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Archive 2012 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

jzucker
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p.1 #1 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

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.

Feb 05, 2012 at 07:30 PM

svassh
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p.1 #2 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

How about something like this, you need an android tablet. Possibly something similar out there for iPad. I use this with my 7D, also supports 5D II.

http://dslrcontroller.com/

Feb 05, 2012 at 07:42 PM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #3 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

There is no way of getting 5 bracketed without touching the camera. Autobracket only does 3 frames with maximum difference of 2 stops. So even with +2 and minus 2 or, down 2 with -4 and even, or up 2 with +4 and even, for example.

Most people think that 3 is enough - including me. Practically more than 3 is a pain to organize and the files are going to be huge.

1) Here is my technique - shoot a test shot. Check the histogram and adjust the exposure until not much is blinking and the exposure it to the right. If you don't do this, my experience is that you are risking banding in the shadows because the hdr will pull the details out but the noise will be tough. Getting the middle exposure right is most important. Then I delete it(s). Otherwise you will have a hard time organizing and figuring out which are in the chosen hdr's.

2) Best to set a color balance, manual focus, and manual everything - but color balance and focus being most important.

3) I used heavy tripod. I used mirror lockup. I used remote shutter (connected) release. And quickly take three shots.

4) If you really want 5 exposures, I would go to town and set the first at -2, bracket then -1 and bracket and then + +1 and +2 and bracket, and throw out the redundant ones. Touching the camera will not cause problems because HDR software will auto align and if you have a good tripod with a light touch, you will be okay. This will give you exposures from -4 to +4 in 1 stop increments (9 exposures). If you want to shoot less, my experience is that moving down stops is more important, because the darks are harder. 5 would be the similar technique throwing more out as needed. My shooting friend has a Nikon and it does 5 autobrackets, and I have not seen an advantage with him clicking away.

Try 3 and then 9 and see if it makes a difference. Not likely if you get the eposure right on the first one.

Feb 05, 2012 at 08:28 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #4 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

svassh wrote:
How about something like this, you need an android tablet. Possibly something similar out there for iPad. I use this with my 7D, also supports 5D II.

http://dslrcontroller.com/

Nothing similar for the iPad. That app requires USB host capabilities. Not all android tabs have it . Only a few phones (galaxy s2 does)
The iPad though does not have USB host . Why apple hampers such a great device like that (I'm curremtly on one

) is really annoying.

Feb 05, 2012 at 08:32 PM

Mr Joe
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p.1 #5 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

A friend who does a lot of HDR work with a 5D Mark II uses a Promote. Functionality is great, but it is expensive: http://bhpho.to/AbMcsm

Feb 05, 2012 at 08:55 PM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #6 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

As Scott wrote, without touching the camera you can bracket a maximum of 3 shots on the 5DII.
If you need more, you can use the Custom settings on the dial. C1, C2 and C3.
For example, setting C1 and C2 as below, you could dial to C1, take 3 shots and dial to C2 and take 3 more shots.

Set your C1 bracketing as:
(-3 1/3) (-2) (-2/3)
Then set your C2 bracketing as:
(+2/3) (+2) (+3 1/3)

This will get you 6 bracketed shots with different exposures from -3 1/3 to +3 1/3. (every ~ 1 1/3 stops)

Best,
Fred

Feb 05, 2012 at 08:56 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #7 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Very good use of the custom section on the dial Fred

Feb 05, 2012 at 09:09 PM

reno.peterson
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p.1 #8 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Fred Miranda wrote:
As Scott wrote, without touching the camera you can bracket a maximum of 3 shots on the 5DII.
If you need more, you can use the Custom settings on the dial. C1, C2 and C3.
For example, setting C1 and C2 as below, you could dial to C1, take 3 shots and dial to C2 and take 3 more shots.

Set your C1 bracketing as:
(-3 1/3) (-2) (-2/3)
Then set your C2 bracketing as:
(+2/3) (+2) (+3 1/3)

This will get you 6 bracketed shots with different exposures from -3 1/3 to +3 1/3. (every ~ 1 1/3 stops)

Best,
Fred

Technically, don't you have to touch the camera however to move the dial from each C# setting?
Probably a minor issue but a steady hand and very good tripod/head lock down none the less.

Feb 05, 2012 at 09:26 PM

jzucker
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p.1 #9 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Ian.Dobinson wrote:
svassh wrote:
How about something like this, you need an android tablet. Possibly something similar out there for iPad. I use this with my 7D, also supports 5D II.

http://dslrcontroller.com/

Nothing similar for the iPad. That app requires USB host capabilities. Not all android tabs have it . Only a few phones (galaxy s2 does)
The iPad though does not have USB host . Why apple hampers such a great device like that (I'm curremtly on one

) is really annoying.

That's why I dumped the ipad. When I discovered that you cannot upload videos direct from your camera to it I thought, WTF and got rid of it.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll probably get the DSLR controller when I get a usb host compatible tablet or phone. Right now I don't have one unless the kindle fire supports it but isn't publicizing it.

