DPP - Photomatix workflow

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khurram1
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p.1 #1 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

I just wanted to get some advice on workflow if I want to process RAW files and try some HDR's using Photomatix. I haven't used Photomatix before, so I want to get an idea of what the workflow should be before trying it out.

When processing RAW files in DPP, should I convert to JPEG/TIFF and the then import those into Photomatix

Should I be sharpening or applying noise reduction when processing the DPP raw files

Aug 05, 2012 at 05:33 AM

Roland W
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p.1 #2 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

At least some of the versions of Photomatrix support Canon RAW files, so you likely should start there.

In addition, the latest version of DPP does a form of HDR, so explore that too.

Aug 05, 2012 at 06:15 AM

Ernie Aubert
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p.1 #3 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

If you use one of the lenses that DPP's Digital Lens Optimizer knows about, you might want to make TIFFs from DPP and feed those to Photomatix...

Aug 05, 2012 at 12:46 PM

khurram1
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p.1 #4 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Roland W wrote:
At least some of the versions of Photomatrix support Canon RAW files, so you likely should start there.

In addition, the latest version of DPP does a form of HDR, so explore that too.

Thanks for the advice Roland. I have tried using DPP for HDR's, but the issue I had with DPP, is that it will only process three files for a HDR and it looks like it takes the base RAW files and combines them (i.e. SOME of the adjustments made in each RAW file are not used in the HDR process - not sure which adjustments the program uses).

Aug 05, 2012 at 01:12 PM

khurram1
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p.1 #5 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Ernie Aubert wrote:
If you use one of the lenses that DPP's Digital Lens Optimizer knows about, you might want to make TIFFs from DPP and feed those to Photomatix...
Thanks for the advice Ernie - hadn't thought about the advantage of the Lens Optimizer. Do you know if steps such as stamping out dust and sharpening should be done before or after using Photomatix to process the HDR?

Aug 05, 2012 at 01:14 PM

retrofocus
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p.1 #6 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

It depends on you PC or Mac speed and memory......with my old PC, I had to convert the RAW files into JPG first before loading them into Photomatix. With my new high end PC, I can just use the RAW files instead which is better

Aug 05, 2012 at 01:52 PM

Monito
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p.1 #7 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

khurram1 wrote: Thanks for the advice Ernie - hadn't thought about the advantage of the Lens Optimizer. Do you know if steps such as stamping out dust and sharpening should be done before or after using Photomatix to process the HDR?

Generally in HDR software, treat each frame as identically as possible. If dust removal is done in Raw conversion, then it can be done the same for each frame. But if you are doing manual dust healing spot brush work, then it is will be a little different for each frame, so do that after the merge to HDR.

Likewise do sharpening after. However, a deeper answer is that sharpening is a three phase process: Capture, Creative, and Output.

Do a minimal amount of Capture sharpening. It depends on camera, but Canon recommends 3 (on scale of 10) for the 5D classic. Then merge to HDR (in DPP or other software). Then post-process the image in Photoshop, doing any Creative Sharpening there. Save that as 16 bit TIFF or highest quality JPEG (12 on scale of 12); I do the latter (using 16 TIFF for intermediate files). Open that for output resizing and sharpening. (Yes, you can open a high quality JPEG and not notice any degradation.) For output to printing sharpen a bit more than output to web.

I don't use Photomatix, preferring Photoshop and Hugin, and now DPP HDR, all for various variations. For example, I like what DPP HDR does with Art Standard and saturation to zero for monochrome. In Photoshop I like Local Adaptation with the curve moved in at the top and bottom.

Edited on Aug 05, 2012 at 03:35 PM · View previous versions

Aug 05, 2012 at 02:30 PM

Don Clary
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p.1 #8 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

I've had Photomatix just a short time, and other than experiments, have not made a real print with it yet. But my experiments showed that it gets better results when using raw, vs jpeg.

Aug 05, 2012 at 03:33 PM

Ernie Aubert
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p.1 #9 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Ernie Aubert wrote:
If you use one of the lenses that DPP's Digital Lens Optimizer knows about, you might want to make TIFFs from DPP and feed those to Photomatix...

khurram1 wrote:
Thanks for the advice Ernie - hadn't thought about the advantage of the Lens Optimizer. Do you know if steps such as stamping out dust and sharpening should be done before or after using Photomatix to process the HDR?

