

let me get back to you, re 32-bit file and SNS, tonight. I don't have it installed yet on my laptop (did a reinstall) you save it as filename.hdr or (forgot) the other other option for 32-bit... i have some funny feeling that this is the dealbreaker for not getting SNS that you can't import 32-bit files, but as I said I will have to check - if it does it would probably help your workflow with bracket shots

I think Bloch's book is out very soon - it should say on his website, I think he is also here or on the PanoToolNG group.

Re: CS6, I went for the Cloud option as i had the Suite, as I also use other Adobe apps...and with the Suite subscription you also get a whole string of other Adobe Apps for video and Audio, plus Lightroom (not that I fancy that but never the less) ;-)

Henrik Tived

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[Roger D Williams]

OK, Henrik, there's no hurry. My budget is stretched just paying the inflated price Adobe charges for the CS5 to 6 upgrade here in Japan, so I will not be getting any extra-cost options. The only other Adobe program I ever used on a regular basis was PageMaker, which I went on using years after they had stopped supporting it.

As for publication date, I am only passing on what Adobe said when I placed the order. I would like it to be sooner.

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Henrik]

HI ROGER,

YOU CAN USE BOTH *.hdr AND THE OTHER EXTENSIONS FOR hdr FILE FORMAT (WHICH I FOR SOME REASON JUST CAN'T REMEMBER RADIENCE ...)

ANYWAY, SNS-PRO CAN USE BOTH

SO YOU CAN PROCESS YOUR HDR'S IN PS CS6 INTO 32-BIT FILES (FOR YOUR DE-GHOSTING) AND THEN DO THE CONVERSION IN SNS-PRO

I HOPE THIS HELPS

Henrik Tived

PS; SORRY FOR THE CAPITALS.... DOING WORK AND IT HAS TO BE IN CAPITALS.. DIDN'T MEAN TO YELL ;-)

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[Roger D Williams]

Thanks Henrik.

I was waiting for your conclusion and am happy to hear that pre-processing in CS6 won't prevent me using SNS. Until/unless SNS can equal the CA removal and de-ghosting of CS6 (and that must be unlikely for one man, however talented) I will do them both before using it for tone-mapping.

Roger W

Sent from my iPad

[Henrik]

Roger, let me know how you go

Sent from my iPhone

[Roger D Williams]

I will. First I have to get CS6, though, which will be like pulling teeth if my experience upgrading to CS5 is anything to go by!

Roger W.

Sent from my iPad