Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

[Jack A. Zucker]

Yes, i've searched google. There doesn't seem to be a consensus other than use a remote, MLU, -2, 0, +2

Is there any way to get (-4, -2, 0, +2, +4) without touching the camera and if not, what is the best strategy for achieving 5 exposures with minimum of vibration?

Thanks in advance.

 

[M Stewart]

This is definitely not my field, but how about using Eos Utility and tethering your camera to a laptop? Would this allow you to vary exposure compensation remotely? You'd still need a very rigid support for pixel to pixel stability from image to image.

--
M. Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK

 

[simon05]

This is not feasible if you are on the field e.g. lanscape, architecture, ect. I do not understand why Canon does not want to update the firmaware with such a simple feature.

--
http://simonedegan.com/
http://collections.simonedegan.com/main

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

I think I found the best solutions:

1) Use C1 & C2

(-3 1/3) (-2) (-2/3) to C1
(+2/3) (+2) (+3 1/3) to C2

2) use Promote Control

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674673-REG/Promote_Systems_P_CTRL_1_Promote_Control.html

3) Use a cell phone with http://dslrcontroller.com/

 

[jl_smith]

I don't have a Mk II anymore, so I'm probably missing a few details, but I DO know there is a way to set this up:

Basically I set up a custom mode on the dial (C3) to take three shots (-2, 0, +2) while in Live view using the 2sec timer.

I THINK you have to mess around with the drive mode but I'm not positive.

So basically -

I would turn dial to C3.
Enter Live view, compose.
Click shutter, wait 2 seconds, and shutter makes three exposures.

No need for a remote or MLU since the mirror is already up in LV and the 5D2 uses electronic front curtain so there's no mirror flopping.

Experiment around, it didn't take me long to figure it out. Sorry I can't tell you exactly because I don't have the camera any more.

Also, me personally, I never saw much value in taking tons of shots for HDR. 3 shots of 2,0,+2 worked fine for pretty much everything I needed. YMMV though.

--
JL Smith
http://jl-smith.smugmug.com

 

[woffles]

It's still in beta but Magic Lantern can give you up to 9 shots with a range from 1/2 to 5 stops between each shot.

 

[Houtmeyers Peter]

I can not understand why people would want to take 5-9 photo's to get the same range you already can get with 2 or 3 photo's. To get full dynamic range in a scene you need to get one photo with all detail in the highlights ....and one with all detail in the shadows.

Only in some extreme cases a third photo is needed. Can someone please let me see the clear difference between a hdr made from 2-3 raws and one where 5-9 photo's where used? What am i missing here?

Yes, i've searched google. There doesn't seem to be a consensus other than use a remote, MLU, -2, 0, +2

Is there any way to get (-4, -2, 0, +2, +4) without touching the camera and if not, what is the best strategy for achieving 5 exposures with minimum of vibration?

Thanks in advance.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59821394@N00/sets/72157601448229987/show/

 

[kb2zuz]

• Tether to a laptop
• Get a USB controler like the Promote Control for extended HDR
• Purchase a 1Ds Mk III
• Use C1 and C2 to bracket with different compensations
• Use custom firmware like Magic Lantern
• Use a setting like Aperture Priority and shoot one set of brackets at with negative EV adjustment and one with positive EV adjustment... you have to touch the camera to adjust the EV between the two shots, but it's minimal. So with a -2, 0, +2 bracket at -2EV would give you -4, -2, 0 and +2EV would give you 0, +2, +4... in this case you just end up with 2 normal exposures. Of course you can play with different combinations for finer gradation or greater range.

--
~K

 

[akin_t]

How can you suggest a $300+ solution to a problem that doesn't even exist.

It's your money so do whatever you want with it, but a promote controller will not make your photos any better.

1.

You do not need more than 3 exposures for most scenes. Heck, I can bring out shadow detail just fine in scenes that include the sun and I shoot a bloody 7D.

2.

While in Auto Exposure Bracketing, rotating the rear wheel dial should dial in exposure compensation. What this allows you to do is set your bracketing for -1, 0, +1.

Now you can move your EC to -1 and capture -2, -1, 0 ... Then move your EC to +2 and capture +1, +2, +3 ... Rotating your rear wheel dial doesn't induce that much camera shake in my experience.

3.

Now as for capturing more photos than necessary, if you are indeed one of those anal photographers, then at least be anal where it counts. Capture your brackets in 1 EV increments instead of 2 EV increments (this results in less highlight grain). Capturing -10 EV to +10 EV does absolutely nothing but waste your damn time.

I think I found the best solutions:

1) Use C1 & C2

(-3 1/3) (-2) (-2/3) to C1
(+2/3) (+2) (+3 1/3) to C2

2) use Promote Control

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/674673-REG/Promote_Systems_P_CTRL_1_Promote_Control.html

3) Use a cell phone with http://dslrcontroller.com/

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

How can you suggest a $300+ solution to a problem that doesn't even exist.

You forgot to say "in your opinion"

2.

While in Auto Exposure Bracketing, rotating the rear wheel dial should dial in exposure compensation. What this allows you to do is set your bracketing for -1, 0, +1.

Now you can move your EC to -1 and capture -2, -1, 0 ... Then move your EC to +2 and capture +1, +2, +3 ... Rotating your rear wheel dial doesn't induce that much camera shake in my experience.

Now you have 9 raw images, 3 of which are redundant. Plus you have introduce camera movement into the equation. If someone else wants to approach things differently, who are you to be condescending toward them? Oh yeah, I forgot - This is dpreview so it's to be expected.

3.

