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SharpExit
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CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
Chums,
Not sure if this is the right section of the forum for this but here goes.
In my short time on the forums here I’ve been very aware of how much HDR crops up in conversation as to how good the effect can be. I’ve not tried HDR yet myself but have been doing a lot of reading on the net about it. I’ve seen a wide range of examples from some very good subtle applications of the process to some pretty horrible over-blown heavy-handed applications (eye of the beholder etc). I’ve also seen some very attractive examples in monochrome from you good people here that quite excites me. So, I’m about to have a bash.
My big Q is ….. is it worth while going straight for something like Photomatix over PS CS2 right from the start i.e. is it worth shelling out hard earned readies due to the advantages over CS2 or is the difference in result/usability small enough that I could play with CS2 initially with the intention of moving to a dedicated HDR tool in due course if necessary ?
I’ve gleaned from the various tutorials and forum etc references (mostly to do with wide contrast colour images) that Photomatix is far better than CS2. Would I find CS2 cumbersome to use and be disappointed with the results and end up going down the Photomatix (or similar) route fairly quickly in any case?
My second Q is …… as I would be capturing some images specifically with HDR treatment in mind, am I better using the 3 shot exposure compensation method or just extracting 3 exposures from a single RAW file? I should imagine that the ‘3 shot exp comp’ method would provide the best opportunity for a good end result?
Sorry for the repetition if this has been asked before and feel free to point me to the thread if this is so.
TIA, Cheers, Dave B.
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Sometimes I think it's my life which is slightly out of focus :(
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10/Nov/06, 10:40 am
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SharpExit
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
Oops, forgot to ask:
Am I correct in thinking that Photomatix Pro is a completely stand alone application (HDR + Tone Mapping + other stuff) where as the Photomatix Tone Mapping Plug-In simply adds the tone mapping bit into CS2 for use on CS2 HDR generated images?
OutbackPhoto.com are currently running a discounted purchase of Photomatix Pro at 84USD (down from the usual 99USD)
Cheers, Dave B.
Last edited by SharpExit, 10/Nov/06, 11:02 am
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Sometimes I think it's my life which is slightly out of focus :(
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10/Nov/06, 11:02 am
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martinimages
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
Dave I don't use it, or should say have tried it but not over impressed, so I cant really advise thoroughly, there are people on this forum that do so should be able to answer your questions, my thoughts are well known about the HDR process but will repeat again.
The process does involves the use of separate images but I would think can be achieved with one raw file providing the exposure is within raw file limits.
It would be preferable to use HDR using one file the reason being movement or ghosting caused by bad registering with three separate images, a draw back on landscapes or any moving objects, interiors no problem.
I would suggest any editing done using HDR is then finely edited in PS to add ones own look to the image as most HDRs can open shadows and control contrast very well but lack tonal scale range in many instances and tend to "look" digitized as against the more traditional methods.
Now I might cause an uproar  here but anything HDR does can be done using something like Imagining factory Pro plug-in working in conjunction with PS and layer masks using multi raw editing techniques.
So try both, HDR will work and and on its own will create decent to very good results, but what it will not do is develop a style of your own which I think is quite important, multi raw and the above type of plug-in mentioned working with multi raw and masking techniques will do the same, get it right and HDR will not beat it plus the learning curve IMHO is far greater creating and developing your own look 
Martin
Afterthought
Here's a interesting article and info Chris [crimbo ] put to gether worth a read
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk/blending/copy%20of%20full%20dynamic%20range%20imaging.htm
Last edited by martinimages, 10/Nov/06, 5:40 pm
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10/Nov/06, 5:04 pm
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crimbo
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
Q1 Photmatix has a free trial so try it along with CS2...see which works best for you
Q2 Most RAW files are 12 bits (in luminance) or try to be 12 stops wide but your conversion only allows 8 bits on the screen hence the compromise and Martins multi-RAW method.
3x 8 bit images, jpegs, at +/-2 stops also give a 12 bit range and can be combined into a file that covers this range...but cannot be displayed on your screen.
Hence Tone Mapping, where you mangle the wide dynamic range down to 8 bits for your jpeg. BTW you can tone map a RAW file!
Q3 correct
In response to Martins comment...he is right in the main. There are other ways to get to the same end result but the Photomatix method does have its own look which some love and some hate and most hopefully take on an image by image basis.
I disagree about HDR allowing you to develop your style. Yes the method will make you look similar to the HDR users but then the multi-RAW users will have a similarity as well
You must use any method at your disposal in your early learning phase to develop your style. Everything after that is bent on using the tools you know so well to change your style
If like me you are using a camera that does not have RAW then Photomatix is a way to go (do also look for Artizen) using the 3x jpegs.
When using my Fuji S20 then I do do multi RAW because I can
So take all the opinions you can...then do what you want to do...show us...then take on board what you want and ignore the rest...eventually YOUR STYLE will emerge
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Chris
60N
1W
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk/my%20piccys/index.htm
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10/Nov/06, 5:57 pm
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AV Mode
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
Dave,
Like Chris I've been using Photomatix stand alone program for a while and must say that sometimes it gives surprising results. This is a classic example of HDR at it's best imho, taken by Crimbo:
http://com1.runboard.com/bthedigitalmonochromeforum.f8.t84067
I personaly like to use it to get back detail in dark areas. I layer the HDR with a regular shot and bring back the detail only where I need it, using layer mask. The perfectly balanced lighting scenes generated by HDR make them look two dimensional sometimes, thats why I think that blending with some regular areas can give more depth.
If you use multiple shots to make a HDR, the badly blown shots and the ones that are too dark can ruin the effect, so beware. 
Cheers
Last edited by AV Mode, 11/Nov/06, 12:09 am
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10/Nov/06, 11:37 pm
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crimbo
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
quote:
AV Mode wrote:
I personaly like to use it to get back detail in dark areas. I layer the HDR with a regular shot and bring back the detail only where I need it, using layer mask.
This is the Learning Forum...so bleeding obvious but I haven't been doing that!!
Thank you
---
Chris
60N
1W
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk/my%20piccys/index.htm
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11/Nov/06, 6:49 am
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martinimages
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
quote:
crimbo wrote:
quote:
AV Mode wrote:
I personaly like to use it to get back detail in dark areas. I layer the HDR with a regular shot and bring back the detail only where I need it, using layer mask.
This is the Learning Forum...so bleeding obvious but I haven't been doing that!!
Thank you
LOL Chris
M
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11/Nov/06, 11:58 am
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AV Mode
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
quote:
crimbo wrote:
This is the Learning Forum...so bleeding obvious but I haven't been doing that!!
Thank you
Just trying real hard to be technologically one step ahead of Martin.
The only thing I've achieved so far is keeping the sensor cleaner, but that's a start.
Cheers
Last edited by AV Mode, 11/Nov/06, 2:09 pm
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11/Nov/06, 1:35 pm
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martinimages
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
How do you clean the bl£"dy thing, ?????
Martin
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11/Nov/06, 3:21 pm
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crimbo
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Re: CS2/Photomatix/HDR & All That Jazz
quote:
martinimages wrote:
How do you clean the bl£"dy thing, ?????
Martin
Buy an Olympus?
Others have told me the canned compressed air works best
---
Chris
60N
1W
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk
http://www.paddle.shetland.co.uk/my%20piccys/index.htm
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11/Nov/06, 4:04 pm
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