Spec me a camera for HDR

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:22

I want to get into HDR... can someone help me find a camera?

Do I need anything else other than a camera for HDR?

I don't want to spend too much as this is just my first camera...

ElDude · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:28

Nope, HDR is an editing effect. You can do it with any camera.

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:29

I was told that the older cameras can't do it? I've got a 6 mega-mixel from about 4 years ago... will that do it?

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:31

tj86 said:
I was told that the older cameras can't do it? I've got a 6 mega-mixel from about 4 years ago... will that do it?

yep just download photomatix.

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:32

Oh... LOL... downloading it now

Slinky1989 · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:32

All you need are 3 jpegs of exactly the same thing at 3 different exposures. Then you just use photomatix to combine them and then photoshop to edit them.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:33

justinwilkin said:
All you need are 3 jpegs of exactly the same thing at 3 different exposures. Then you just use photomatix to combine them and then photoshop to edit them.

you don't need photoshop, the in built tone mapping in photomatix is adequate.

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:42

Ok... I'll take a go at this today... let me go get my camera

Scam · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:53

**cringing at "wanting to get into HDR"**

wo0kie · 30 Jan 2008 at 18:57

Scam said:
**cringing at "wanting to get into HDR"**

yea, that's what i was thinking. it's almost as bad as selective desat.

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:03

I don't see what the problem is... I like the look of HDR images... and am fascinated by it

RaV · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:14

^ some of its really nice, some of it is terrible! halos and lack of contrast are what i dont like about them

Other than the software. A tripod is more or less essential. And if you camera has a Bracketing Mode then your sorted. makes it a bit easier taking those multiple photos

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:21

Isn't there a camera which takes all three pictures at once?

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:22

tj86 said:
Isn't there a camera which takes all three pictures at once?

there may be one which can do it consecutively, but you'd still need to hold the camera steady, hopefully with a tripod or rest it on something else.

wez130 · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:23

When HDR is done proper (not overcooked) it looks very good. I like to add subtle HDR to my architecture images to bring out detail in them, for example, take a look at my last 3 images in the church pics thread.

wez130 · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:25

Also, you can make an HDR shot from 1 RAW image if your camera supports RAW, just underexpose and overexpose the original image by 1EV in cameraRAW. I prefer to do my HDR's from 5 images all taken from 1 raw image so i get a -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 exposure line up, it gives better results.

Scam · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:36

yantorsen said:
there may be one which can do it consecutively, but you'd still need to hold the camera steady, hopefully with a tripod or rest it on something else.

I thought most DSLRs let you take 3 shots in quick succession (i.e. bracketing). I know my D50 does.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:38

Scam said:
I thought most DSLRs let you take 3 shots in quick succession (i.e. bracketing). I know my D50 does.

I wouldn't know, I'm not a photo enthusiast.

tj86 · 30 Jan 2008 at 19:48

Ah thanks for help guys...

as for the church pics... ill check them now.

Kristoph · 30 Jan 2008 at 20:02

Even though some camera's allow bracketing, is there actually any ability for them to change the exposure between shots? I couldn't see anything on my housemates Fuji.