HDR soft
Photomatix Essentials 4.1
User Manual
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual i
© 2016 HDRsoft. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Each section listed above is a clickable link.
All page footers in this document link back to this page.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1
Section 1: HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography ....................................................... 2
1.1 What Is HDR Photography? ....................................................................................................... 2
1.2 How to Take Photos for HDR Processing ................................................................................. 3
1.3 Set Up Your Camera .................................................................................................................... 3
1.4 Recommended EV Separation .................................................................................................. 4
Section 2: Installing Photomatix Essentials ...................................................................... 5
2.1 Install Standalone Edition.......................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Install Plugin Edition ................................................................................................................... 5
Section 3: Using Photomatix Essentials............................................................................. 6
3.1 Three Essential Steps .................................................................................................................. 6
3.2 Step 1: Load Bracketed Photos ................................................................................................. 7
3.3 Step 2: Adjust & Preview .......................................................................................................... 12
3.4 Step 3: Finish & Save .................................................................................................................16
Section 4: Preferences ....................................................................................................... 19
4.1 Skip Merge Dialog ..................................................................................................................... 19
4.2 Noise Reduction Options ......................................................................................................... 19
4.3 Refresh Preview Continuously (standalone edition) ............................................................. 20
Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Learning More and Getting Help .............................................................................................................. 23
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual ii
Introduction
COVE POINT LIGHTHOUSE PHOTO © FERRELL MCCOLLOUGH
Photomatix Essentials works with photographs of the same scene taken under different exposure settings.
These differently exposed images of the same scene are often called “bracketed” images, in reference to the autobracketing exposure functions available on many camera models.
This manual first explains the steps for capturing your own bracketed photo sets. The manual then guides you
through the following 3 simple steps, which constitute the workflow of Photomatix Essentials:
Step 1- Load Photos: Load your bracketed photos into Photomatix Essentials.
Step 2- Adjust & Preview: Adjust the HDR image to get the results you want.
Step 3- Finish & Save: Add finishing touches, and save your image.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 1
Section 1: HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography
1.1 What Is HDR Photography?
The central premise of HDR photography is that there are 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 suffer. They “blow
out” and turn white because they have very
little or no usable data in them.
• Lost detail in the 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 (typically 3, separated by 2 EV steps) to
contain the entire exposure range of a scene. With that data in hand, Photomatix Essentials can merge the different photos and process them to rescue details from shadows and keep highlights from blow ing out.
For some photographers the key purpose and significance of HDR is its ability to increase photographic realism.
HDR to this photographer is not an “effect”, but is a remedy to the dynamic range limitation of camera image
sensors. To some of these photographers, in fact, it is the standard photograph which is somewhat non-realistic,
in that it does not accurately capture the full dynamic range of most photographed scenes
For many other photographers, HDR is approached more as a creative tool, one that affords great artistic latitude.
From a practical point of view, however, every style of HDR photography is built on the same foundation, a well
shot bracketed set.
The next section provides guidelines and best practices for properly capturing bracketed sets.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 2
1.2 How to Take Photos for HDR Processing
Taking photos for HDR is easy. All it takes is a different 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, or heightened
realism, or artistic effect.
But these artistic choices come later. The first step is capturing good bracketed sets.
1.3 Set Up Your Camera
HDR photography requires that you set up your camera a bit differently 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 off the flash. The flash may try to balance the exposure of all the images, when the goal is a range of
exposures.
• A tripod is typically recommended, but is not required, as Photomatix Essentials includes options to
automatically align hand-held bracketed sets.
DSLR cameras and some compact digital cameras offer 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 offers an AEB mode:
• Select the Continuous Shooting mode on the camera’s drive setting.
Consult your camera manual for model-specific 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 offer +/- 2 EV exposure increments, select the
maximum possible. Consult your camera’s manual for model-specific
instructions for choosing this setting.
You can find videos and screenshots on how to set up Automatic Exposure
Bracketing (AEB) with various camera models on the page here:
Canon Rebel T2i/550D LCD showing
AEB with +/- 2 EV increments selected
http://www.hdrsoft.com/resources/camera-aeb-selection.html
AEB settings on a Nikon D7000
(3 frames, at +/- 2 EV)
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 3
1.4 Recommended EV Separation
Under-exposure (-2 EV):
Captures highlight detail
Well-balanced exposure (0 EV):
Captures mid-range detail
Over-exposure (+2 EV):
Captures shadow detail
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 different exposure settings. Although
there is no single method that is better than all others in every circumstance (indeed, cameras vary in their
abilities), a good rule of thumb is to shoot three photos, separated by 2 EV using AEB. However, not all cameras
have the same AEB capabilities. Some limit you to a 1 EV spacing or less.
For many outdoors scenes, 3 exposures spaced one or two EVs apart is usually sufficient. However, this won’t be
sufficient for an interior with an outside view on a sunny day, for instance.