I believe it's best to postpone all the other processing till after the merging, and only adjust the final image. I don't think I can point to the exact source(s) of that opinion, but I'm sure I've encountered that. And it certainly makes sense to only have to do the adjustments once.

Someone mentioned JPEGs - just in case that notion were ever to enter your head, I should most emphatically advise against JPEG for anything other than final output.

Aug 05, 2012 at 05:52 PM

Monito
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p.1 #10 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Ernie Aubert wrote: Someone mentioned JPEGs - just in case that notion were ever to enter your head, I should most emphatically advise against JPEG for anything other than final output.

That's basically what I said. You'll never notice the difference between A or B:

A: Save the finished image at full resolution as a 16 bit TIFF. Exit PS. Open PS. Open TIFF. Resize for 16 x 20 print. Do final sharpening for print. Print from PS.

or

B: Save the finished image at full resolution as a highest quality JPEG. Exit PS. Open PS. Open JPEG. Resize for 16 x 20 print. Do final sharpening for print. Print from PS.

That's very different from post-processing and retouching a JPEG (don't do it). And very different from opening and resaving a JPEG for 25 cycles (don't do it).

Naturally you keep your Raws so that you can redo the post-processing and retouching years later when you have three times the skills you have now.

Aug 05, 2012 at 06:28 PM

DesertBighorn
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p.1 #11 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Canon has a couple of tutorials on this:

Part 1: http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/single_image_hdr_pt1_article.shtml#page1

Part 2:
http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/single_image_hdr_pt2_article.shtml

I stand corrected, they have a bunch of tutorials on this, here's the search: http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/dlc/search/search.spr?keyword=HDR

I can't vouch for them, just ran across these the other day looking for something else.

Good luck! Post some examples.

-Doug

Aug 06, 2012 at 03:44 AM

harrygilbert
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p.1 #12 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

Workflow that works for me is to shoot 3-5 multiple RAW files, and the only corrections I do in DPP are WB and Lens Aberration. In some cases, I apply NR in DPP as well. I do these adjustments to the "normal" image of the set, then Copy the recipe from the one and Paste it to the others. Then I can use Photomatix to process the set to produce the HDR. Any final tweaking/sharpening is done in Photoshop.

My experience is that trying to "adjust" all the images is a set plays havoc with the final HDR.

Aug 07, 2012 at 01:40 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #13 · DPP - Photomatix workflow

My advice is:

For best, convert to tiff first, with dpp, then use Photomatix. Use 16 bit. This is recommended by Photomatix.

My experience with jpg is that they work but raw or tiff's are way better.

2nd best is to use Photomatix on raws - generally it does a good job and its hard to see a difference.

If on tripod, with remote shutter, turn off the align.

If off tripod, turn on the align.

My normal workflow is to:
shoot 2 over, 2 under, with first at pretty good exposure (not much room to right, not much blinkies)
then if the over and under are too much or too little adjust over under to more or less from 2 stops. But always shoot 3 otherwise you will have lots of work.
then when I process:
- I have a mac
- I put them in a file based on images 3 wide
- I make sure that its 3 of same by dragging non 3's into seperate file (eg labeled singles)
- I run phootmatix batch with enhancer, no align, saturation turned down a bit from default, on folder (it creates a subfolder with hdr'd converted to tiff's)
- Typically when done, I choose the best ones, after importing to aperture
- And move triangles in on both sides in photoshop to get exposure right on the hdr'd tiff in photoshop as editer of aperture. Sometimes I will use auto/color, fade color to recover the color.
- I will then blend about 60/40 single best image with the hdr using move/shift/drag on top and reducing opacity in photoshop. To make the image look natural, with detail in the shadows.
- If its a really nice image, I will do some manual blending between single image and hdr image.
- Not saying its most efficient but it works for me.
- As mentioned by Monito, sharpen last after flattening images.
Generally if you expose well, 3 bracketed shots are adquate. Using more than 3 is more work and longer. But if you bracket more than 3, stick to the number, otherwise it will be a pain doing it in batch, where you must choose the number that is bracketed.

Generally once you find your work flow stick to it. Because when you process lots of files, its hard to sort them for batch work.

Scott

Aug 08, 2012 at 02:55 AM

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