HDR with exposure bracketing

[Legion]

I've only just heard about this cool thing called High Dynamic Range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging) (HDR) photography, which basically involves merging overexposed with underexposed images to get a better dynamic range. Examples aplenty on Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/tags/hdr/). Here's one I particularly like (click for bigger):

http://static.flickr.com/57/174075262_a38e889b83_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ny_doll/174075262/)

What I want to know is, has anyone tried HDR using the auto exposure bracketing feature on a compact Canon camera (especially the S2 which I have)? This is something I'd quite like to try, but not sure if I'm willing to cough up for expensive software yet though.

[BowerR64]

I dont like the way the S2 does bracketing. You can do shots similar but you need fixed subjects becuause of how it works. I have never owned an SLR but i read that they can do bracketing os somthing after one image is taken. I would prefer this.

Like say you take a shot and the first one is how you want, the S2 then takes another shot over exsposed then under using the flash again and clicking the shutter again 2 times. This can be a problem with moving objects. It could be good but i dont see how it can be used with bracketing. I mean why does it need 2 more shots? i set the camera to -2 for the under exsposed shot and +2 for the over exsposed so why does it need 2 more shots when it already knows what the image needs? why cant it just make a 2 copys of the original image and alter the exsposure saving it to the card?

SLR cameras do it all internaly (i think) or else they do the editing with the raw data.

You need a good eye for that kind of stuff also, you need to know what to leave under and over esposed to make the shot look good. I dont have an eye for that so all my image ive tried look like crap.

[DSent]

DSLRs do have an advantage, because they can shoot in RAW format, in which you can always change exposure value from -2 to +2 with little or no posterization and quality loss. But it's still recommended to bracket the exposure, rather than shooting a single RAW image, because with bracketing you'll always capture more details.

Here are some of my experiments with HDR on S3 IS (via bracketing):

http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/178/d/b/Ancient_Symmetry_by_DSent.jpg

http://ic3.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/173/4/1/Monday_Morning_Apocalypse_by_DSent.jpg

http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/176/0/2/Fantasy_by_DSent.jpg

[Gopher]

DSLRs do have an advantage, because they can shoot in RAW format, in which you can always change exposure value from -2 to +2 with little or no posterization and quality loss. But it's still recommended to bracket the exposure, rather than shooting a single RAW image, because with bracketing you'll always capture more details.

Here are some of my experiments with HDR on S3 IS (via bracketing):

http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/178/d/b/Ancient_Symmetry_by_DSent.jpg

http://ic3.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/173/4/1/Monday_Morning_Apocalypse_by_DSent.jpg

http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs11/i/2006/176/0/2/Fantasy_by_DSent.jpg
Wow, "posterization", say that 10 times fast :rolleyes: . What does it mean?

Lots of P&S's shoot RAW, and some bracket exposure (3 quick shots), same as DSLRs. Of course, DSLR has more dynamic range.

BTW: Can't see the images.

[DSent]

Wow, "posterization", say that 10 times fast :rolleyes: . What does it mean?

Lots of P&S's shoot RAW, and some bracket exposure (3 quick shots), same as DSLRs. Of course, DSLR has more dynamic range.

BTW: Can't see the images.
Posterization - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posterization

Btw, try different links:
http://www.deviantart.com/view/35436754/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/35329189/
http://www.deviantart.com/view/35182927/

[BowerR64]

A good example of posterization = digital cable...:rolleyes:

[DSent]

A good example of posterization = digital cable...:rolleyes:
What's that again?

[BowerR64]

Did you look at the examples of the description? thats what digital cable does. It either is digital distortion, the cable box has a poor processor or the technology is just not up to par but thats what alot of digital channels look like where there is fast action.

[Legion]

Some really nice shots from DSent back there. Well I finally had a shot at it and I'm quite pleased with the results...

http://static.flickr.com/83/215343843_e408bc3ef7_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianrbarnes/215343843/) http://static.flickr.com/96/215343845_4ea30e1aa2_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianrbarnes/215343845/)

Shows that you don't necessarily need a fancy DSLR to do this kind of thing.

[BowerR64]

This shot was kinda done with a bracketing technique. The first shot was done with good lighting, and one shot with no lighting.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y191/BowerR64/Camera/GlowEye.jpg