Steve'sDigicams

Telecorder · Jun 9, 2006, 1:23 AM

[align=left]Well...
Having received my new FZ30 last Monday, I'm starting to get the hang of it, somewhat. I read a posting about HDR that had a link to the Photomatix HDR freeware so I thought I'd give it a try on tonight's moon and post the images for others to review. I also have the USC's version downloaded but haven't loded/tried it as yet. Given more free time, I'll run the same images and see how they compare.

Keep in mind, this was more as a whim and trying out the FZ30 and the HDR freeware to see how they integrate. I leave it to viewers to comment & critique as one feels appropriate...

I set up on a tripod at 12X and +/- 1 EV bracketing at various zooms w & w/o TC and captured the following 3 original images at EZ3MP native optical 19X zoom (In-Camera metered crop - No TC attached)-- 1280Wx960H images w/100% crop down to ~750x700 and saved for web - No PP

1rst image at +/- 0 EV...

Read what little there is to the freeware and attempted a few runs. Had a few hiccups and had to use cntrl-alt-delete to back out a couple of times but, after understanding how its workflow runs, ran it to generate the following two images w/auto-alignment + Highlight/Shadows Intensive (Light) It also generates a 1280 x 960 INCH image at 1-ppi so I resized to 40-inches and cropped to posted sizes:

First image is as originally generated and second had color removed in PSE4 -no other PP

I then cropped out the watermark and PP in PSE4 using Lvls, USM (66%-0.7p-4-lvls) and saved for web at posted sizes - no noise reduction used

[/align]

[align=left]Next image had color removed in PSE4

I probably overdid the PP on the generated image. I'm not sure what happened on the top edges - possibly due to minute movement of moon during bracketed images...or maybe a bit too aggressive on the Levels right slider... ? It does address any noise in the black sky. I tried Neat Image but it couldn't find a suitable area to calibrate on so no Noise Removal on any of the images...

What'cha think...?

[/align]

Macnite · Jun 11, 2006, 7:36 PM

Telecorder, was this really your first attempt? It looks beautiful. My first attempt was a disaster! Good work.

Telecorder · Jun 11, 2006, 10:25 PM

Actually, it was. Of course, we won't talk about the next attempt with some lilies' images thatI attempted... lets just say movement by any breeze don't bode well for HDR blended images...:sad:

I tried again this morning with the lilies with a bit better success but still not there...(It appears that the more times you open and use Photomatix, the more watermarks it embeds...)

I also tried using EasyHDR (Thanks, AmanitaM!) and found it to be a lot more intuitive, more user operated available image tweaksand user-friendly. Its user aligning interface showed that I still have the same issue with any breeze on the lilies messing the alignments up between images... so I went back and used the same moon images that I used in Photonix above. I thinkEasyHDR (topimage)turned out better than Photomatix...

I have down loaded the USC's HDR software but haven't tried it, as yet. Given some time, I hope to get some STILL images of my wife's lilies and do a 5-set bracketed HDR with the 3 different HDR and post a comparison/review for those interested. I can say that most anyone who has PSE4 and uses levels. USM etc in their PP can use Easy HDR to do a HDR image...

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Jun 9, 2006, 1:23 AM	#1
Telecorder Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 490	[align=left]Well... Having received my new FZ30 last Monday, I'm starting to get the hang of it, somewhat. I read a posting about HDR that had a link to the Photomatix HDR freeware so I thought I'd give it a try on tonight's moon and post the images for others to review. I also have the USC's version downloaded but haven't loded/tried it as yet. Given more free time, I'll run the same images and see how they compare. Keep in mind, this was more as a whim and trying out the FZ30 and the HDR freeware to see how they integrate. I leave it to viewers to comment & critique as one feels appropriate... I set up on a tripod at 12X and +/- 1 EV bracketing at various zooms w & w/o TC and captured the following 3 original images at EZ3MP native optical 19X zoom (In-Camera metered crop - No TC attached)-- 1280Wx960H images w/100% crop down to ~750x700 and saved for web - No PP 1rst image at +/- 0 EV... Read what little there is to the freeware and attempted a few runs. Had a few hiccups and had to use cntrl-alt-delete to back out a couple of times but, after understanding how its workflow runs, ran it to generate the following two images w/auto-alignment + Highlight/Shadows Intensive (Light) It also generates a 1280 x 960 INCH image at 1-ppi so I resized to 40-inches and cropped to posted sizes: First image is as originally generated and second had color removed in PSE4 -no other PP I then cropped out the watermark and PP in PSE4 using Lvls, USM (66%-0.7p-4-lvls) and saved for web at posted sizes - no noise reduction used [/align] [align=left]Next image had color removed in PSE4 I probably overdid the PP on the generated image. I'm not sure what happened on the top edges - possibly due to minute movement of moon during bracketed images...or maybe a bit too aggressive on the Levels right slider... ? It does address any noise in the black sky. I tried Neat Image but it couldn't find a suitable area to calibrate on so no Noise Removal on any of the images... What'cha think...? [/align]

Jun 11, 2006, 7:36 PM	#2
Macnite Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,679	Telecorder, was this really your first attempt? It looks beautiful. My first attempt was a disaster! Good work.

Jun 11, 2006, 10:25 PM	#3
Telecorder Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 490	Actually, it was. Of course, we won't talk about the next attempt with some lilies' images thatI attempted... lets just say movement by any breeze don't bode well for HDR blended images...:sad: I tried again this morning with the lilies with a bit better success but still not there...(It appears that the more times you open and use Photomatix, the more watermarks it embeds...) I also tried using EasyHDR (Thanks, AmanitaM!) and found it to be a lot more intuitive, more user operated available image tweaksand user-friendly. Its user aligning interface showed that I still have the same issue with any breeze on the lilies messing the alignments up between images... so I went back and used the same moon images that I used in Photonix above. I thinkEasyHDR (topimage)turned out better than Photomatix... I have down loaded the USC's HDR software but haven't tried it, as yet. Given some time, I hope to get some STILL images of my wife's lilies and do a 5-set bracketed HDR with the 3 different HDR and post a comparison/review for those interested. I can say that most anyone who has PSE4 and uses levels. USM etc in their PP can use Easy HDR to do a HDR image...