S95 HDR functionality

RKral said:

Which P&S sized cams don't need a tripod for in-camera HDR? (Not a test question, an honest one, just wondering).

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Sony HX5V does not need tripod to shoot HDR.

But their hdr are often looking blurry because oft that.

There are taken 3 pics in a row so there is a risk of shake, a tripod is recommendend in any case.

These two photos were taken in the Rockies with the auto bracketing feature on the older Panasonic TZ3, three images -1 0 +1 HANDHELD then processed with Photomatix HDR. If I had to lug around a tripod to take HDR photos I'd get another camera.









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Taken this afternoon.

Works pretty well, not overly done

This may have been answered already but HDR is jpeg only. Tripod is a must, otherwise the 3 shots won't line up during in camera processing.

This is a complete aside -- but someone else posted that there was no paper manual with the S95. From this picture, it appears that yours has a regular longer manual? Cathy H.

RKral said:

Which P&S sized cams don't need a tripod for in-camera HDR? (Not a test question, an honest one, just wondering).

Click to expand...

The Fuji EXR series of pocket cameras do this. They have a clever sensor that can take two photos (at half resolution) at the same time. That is, my F200EXR has a nominally 12mp sensor, but when I put it in EXR HD mode it uses two ISO settings for 6MP each. That is, every other pixel records at ISO100, and the other every other pixel records at ISO400. So the two images are taken at exactly the same time, in exactly the same place. If you jiggle the camera a little the IS can still adjust. Even if you have fast-moving objects in the picture, everything is aligned. The merged HD photo is only 6MP (plenty!!) and has more dynamic range than the sensor could manage at any single ISO setting.

I did a number of test shots comparing a Canon SD870IS to the Fuji F200EXR, and in most of the high contrast shots you can see the benefits of the in-camera HD processing. (and I never use a tripod.)

If Canon had come up with something similar, I might have sprung for the S95, even though I own the S90.

Cathy H said:

This is a complete aside -- but someone else posted that there was no paper manual with the S95. From this picture, it appears that yours has a regular longer manual? Cathy H.

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I do not own the S95 (yet...). But from various other Canon cameras including the S90 I know Canon delivers short introductory paper guides only and refers to pdf versions of the extensive manuals on CD or online.

Please find the URL earlier in this thread: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1010&message=36155911

(The "picture" in http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1010&message=36140634 is just a screenshot from the pdf file.)

yoshi said:

Taken this afternoon.

Works pretty well, not overly done

This may have been answered already but HDR is jpeg only. Tripod is a must, otherwise the 3 shots won't line up during in camera processing.

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Sorry, are these examples not HDR but just two shots with slightly different exposure settings (1/320 f4 vs. 1/400 f3.5)?

IMHO the dark areas are too dark and the bright too bright. I bet you know and you mean this with ...

yoshi said:

not overly done

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From testing it out this weekend, I can say the s95 definitely needs a solid surface or tripod in order to do hdr, even in bright outdoor light. You get some interesting effects without a tripod...but not just the hdr effect you wanted.

I wonder if that is only in some countries. My S90 here in the U.S. has a full 179 page manual included in the box with the camera along with the introductory guide. It is beginning to appear to me that some people may have a manual in their S95 boxes and some not. I really appreciate a printed manual and hope Canon has not stopped doing this. So far no Canon camera I have owned has failed to have a 150 or 200+ page manual including the T2i, 50D, G11, S90, etc. Cathy H.

flon said:

yoshi said:

Taken this afternoon.

Works pretty well, not overly done

This may have been answered already but HDR is jpeg only. Tripod is a must, otherwise the 3 shots won't line up during in camera processing.

Click to expand...

Sorry, are these examples not HDR but just two shots with slightly different exposure settings (1/320 f4 vs. 1/400 f3.5)?

IMHO the dark areas are too dark and the bright too bright. I bet you know and you mean this with ...

flon said:

not overly done

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the second one shows more detail in the bright window, and also more detail in the shadows on the side (like the gate on the lower left.) That's exactly what I expect HDR to do. Why do you think it's just slightly different exposures?

PuzzleGal said:

the second one shows more detail in the bright window, and also more detail in the shadows on the side (like the gate on the lower left.) That's exactly what I expect HDR to do. Why do you think it's just slightly different exposures?

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Well, I would expect a greater effect, meaning much more detail in the dark and bright areas. Maybe like here:





(source: http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_powershot_s95_review/image_quality/ )

flon:

those were definitely HDR vs P mode shots.

Here's another I just took outside. Not dramatically different, but definitely noticeable.
Just to be clear, P mode first and then HDR shot shown below.