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D40: best way to do manual bracketing?

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netsi42

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So I can't afford an upgrade to the D90 (or its upcoming replacement) quite yet, and two features I would like are bracketing and the info view on the top. So, I will maybe try manual bracketing, although the idea doesn't sound particularly viable to me. I'm thinking primarily for HDR, not for hedging my bets and picking the one I like.

After reading and thinking a bit, one course of action could be:
  1. Use tripod
  2. Put in Manual mode, and turn off Auto ISO (due to D40 bug)
  3. Set ISO 200 (?)
  4. Pick aperture/speed for your normal shot (based on DOF, etc)
  5. Focus manually (?)
  6. Assume a 3 shot bracket. Take normal shot, change speed by spinning down 3 clicks (one stop) for low shot, then 6 clicks up for high.
That last step I'm not sure about. Michael Freeman suggests starting low, so low,normal,high. If the dynamic range is really extreme, I guess you would want to go 2 or even 3 stops lower and higher? Maybe the answer is to check the histogram, and adjust until no clipping? I've also seen suggestions to use the + - compensation adjustment, but seems to me that's not really the way to do it.

Other assumptions:
  • there's no point doing this unless you're shooting RAW
  • should use cable release (except I'm touching camera to change settings anyway)
  • bracketing more shots like 5 or 7, especially given that I'm doing this manually, is probably counterproductive.
Any comments or suggestions? Thanks in advance!
 
This is something of a kludge but it doesn't involve touching the camera.

Get a square ND filter, like an ND 4 or 8, and hold it in front of the lens and shoot using a remote to make multiple exposures.

You'll have to rely on the camera changing settings, so use Av mode to keep aperture constant and set a manual focus and ISO. Using the same metering mode under these conditions should give you the desired bracketing.

You might be able to use a Cokin P type holder, but you are basically touching the camera doing that, so I'm suggesting mounting the holder and filter a small distance from the lens on a separate mount.

This has a lot of down sides, but it's one way.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600
 
Shooting JPEG is not necessary to getting good HDR images. In fact, I would say shooting RAW is less critical with the HDR photography than single images because you are overcoming the DR limitations of a single image with multiple shots. A lot of HDR programs don't even accept JPEG images as input. Using RAW certainly won't hurt anything and you have a better chance of getting a good single image, should you decide not to merge multiple images.

Remote shutter actuation is certainly a good idea but it isn't absolutely necessary. Most HDR programs will automatically align the images and compensate for minor offsets. I have gotten pretty good results on occasion without a tripod by shooting 3 images in quick sequence using exposure bracketing but I don't recommend it.

I haven't encountered a situation where more exposures degrade the image quality. In fact, quite the opposite. However, there is a law of diminishing returns here. 5 or 7 may not work any better than 3. It just depends on the situation.
netsi42 said:
Other assumptions:
  • there's no point doing this unless you're shooting RAW
  • should use cable release (except I'm touching camera to change settings anyway)
  • bracketing more shots like 5 or 7, especially given that I'm doing this manually, is probably counterproductive.
Any comments or suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
 
You know, that has a certain elegance in its simplicity. So I could shoot my normal shot to get highlight details, then use 2 increasing strength ND filters to get more shadow detail. I have to try this. Well, after I buy a tripod and filters. :) Thx.
sjgcit said:
This is something of a kludge but it doesn't involve touching the camera.

Get a square ND filter, like an ND 4 or 8, and hold it in front of the lens and shoot using a remote to make multiple exposures.

You'll have to rely on the camera changing settings, so use Av mode to keep aperture constant and set a manual focus and ISO. Using the same metering mode under these conditions should give you the desired bracketing.

You might be able to use a Cokin P type holder, but you are basically touching the camera doing that, so I'm suggesting mounting the holder and filter a small distance from the lens on a separate mount.

This has a lot of down sides, but it's one way.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600
Click to expand...
 
The diminishing returns idea absolutely makes sense. However, I read something about how the more HDR images you try to merge, the more you may have issues with (was it saturation? colours? can't remember...). I'll just have to experiment. I think some software allows you to specify preference for one particular frame as well, to help with ghosting. Obviously some software will be more sophisticated.

Of course there are reviews galore, but I'm curious about your opinion regarding HDR software. I've read great things about DxO Optics Pro, and there's also Photomatix and Lightroom. Those are the 3 that are on my radar in any case.

As an aside - should I concern myself with 12bit vs 14bit RAW, or compressed vs uncompressed? I'd have to upgrade my D40 if so.
Thanks!
Cedarhill said:
Shooting JPEG is not necessary to getting good HDR images. In fact, I would say shooting RAW is less critical with the HDR photography than single images because you are overcoming the DR limitations of a single image with multiple shots. A lot of HDR programs don't even accept JPEG images as input. Using RAW certainly won't hurt anything and you have a better chance of getting a good single image, should you decide not to merge multiple images.

Remote shutter actuation is certainly a good idea but it isn't absolutely necessary. Most HDR programs will automatically align the images and compensate for minor offsets. I have gotten pretty good results on occasion without a tripod by shooting 3 images in quick sequence using exposure bracketing but I don't recommend it.

I haven't encountered a situation where more exposures degrade the image quality. In fact, quite the opposite. However, there is a law of diminishing returns here. 5 or 7 may not work any better than 3. It just depends on the situation.
Click to expand...
 
Before you buy anything ( and the filters and holder and tripod will be useful general additions ) bare in mind it's worth checking what you might sell your existing kit for and get a camera with bracketing.

If the net cost to you is worth, which only you know, then selling and trading up is a better route. You need to compare the cost of my kludge with trading up.

--
StephenG

Pentax K100D
Fuji S3 Pro
Fuji S9600
 
The critical thing to creating really impressive HDR images is to select a good program and learn it inside and out. I use Photomatix Pro. There are many other good ones. I believe it is better to use a dedicated HDR program like Photomatix rather than a general purpose photo editor like Photoshop because the software is more sophisticated and provides more capabilities and options.

I would not worry whether the camera records 12 bit or 14 bit images. By the time you stack the dynamic range of three or more images together, you are working with a true 32 bit file anyway.
 
Cedarhill said:
The critical thing to creating really impressive HDR images is to select a good program and learn it inside and out. I use Photomatix Pro.
Click to expand...
Cedarhill, can I ask you about your experience with Photomatix? Were you familiar with the terminology they use for their setting options prior to working with the program? I'm finding there are so many options, and I'm not clear on how each option affects the file, and if I should even be using it.
 
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