Panasonic HDR: the auto-alignment that doesn't.

From time to time posters (including me) have complained that the HDR setting on the Panasonic GX7 and GX8 is useless, because the camera doesn't align the constituent images properly. Those are the two Pannies I have; others have made the same point about other models. Some people have been sceptical.

Here are a couple of crops of shots I took of my computer screen, using the HDR setting on my GX8. This must surely be one of the easiest of images to align.

Sometimes the camera gets it right, more often it doesn't - and this applies just as much to conventional shots outdoors as it does to silly screen shots. It seems amazing to me that Panasonic has not sorted this problem, given that my humble Fuji X30 and ageing Pentax DSLRs do a perfect job.

Just making the point. Again.

absquatulate wrote:

timo wrote:

From time to time posters (including me) have complained that the HDR setting on the Panasonic GX7 and GX8 is useless, because the camera doesn't align the constituent images properly. Those are the two Pannies I have; others have made the same point about other models. Some people have been sceptical.

Here are a couple of crops of shots I took of my computer screen, using the HDR setting on my GX8. This must surely be one of the easiest of images to align.

Sometimes the camera gets it right, more often it doesn't - and this applies just as much to conventional shots outdoors as it does to silly screen shots. It seems amazing to me that Panasonic has not sorted this problem, given that my humble Fuji X30 and ageing Pentax DSLRs do a perfect job.

Just making the point. Again.

Were these shot on a tripod?

No. And that’s the point. ‘Auto-align’ means that within reason you shouldn’t need a tripod. Just as HDR and pano merge in Lightroom don’t require a tripod. And my other cameras don’t require a tripod.

I use AEB and do HDR merging in PP. Auto alignment of the in-camera HDR is far from perfect yet.

My EM1.1 does a fantastic job on everything except dense arrays of branches.  Maybe the algorithm needs a certain pattern to get alignment, and text on its own is too hard?

Andrew

I haveabsquatulate wrote:

timo wrote:

absquatulate wrote:

timo wrote:

From time to time posters (including me) have complained that the HDR setting on the Panasonic GX7 and GX8 is useless, because the camera doesn't align the constituent images properly. Those are the two Pannies I have; others have made the same point about other models. Some people have been sceptical.

Here are a couple of crops of shots I took of my computer screen, using the HDR setting on my GX8. This must surely be one of the easiest of images to align.

Sometimes the camera gets it right, more often it doesn't - and this applies just as much to conventional shots outdoors as it does to silly screen shots. It seems amazing to me that Panasonic has not sorted this problem, given that my humble Fuji X30 and ageing Pentax DSLRs do a perfect job.

Just making the point. Again.

Were these shot on a tripod?

No. And that’s the point. ‘Auto-align’ means that within reason you shouldn’t need a tripod. Just as HDR and pano merge in Lightroom don’t require a tripod. And my other cameras don’t require a tripod.

Have you tried shooting with IBIS off to see if the results are any different?

I have, and it doesn’t solve the problem. It was one of the first things I thought of.

On GX85\GX9 HDR is totally useless.

Max Polonski wrote:

On GX85\GX9 HDR is totally useless.

Maybe for text, but not for normal shooting!

vallhall wrote:

Max Polonski wrote:

On GX85\GX9 HDR is totally useless.

Maybe for text, but not for normal shooting!

Really ?

OK, so it doesn't always work. The only failures I have had to date with my GX9 have been due to subject movement.

Mark

Max Polonski wrote:

vallhall wrote:

Max Polonski wrote:

On GX85\GX9 HDR is totally useless.

Maybe for text, but not for normal shooting!

Really?

I have no problem with HDR. i took some inside and it did what was supposed to, prevent blown out areas

To put it mildly - it is quite unreliable, More often than not it fails - but sometimes I get fine result. This is for GH5. It is safer (not very convenient though) to make 3-4 tries and choose the best.

I suspect a tripod would be needed if you have those results hand held.

The newer Lumix cameras have DUAL IS which in conjunction with exposure bracketing can do hand held bracket exposure shots for HDR editing in a computer.  I know it's not the same as auto HDR or auto exposure.  But exposure merging is super easy, and you get more control over the exposure.  And if a good photo is worth working for I'll go the extra to get the better shot.

This is a 2 shot HDR panorama with two bracketed (5 shot each) exposures using exposure bracket, and merging in software.

timo wrote:

From time to time posters (including me) have complained that the HDR setting on the Panasonic GX7 and GX8 is useless, because the camera doesn't align the constituent images properly. Those are the two Pannies I have; others have made the same point about other models. Some people have been sceptical.

Here are a couple of crops of shots I took of my computer screen, using the HDR setting on my GX8. This must surely be one of the easiest of images to align.

Sometimes the camera gets it right, more often it doesn't - and this applies just as much to conventional shots outdoors as it does to silly screen shots. It seems amazing to me that Panasonic has not sorted this problem, given that my humble Fuji X30 and ageing Pentax DSLRs do a perfect job.

Just making the point. Again.

OK here are two shots of my screen, #1 a standard jpg, second HDR. And I get same results all the time. These are both SOOC. Full Size.

Handheld normal jpg

Handheld HDR................

HDR on gx9 or g80 never worked for me. Even fast shutter speed, very steady camera(no tripod) would yield fuzzy images due to misalignment. Tried everything.

Why every cellphone can do HDR flawlessly.and Panny cannot is beyond me.

I just wonder if this may help....