Want to start HDR with D300

[Justin K]

For some reason I have never ventured into the HDR realm but now have a desire to learn more about it. Shooting with a D300, any advice on the following would be appreciated!

1) Best way to set up the camera?

2) HDR software recomondations (both inexpensive and best options)?

3) Good reading material to learn more?

 

[digital-freak]

here's a great start

http://www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-tutorial/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nf7OL0NEE7k

--
Mark

• http://mark4pics.com

 

[Devendra]

Setup
1. set bracketing option in lower fn button (below down) for quick setup
2. set the camera to multiple shots in continuous high
3. use 1 ev/stop for bracketing
4. Usually try to make sure the lowest value exposure does not result in shake

now if you have steady enough hands, fire away and the camera will stop after the exact number of shots. For example camera will rapidly fire for 5shots and then stop. etc.

Unfortunately nikon does not do on self/auto timer with bracketing.

Software & technique - quite a few
1. Photoshop - merge, or manual techniques
2. photomatix - quirky and bad UI, but good results

3. Niksoftware HDR efex pro - awesome and reasonably well laid out. Only challenge is potential noise even with bracketing shots. I prefer this

 

[lost_in_utah]

Can a user also process the same photo with 3 or more exposures from a RAW file to JPEG instead of bracketing?

 

[G8DHE]

Going from the 12/14 bits Dynamic range of a D300 RAW to 8 bit Dynamic range of a Jpeg is Tone Mapping not HDR. Doesn't matter how you play with the exposures you won't achieve an HDR result only a LDR final image.
--
Geoff (G8DHE)
http://360.g8dhe.net/

 

[Michael Firstlight]

Here is an only D200/D300 Trick to burst bracket automatically. Also, I think HRDEfx Pro is by far the easier of the HDR programs (I've used several):

Automating:

Put your camera in manual or a-priorirty mode [so f-stop is a constant and shutter speed is variable]

2. Choose the bracket settings you prefer, hold the BKT button and rotate dials until you get the number of frames and exposure difference dialed in.

3. Compose your shot while the camera is on the tripod, making sure the camera can find focus [test by holding down shutter halfway, asjust focus point if necessary].

4. hit MENU, SHOOTING MENU [the camera icon], INTVL TIMER SHOOTING

This next step is a one-time setup, after this you won't need to change this for this type of interval shooting...

6. On the INTVL Shooting menu, highlight NOW, then move to the right.
Make sure it reads... 00:00':01" ...then move to the right again
and make the next screen show...001 x 1 = 0001

7. Now the interval timer is set up correctly..let the lcd turn off, follow these directions for activating the timer...

8. Hit Menu, RIGHT (on INTVL TIMER), LEFT (to start now), DOWN, ENTER

That's it! After a short delay [so you can take your hands off the camera], the camera will shoot your bracked shots in hi-speed mode, which goes really quickly when there's lots of available light. I use this technique for all HDR shooting, inside or outside, dark or light. It eliminates any kind of user-movement, which IMO is even better than a remote. The high-speed shooting capability of the d200 ensures little will change in your scene during the bracketed shoot.

Enjoy,
Mike

 

[Ho72]

Here is an only D200/D300 Trick to burst bracket automatically. Also, I think HRDEfx Pro is by far the easier of the HDR programs (I've used several):

Automating:

Put your camera in manual or a-priorirty mode [so f-stop is a constant and shutter speed is variable]

2. Choose the bracket settings you prefer, hold the BKT button and rotate dials until you get the number of frames and exposure difference dialed in.

3. Compose your shot while the camera is on the tripod, making sure the camera can find focus [test by holding down shutter halfway, asjust focus point if necessary].

4. hit MENU, SHOOTING MENU [the camera icon], INTVL TIMER SHOOTING

This next step is a one-time setup, after this you won't need to change this for this type of interval shooting...

6. On the INTVL Shooting menu, highlight NOW, then move to the right.
Make sure it reads... 00:00':01" ...then move to the right again
and make the next screen show...001 x 1 = 0001

7. Now the interval timer is set up correctly..let the lcd turn off, follow these directions for activating the timer...

8. Hit Menu, RIGHT (on INTVL TIMER), LEFT (to start now), DOWN, ENTER

That's it! After a short delay [so you can take your hands off the camera], the camera will shoot your bracked shots in hi-speed mode, which goes really quickly when there's lots of available light. I use this technique for all HDR shooting, inside or outside, dark or light. It eliminates any kind of user-movement, which IMO is even better than a remote. The high-speed shooting capability of the d200 ensures little will change in your scene during the bracketed shoot.

Enjoy,
Mike

I use that technique with good success. FWIW, I also put the camera in exposure delay mode to reduce the vibrations from mirror slap.

 

[DezM]

Autobracket several frames which for me, are dependent on the scene. If the scene is very dynamic (bright highlights in the sky and dark shadows), I'll bracket anywhere from 5 to 7 frames.

Shoot Raw. Aperture mode. Set the D300 to 1.0 EV bracketing. Continuous High shooting speed. In low light, use a tripod.

Merge resulting frames in Photomatix. Process to make your HDR look natural and not fake or overprocessed.

Some of my HDR here: http://dezsantana.com/hdr
--
Dez

http://dezsantana.com

 

[mark rupert]

Lots of good HDR resources here:

http://farbspiel-photo.com/learn/hdr-resource-index

--
Mark

 

[Justin K]

Is it better to use bracketing or multiple exposure and have it done in camera?

 

[dacrema]

no text.

 

[donski]

Unfortunately nikon does not do on self/auto timer with bracketing.

Of course it does. Just use the Intervalometer. Set it to shoot at the amount of frames you want (i.e. 5 bracket shots = 5 shots in Intervalometer) at any time interval (1s interval between shots and so on). Set, play and let the camera take the shots hands free.

 

[TITCHY]

just set the bracket sequence , select HI (release mode) and use a tripod with a remote .

I use a MC 36 ,just hold the remote button down ,the camera will take the whole sequence at the fastest possible speed and stop .

you dont need to bother with the intervalometer ,its just another option , or if you dont have a remote.

 

[Justin K]

So what is multiple exposure then??? Why would you not use this?