With SR, I get the ND effect and super clean shadows when setting it from 16 to about 64 averaging shots.
The resulting RAW file above (Frozen Waterfall) was taken using SR, exposed for the highlights (about 2.5 stops underexposed) and set to 16 or 32 shots (I don't recall it). In post, I bring back the shadows and they are super clean with a lots of detail. (Much better than they would be with one shot at ISO 100)
That's pretty much all I did for this image. If you want, I can post a sample crop showing the shadow areas.
With SR, I get the ND effect and super clean shadows when setting it from 16 to about 64 averaging shots.
The resulting RAW file above (Frozen Waterfall) was taken using SR, exposed for the highlights (about 2.5 stops underexposed) and set to 16 or 32 shots (I don't recall it). In post, I bring back the shadows and they are super clean with a lots of detail. That's pretty much all I did for this image. If you want, I can post a sample crop showing the shadow areas.
Thanks Fred. I confess not to have used any of the apps. I did try the remote app initially but never really saw the utility--I just use cheap wireless triggers. I guess I need to try the smooth reflections app as its utility seems more than just replacing a ND filter.
I'm an SR app user as well and I have been using it to replace an ND filter because right now that's too much of an expense. What is great about the app is the resulting file is save in RAW format. I didn't realize the shadow area is improved using the app versus a single exposure or do you mean compared with an ND filter because the longer the exposure on the ND filter the more noise, whereas with SR the multiple shots actually average out the noise and you never really build up noise like you do with a single long exposure?
znikon5 wrote:
I'm an SR app user as well and I have been using it to replace an ND filter because right now that's too much of an expense. What is great about the app is the resulting file is save in RAW format. I didn't realize the shadow area is improved using the app versus a single exposure or do you mean compared with an ND filter because the longer the exposure on the ND filter the more noise, whereas with SR the multiple shots actually average out the noise and you never really build up noise like you do with a single long exposure?...Show more →
I believe it is the latter part of your comment...and it tends to be harder to keep your shadows clean and properly exposed in a true LE...I do most of my work in the LE genre...shadow noise is an issue...albeit a small one with an A7R2...wish I could get SR to work...
One could mimic this app in post-processing but it means taking a lot of images (16 images for example) and averaging them later on in Photoshop using stack mode "Median".
The beauty of this app is that it does everything in-camera and the resulting image is saved in RAW format.
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Luvwine wrote:
Thanks Fred. I confess not to have used any of the apps. I did try the remote app initially but never really saw the utility--I just use cheap wireless triggers. I guess I need to try the smooth reflections app as its utility seems more than just replacing a ND filter.
Thanks for your kind wishes.
All the best,
Steve O.
Steve,
I'm with you on this. This is the only in-camera app I use. I don't believe Sony even knows how powerful it really is.
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Travis Rhoads wrote:
Doesn't get much better than that...great image.
I wish I could get the SR app to download...5 months and countless attempts...Sony won't take my money.
Try downloading from the camera itself. Trust me, it's worth it.
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znikon5 wrote:
I'm an SR app user as well and I have been using it to replace an ND filter because right now that's too much of an expense. What is great about the app is the resulting file is save in RAW format. I didn't realize the shadow area is improved using the app versus a single exposure or do you mean compared with an ND filter because the longer the exposure on the ND filter the more noise, whereas with SR the multiple shots actually average out the noise and you never really build up noise like you do with a single long exposure?...Show more →
The beauty of the app is that it does two things very well:
1) Acts as a ND filter. In fact it's better than an ND filter since there is no optical glass added to the lens. The results are stunning.
2) Huge improvement in SNR. The App allowed me to get very clean 3-stop underexposed images after recovering the shadows in post. This means you may no longer need to bracket your exposure whenever the scene exceeds the camera's DR.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Try downloading from the camera itself. Trust me, it's worth it.
Oh, I have tried it through the camera...on Windows 7, on Windows 8, on Windows 10, on Windows 10 mobile...tried adding a CC...tried Paypal...tried from three different internet connections...Sony does not want my money...I need to try a prepaid gift card...I heard someone got it to work that way...
So with the ability to expose the highlights and pull several stops back in the shadows could this be an alternative method of shooting window views and interiors without going through the window pull processes of PS? I understand that it won't be as good BUT could it be an alternative?
Great image Fred! I've used the SR app very successfully smoothing water reflections but for some reason have forgotten it makes a great ND filter in general - especially if there is no wind effect on vegetation in foreground. Sheesh!! Thanks for the timely reminder! Dave
Anyone have any idea how to successfully purchase SR app? I just tried and set up my account and all and then got an "internal error" message three times trying to do it from my camera. Any suggestions appreciated.
Never mind--I answered my own question via google search. I did manage to install it after buying a Sony gift card and redeeming it at the store. Paypal or a CC would not work. Heck of a way to run a railroad....
So with the ability to expose the highlights and pull several stops back in the shadows could this be an alternative method of shooting window views and interiors without going through the window pull processes of PS? I understand that it won't be as good BUT could it be an alternative?
In that situation, since you don't need any ND effect, bracketing would work very well.
However, the SR app would work great as well as long as you don't underexposed your scene more than 3.5 stops.
The best bang for the buck when using SR is choosing 16 or 32 shots as far as SNR goes. After that, the gains are not that big. I found that 16 or 32 shots are enough for very clean 3-stop underexposed file recovery.
Travis Rhoads wrote:
Oh, I have tried it through the camera...on Windows 7, on Windows 8, on Windows 10, on Windows 10 mobile...tried adding a CC...tried Paypal...tried from three different internet connections...Sony does not want my money...I need to try a prepaid gift card...I heard someone got it to work that way...
It let's me use my PayPal account. Alternatively, just could purchase a $20 Prepaid Card and enter the number there. Once you do that, you will be able to download the app from your camera. The SR app is only $4.99.
Good luck!
It let's me use my PayPal account. Alternatively, just could purchase a $20 Prepaid Card and enter the number there. Once you do that, you will be able to download the app from your camera. The SR app is only $4.99.
Good luck!
When I tried using PayPal as my payment method I got an error message "internal error." Tried three times. Getting a Sony PlayStation card worked tho.
dbehrens wrote:
Great image Fred! I've used the SR app very successfully smoothing water reflections but for some reason have forgotten it makes a great ND filter in general - especially if there is no wind effect on vegetation in foreground. Sheesh!! Thanks for the timely reminder! Dave
Thanks dbehrens!
I have wrote letter to Sony explaining how powerful this app really is and requested it to be added as a regular camera feature. There is a couple additions I would like for it as well like the ability to shoot in 'silent shutter' mode (no use of mechanical shutter), 'uncompressed RAW' and auto-align. If more folks request that, it may happen.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Thanks dbehrens!
I have wrote letter to Sony explaining how powerful this app really is and requested it to be added as a regular camera feature. There is a couple additions I would like for it as well like the ability to shoot in 'silent shutter' mode (no use of mechanical shutter), 'uncompressed RAW' and auto-align. If more folks request that, it may happen.
It really should be included...on a camera that expensive to nick us for another $5 is a little silly...the uncompressed RAW would be nice...
Thanks for the timely reminder! 
Dave