Feb 05, 2012 at 11:13 PM

eskimochaos
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p.1 #10 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

The firmware update required to do such a thing is so simple.

**** you Canon.

Feb 05, 2012 at 11:15 PM

coranda
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p.1 #11 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Mr Joe wrote:
A friend who does a lot of HDR work with a 5D Mark II uses a Promote. Functionality is great, but it is expensive: http://bhpho.to/AbMcsm

+1 for the Promote Control. The only time you need to touch the camera is if one of the exposures is >30s. If you have a Canon camera with live view it also does focus bracketing.

Feb 05, 2012 at 11:46 PM

Ben Horne
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p.1 #12 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

You've gotten some great advice on how to handle the bracketing for HDR. I would also like to add that you should also consider learning manual blending as well.

I've noticed that many people are drawn to HDR at first because they feel it is easier than using the more manual techniques --- but manual blending often results in a more natural looking image.

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:08 AM

eskimochaos
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p.1 #13 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:09 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #14 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

eskimochaos wrote:
But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Yes but not as many. Two or three exposures should do it.

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:24 AM

jzucker
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p.1 #15 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Fred Miranda wrote:
eskimochaos wrote:
But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Yes but not as many. Two or three exposures should do it.

why would manually blending require less exposures than auto ?

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:33 AM

Photon
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p.1 #16 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

jzucker wrote:
Fred Miranda wrote:
eskimochaos wrote:
But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Yes but not as many. Two or three exposures should do it.

why would manually blending require less exposures than auto ?
Because you can separate them by several stops, allowing you to cover the full range of a very wide scene DR. If you manually blend major areas from two or three shots, instead of relying on a program to do "local adaptation", there's no need to bracket closely, such as by 1 stop or 1 1/3 stops between adjacent exposures.

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:40 AM

jzucker
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p.1 #17 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

Photon wrote:
jzucker wrote:
Fred Miranda wrote:
eskimochaos wrote:
But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Yes but not as many. Two or three exposures should do it.

why would manually blending require less exposures than auto ?
Because you can separate them by several stops, allowing you to cover the full range of a very wide scene DR. If you manually blend major areas from two or three shots, instead of relying on a program to do "local adaptation", there's no need to bracket closely, such as by 1 stop or 1 1/3 stops between adjacent exposures.

Still doesn't make sense to me. I've done auto merge of 2 stop bracketing with photomax. Can you explain in more technical detail what your reasoning is?

Thanks in advance.

Feb 06, 2012 at 02:57 AM

ViscaB
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p.1 #18 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

If you only do night photography like I do you can use a timer remote. I set the mode to bulb and after that I manually time the shorter exposures. For really bright subjects in the photo a short click of the shutter release on the remote to recored the highlights etc. I generally end up with 6 different exposures.

I blend the exposures manually normally but automated blending or HDR creation should work as well.

Feb 06, 2012 at 03:07 AM

Photon
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p.1 #19 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

jzucker wrote:
Photon wrote:
jzucker wrote:
Fred Miranda wrote:
eskimochaos wrote:
But you still need multiple exposures to manually blend.....

Yes but not as many. Two or three exposures should do it.

why would manually blending require less exposures than auto ?
Because you can separate them by several stops, allowing you to cover the full range of a very wide scene DR. If you manually blend major areas from two or three shots, instead of relying on a program to do "local adaptation", there's no need to bracket closely, such as by 1 stop or 1 1/3 stops between adjacent exposures.

Still doesn't make sense to me. I've done auto merge of 2 stop bracketing with photomax. Can you explain in more technical detail what your reasoning is?

Thanks in advance.

If you are happy with what Photomatix gives you from three shots that cover a span of 4 or 5 stops, then there's nothing wrong with that. I've found that PS CS5 sometimes gives a good automated HDR result with three shots that are widely spaced in exposure. But sometimes it doesn't work well at all, and I assume you wanted to do five exposures because Photomatix does better with that. I'm just suggesting that in many cases the software produces odd, unnatural looking tonality in at least some regions *unless* you feed it a 5 or 7 shot sequence. My non-technical understanding is that the software may need to measure the relationships of tones in a greater number of bracketed exposures in order for the algorithm to calculate visually effective contrasts both in small areas and in the whole image. If a 3 shot sequence doesn't work in software HDR, try manual masking and blending. *You* get to figure out where a certain region of your image is best represented by one exposure, another region by a different single exposure, etc. Then you combine them with layer masks, use blending modes, etc. to get the most effective look. Not a tutorial, just a very limited overview, but does it make sense now?

Feb 06, 2012 at 03:10 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.1 #20 · Best way to do bracketing for HDR on 5D MK II?

When using Photomatix or simlar HDR software, the closer the exposure stops the better the blending. When doing it manually with an opacity brush, you have more control of blending process and the areas affected. It yields a more natural result because you can slowly build-up needed areas instead of changing the entire image tonality.

If you get one exposure without any "blinkies" and then another with your shadow detail (Or maybe 2 more depending on the scene contrast), you should have all the data for a good manual blending.

Feb 06, 2012 at 03:12 AM

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