HDR "Bracketing"?

[sk66]

Occasionally I will use HDR..sometimes what I see in my mind requires it for the image to work... But I don't think I get the best results.

So, how many images is "best"? I usually use my Nikon's bracketing feature which is up to 9 frames (correct +4 either side). Given this, should I use 1 stop increments or 1/2 stop? I usually use 5 frames at 1 stop (+/- 2 stops)...Beyond this the amount of over/under exposure is usually excessive from what I can see.

I was thinking that since I shoot in RAW that 1/2 stops are kind of pointless....But maybe I'm wrong since I use lightroom>photomatix and they are converted to Tiffs before export (photomatix plugin).....Maybe +/- 2 stops in 1/2 stop increments(9 frames) would be better?

[Elmo]

I use it like real High Dynamic Range. I spot meter the scene and determine the extremes. I then shoot enough frames at one stop increments to start 2 stops low to 2 stops high based on my cameras dynamic range. Another words I will have one frame almost completely black and another almost completely white. I then combine some of the images (various combinations) to get the desired results. I seldom wind up using all the images I shot.

Also keep in mind that you can lie to the software about the exposure offset of an image to get even different results.

[digirebelva]

I expose to the right first then set my bracketing at 2 stop increments..3 images all together. Most I have ever used is 4 shots, but they were timed exposures from 5 seconds to 30 seconds at sunset.

[OsmosisStudios]

I always do +/- 2 stops; how many steps is up to you and how you do your processing

[gazsus]

I attended a webinar on HDR hosted by MACgroup the other week and they were adamant that you rarely need more than 3 shots, -2,0,+2. Of course, there will always be exceptions to the rule but those 3 exposures should cover 90% of situations, or so I was told.

[Elmo]

Here is an image with over 20 stops dynamic range (Dark Interior, Sunlit exterior) Exposures ranged from !/2 to 1/1000 second) used a 6 image stack.



the exterior is intentionally left over exposed to suit the illusion therefore the total dynamic range was not utilized.

[kirbinster]

So the answer is ????

[sk66]

" and they were adamant that you rarely need more than 3 shots, -2,0,+2"

That would make sense to me if you are working in RAW or processing the RAW files individually before export. But what about +/- 2 stops w/ Jpeg/Tiff?

[gazsus]

Originally Posted by sk66

" and they were adamant that you rarely need more than 3 shots, -2,0,+2"

That would make sense to me if you are working in RAW or processing the RAW files individually before export. But what about +/- 2 stops w/ Jpeg/Tiff?

Can't really comment on JPG/Tiff files as the webinar only referred to RAW files throughout, plus I only ever us RAW myself.
There was no talk of processing the RAW files before exporting to Photomatix/Nik HDR Efex Pro, (those are the the only applications they used), if that's what you mean I do have an HDR book (at home, 500miles away) that says certain PP can be done before export to Photomatix,etc but can't recall which are the do's and don'ts right now.

[sk66]

"There was no talk of processing the RAW files before exporting to Photomatix/Nik HDR Efex Pro, (those are the the only applications they used), if that's what you mean "

Yep, that's what I meant.