Now as for capturing more photos than necessary, if you are indeed one of those anal photographers, then at least be anal where it counts. Capture your brackets in 1 EV increments instead of 2 EV increments (this results in less highlight grain). Capturing -10 EV to +10 EV does absolutely nothing but waste your damn time.

Strawman argument. Nobody proposed that but I guess it makes you feel better about yourself

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

Is it still being updated? The site says it's written for 2.0.9 but I'm running 2.1.1

 

[breamer]

Hi,

I set C2 to +2,0,2 and C3 to +1,0,1. The problem is, when you change from C2 to C3, the manual setting resets to whatever is stored in C3. Bit of a pain.

Also I can't believe the negative responses to your question. I just don't get it. But I won't dwell on that. What I will say is that I wanted to do this so I could use Photomatix to generate HDR images. From all that I've read, it works better with 5 brackets compared to 3 brackets.

However I like natural looking HDR images and I could never get anything that looked realistic out of Photomatix so I gave up. Now I just use -2,0,2 and manual blend. Works well for me.

Cheers
Derrick

PS You could always upgrade to the Nikon 800

 

[nofumble]

You can set up to 9 pictures at whatever EV interval you want. Best of all, it is all free.

 

[bunyarra]

How can you suggest a $300+ solution to a problem that doesn't even exist.

Only in your world - not in other's day to day shooting

It's your money so do whatever you want with it, but a promote controller will not make your photos any better.

Might not make your better, does mine.

1.

You do not need more than 3 exposures for most scenes. Heck, I can bring out shadow detail just fine in scenes that include the sun and I shoot a bloody 7D.

Even you use the word "most". I happen to find many situations where a 5 bracket is required - noise in pushed shadows is not commercially acceptable.

2.

While in Auto Exposure Bracketing, rotating the rear wheel dial should dial in exposure compensation. What this allows you to do is set your bracketing for -1, 0, +1.

Now you can move your EC to -1 and capture -2, -1, 0 ... Then move your EC to +2 and capture +1, +2, +3 ... Rotating your rear wheel dial doesn't induce that much camera shake in my experience.

Glad your experience is different to mine. This induces enough camera rotation/shake/droop to misalign subsequent brackets. The longer the focal length, the worse it is.

3.

Now as for capturing more photos than necessary, if you are indeed one of those anal photographers, then at least be anal where it counts. Capture your brackets in 1 EV increments instead of 2 EV increments (this results in less highlight grain). Capturing -10 EV to +10 EV does absolutely nothing but waste your damn time.

Wonderful - thank you ... not sure for what. Now I'll just go back to earning my money from 5/7/9 shot bracketed image sequences. Perhaps a less aggressive tone than you use in all your posts might help a tad? Oh, and a link to your work that shows a huge DR scene captured in 3 brackets please.

--
----------------------------------------------
Michael Gove
http://photosignals.smugmug.com

 

[mbaginy]

...but my HDR strategy when shooting landscapes is: with the camera mounted on a tripod, I set the required aperture and then vary the shutter speed to the three or five stops I'm looking for. That means, shooting with manual exposure.

Usually I try to "expose to the right" and naturally I use mirror lockup and a cable release. I also cover the eyepiece of the viewfinder (light shining into the viewfinder will alter the exposure!). Also, I wait some six or seven seconds after engaging MLU before tripping the shutter (to allow vibrations to settle).
--
Mike
http://web.me.com/mikebaginy/Mikes-view/Welcome.html

 

[woffles]

Yes it is. People chipped in and helped the author buy a 5DII. Right now you can get a Beta(kinda Alpha) by chipping in a little to help pay him for the development costs. Later on it should be released for free. I am running it right now on the newest Canon firmware. Still has some bugs but it is usable. Lot of features in there, half I don't even know what they do related to video.

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

Can you suggest a link for manually blending HDRs?

One that I've tried with limited success is creating a mask from one of the RGB channels and then gaussian blurring that and adding as a layer mask to one of 2 images I'm manually merging but I'm interested in other techniques.

Hi,

I set C2 to +2,0,2 and C3 to +1,0,1. The problem is, when you change from C2 to C3, the manual setting resets to whatever is stored in C3. Bit of a pain.

Also I can't believe the negative responses to your question. I just don't get it. But I won't dwell on that. What I will say is that I wanted to do this so I could use Photomatix to generate HDR images. From all that I've read, it works better with 5 brackets compared to 3 brackets.

However I like natural looking HDR images and I could never get anything that looked realistic out of Photomatix so I gave up. Now I just use -2,0,2 and manual blend. Works well for me.

Cheers
Derrick

PS You could always upgrade to the Nikon 800

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

free but may brick your camera and doesn't work on 2.1.1

 

[Jack A. Zucker]

...but my HDR strategy when shooting landscapes is: with the camera mounted on a tripod, I set the required aperture and then vary the shutter speed to the three or five stops I'm looking for. That means, shooting with manual exposure

Or shooting with aperture priority

 

[mbaginy]

But then you'd have to use the exposure compensation button - which I hardly ever do.

I know, that changing from 1/125 to 1/60 is one stop, so that's what I set. Much simpler for me since that's what "I used to do" in film days.

Of course, it's much quicker with dedicated aperture rings and shutter speed dials. Those are some details I miss on most of today's digital cameras.

My dream camera would be of more basic design - something like a Pentax K1000 but digital. And with mechanical mirror lockup. Oh well, can't have everything. The market for such a camera would be tiny.
--
Mike
http://web.me.com/mikebaginy/Mikes-view/Welcome.html