HDR Soft Essentials - 3.2 - Windows Operating Instructions
Photomatix Essentials
HDR soft
Version 3.2
User Manual
© 2012 HDRsoft. All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction 1
Section 1: HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography 1
1.1 Taking Photos for HDR 2
1.1.1 Setting Up Your Camera 2
1.1.2 Taking the Bracketed Photos 3
Section 2: Using Photomatix Essentials 4
2.1 Loading and Managing Photos (Step 1) 4
2.1.1 Dragging and Dropping 4
2.1.2 Browsing 5
2.1.3 Managing Photos 7
2.1.4 Starting Over or Continuing 7
2.2 Adjusting the Image with Fusion or Tone Mapping (Step 2) 8
2.2.1 Step 2 Overview 8
2.2.2 Working With Presets 9
2.2.3 Details Enhancer Settings 9
2.2.4 Tone Compressor Settings 10
2.2.5 Exposure Fusion Settings 10
Section 3: Preferences 11
3.1 Alignment Options 11
3.2 Ghost Removal Option 11
3.3 Noise Reduction Options 12
Glossary 13
Resources 15
Photomatix Essentials 3.2 User Manual
Introduction
Photomatix Essentials processes multiple exposure bracketed photos into a single image either by a process
known as fusing the exposures together or through a process known as HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone
mapping.
This manual is organized into three major sections. The rst section is a general description of HDR pho tography
and how to shoot it. The second section is a detailed tutorial on how to use Photomatix Essentials. The third
section explains how to use the Image Alignment, Ghost Removal and Noise Reduction features oered by
Photomatix Essentials. At the end of the manual is a glossary of some of the terms associated with HDR.
Section 1: HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography
The central premise of HDR photography is that there are very few situations where a single photograph can
capture the true dynamic range (the total range of light in a scene, from very dark to very light) of a scene
accurately.
In other words, today’s digital camera can’t properly expose everything at the same time in scenes with even
moderate contrast ratios. This results in two main problems (which sometimes happen together in the same
photo):
• Blown highlights: When the exposure is raised to
make sure the foreground or subject is properly
exposed, brighter ar eas of the scene suer. They
“blow out” and turn white because they have very
little or no usable data in them.
• Lost detail in shadows: Conversely, when bright
areas of a scene are pro tected (by lowering
exposure), there is not enough light to register
details on the camera’s sensor in dark areas of the
scene. These turn to shadow and black ness.
HDR photography solves these problems by taking enough photos (traditionally 3) to contain the entire
exposure range of the scene. With that data in hand, Photomatix Essentials can merge the di erent photos and
process them to rescue details from shadows and keep highlights from blow ing out.
Aside from that practical rationale, HDR photography oers photographers and photo editors a new and powerful
tool with which to take and “develop” their photographs and present them in a unique and inspirational way.
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1.1 Taking Photos for HDR
Taking photos for HDR is easy. All it takes is a dierent mindset than for traditional photography, which
emphasizes taking and editing a single photo, independent from any others.
Instead of taking a single exposure of a scene, for HDR you take at least 3 exposures: one optimized for midrange
tones (as normal), plus one optimized for highlights and one optimized for shadows. This strategy for capturing
more of a scene’s true dynamic range, with exposures above and below a standard exposure, is called “exposure
bracketing”.
The resulting “bracketed set” of photos contains, as a group, more complete and true exposure information than
any single image capture can possibly contain. The purpose of HDR software like Photomatix Essentials is to
artfully combine this bracketed set into a single image, to achieve more faithful realism, heightened realism, or
artistic eect.
But these artistic choices come later. The rst step is capturing good bracketed sets.
1.1.1 Setting Up Your Camera
HDR photography requires that you set up your camera a bit dierently than normal:
• Set your camera to Aperture priority (“A” setting) so that only the shutter speed varies between the
exposures.
• Select a low ISO, such as ISO 100 or lower.
• Turn o the ash. The ash may try to balance the exposure of all the images, when the goal is a range of
exposures.
• Mount the camera on a tripod whenever possible. Even though Photomatix Essentials oers automatic
alignment of hand-held photos, using a tripod is always better.
DSLR cameras and some compact digital cameras oer Automatic
Exposure Bracketing (AEB). This enables you to automatically take three
or more exposures in a row; one at the proper exposure, one or more
underexposed, and one or more overexposed. Follow these steps if your
camera oers an AEB mode:
• Select the Continuous shooting mode on the camera’s drive setting.
Consult your camera manual for model-specic instructions for using
this setting.
• Set the camera to Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)
• If possible, use the camera’s self-timer setting, a remote control or a
cable release to minimize camera shake.
• Set the exposure increment to +/- 2 EV for optimal exposure range. If
your camera does not oer +/- 2 EV exposure increments, select the
maximum possible. Consult your camera’s manual for model-specic
instructions for choosing this setting.
Canon Rebel T2i/550D LCD showing
AEB with +/- 2 EV increments selected
AEB settings on a Nikon D7000
(3 frames, at +/- 2 EV)
2Photomatix Essentials 3.2 User Manual
1.1.2 Taking the Bracketed Photos
In simplied terms, bracketing allows you to extend the dynamic range of your camera so it can capture the full
range of light in a scene. Mechanically, you accomplish this by taking multiple photos with dierent exposure
settings. Although there is no single method that is better than all others in every circumstance (indeed, cameras
vary in their abilities, complicating matters), a good rule of thumb is to shoot three photos, separated by 2.0 EV
using AEB. However, not all cameras have the same AEB capabilities. Some limit you to a 1 EV spacing or less.
Under-exposure (-2 EV)
• Captures highlight detail
Well-balanced exposure (0 EV)
• Captures mid-range detail
Over-exposure (+2 EV)
• Captures shadow detail
You can shoot more or fewer photos separated by more or less EV. The nal results may vary greatly, depending
on your bracketing strategy.
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Section 2: Using Photomatix Essentials
The Photomatix Essentials application workow comprises two main steps:
Step 1. Load your bracketed photos into Photomatix Essentials.
Step 2. Adjust the combined image to your liking, then process and save it.
2.1 Loading and Managing Photos (Step 1)
To use Photomatix Essentials, rst select the photo or photos you want to use and load them into the program.
There are two ways to accomplish this:
• Drag and drop: Drag the photos from a folder on your computer and drop them onto Photomatix Essentials.
• Browse: Use the Open dialog box to identify and load the source photos into Photomatix Essentials.
NOTE: It is possible to select a single photo if you like. Click on the “Can I use a single photo?” link for more
details.
2.1.1 Dragging and Dropping
To drag one or more photos into Photomatix Essentials, follow these steps:
1. Launch Photomatix Essentials.
2. Open the folder on your computer that contains the photo or photos you want to work with.
3. Arrange the folder and Photomatix Essentials so you can drag les from the folder and drop them onto
Photomatix Essentials.
4Photomatix Essentials 3.2 User Manual
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