An EV (Exposure Value) increment is also referred to as a “stop” or “f-stop”. One EV increment corresponds to a
doubling of the amount of light hitting the camera’s sensors. For instance, this means that you can capture a
range of 8 EV steps, by using exposures ranging from 1/250 to 1 second (assuming a fixed aperture and ISO
setting). If you use +/-1EV step increments, you will need 9 frames to capture 8 EV of dynamic range. If you set
it to +/-2EV, you will need just 5 frames to capture 8 EV of dynamic range. Photomatix Essentials can process
bracketed sets of up to 5 images, so 2 EV spacing would be preferable in this example.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 4
Section 2: Installing Photomatix Essentials
Photomatix Essentials is available as a standalone application, and as a plugin compatible with Photoshop
Elements (version 6 or later).
The plugin and standalone editions of Photomatix Essentials are functionally identical, except for how the
application is started and how images are loaded, due to the desktop versus the plugin context.
There are also minor differences in how the two versions are installed, as described in the following two sections.
2.1 Install Standalone Edition
To install Photomatix Essentials as a standalone application, download the installer from the HDRsoft download
page. Once downloaded, use the installer as you would normally to install the application.
Once installed, access the application from your Start menu (Windows) Launchpad (Mac).
2.2 Install Plugin Edition
To install Photomatix Essentials as a plugin for Photoshop Elements, download the installer from the HDRsoft
download page. Once downloaded, use the installer as you would normally, to install the plugin.
Once installed, to access the Plug-In in Photoshop Elements:
1. Start or restart Photoshop Elements.
2. Choose File > Automation Tools > Photomatix Essentials
Note: In Photoshop Elements 11 or higher, the Plug-In is only available in Expert mode.
To switch to Expert mode, click on the “Expert” tab below the main top menu.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 5
Section 3: Using Photomatix Essentials
3.1 Three Essential Steps
The Photomatix Essentials workflow is comprised of three main steps:
Step 1. Load a bracketed photo set (or a single photo) into Photomatix Essentials.
Step 2. Adjust the Preview of the combined image to your liking.
Step 3. Add optional finishing adjustments to the image, and then save it.
Once your image is saved at the completion of Step 3, you are returned to Step 1 ready to load your next photos.
The Step 1 window: Load Photos
The Step 2 window: Adjust & Preview
The Step 3 window: Finish & Save
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 6
3.2 Step 1: Load Bracketed Photos
3.2.1 Load Photos into the Standalone Edition
To use Photomatix Essentials, first load a bracketed photo set, or a single photo that you wish to process.
There are two ways to do 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 navigate to the source photos and load them 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 details.
3.2.2 Load Photos into the Plugin Edition
To use the Photomatix Essentials plugin edition, first select the photo or photo set that you wish to use, and load
them into the plugin. There are four ways to do this:
• Drag and drop from the Desktop: Select and drag the photos from a folder on your computer, and drop them
onto the Photomatix Essentials Step 1 window.
• Use the “Browse...” button: The Browse... button invokes a file selection dialog window, allowing you to
locate, select bracketed sets of photos and open them into Photomatix Essentials Step 1 window.
• Drag and drop from the Photoshop Elements Organizer: Select and drag the photos from the Photoshop
Elements Organizer window, and drop them on the Photomatix Essentials Step 1 window.
• Use the “Add opened photos” button: When a photo or a bracketed set of photos is already open in tabs in
Photoshop Elements, the images be added to Photomatix Essentials by clicking the Add opened photos
button.
3.2.3 Drag and Drop Photos
To drag and drop 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.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 7
3. Arrange the folder and Photomatix Essentials so you can drag files from the folder and drop them onto the
Photomatix Essentials Step 1 window.
4. Select the files as you would normally.
5. Drag and drop the photos onto the Photomatix Essentials Step 1 window.
You can drag and drop files individually or in groups.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 8
3.2.4 Browse for Photos
To browse for one or more photos using a file selection dialog box, follow these steps:
1. Launch Photomatix Essentials.
The Step 1 window: No photos loaded
2. Click Browse and navigate to the folder on
your system where the photo(s) are stored.
3. Select the files as you would normally.
4. Choose Select.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 9
The Step 1 window, with a 3-photo bracketed set loaded
3.2.5 Select / Deselect Loaded Photos
Once you load your photos into Photomatix Essentials, you should notice a few things in the interface:
• Each photo is displayed as a thumbnail. This makes it easy to verify that the photos are of the same subject
and see their relative exposure compared to their bracketed companions.
• There is a larger combined thumbnail that shows a preview of the result of processing the photos using
default settings.
• There is a checkbox beside each photo’s thumbnail (this is checked by default unless you have loaded only
one photo). A checked box signifies that the photo will be included in subsequent processing. Uncheck a
photo to take it out of the process. You’ll see the larger thumbnail update to show the processing preview
using just the currently checked photos. Re-check the photo to put it back into the mix.
Unchecking alternate source photos gives a different merged image result, as shown in the large preview thumbnail.
3.2.6 Load Other Photos
To start over, select Reset & Load Other Photos. You’ll jump back to a clean interface, ready to select new
photos.
To continue to Step 2 with the currently loaded and selected photos, select Next: Adjust & Preview.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 10
3.2.7 Alignment and Deghosting Options
If you loaded a bracketed photo set, the Alignment and Deghosting Options dialog appears after you click
Next: Adjust & Preview in the Step 1 window. Note that you can set an option in Preferences to skip this dialog.
The Alignment and Deghosting Options dialog
Because bracketed photos are always misaligned when shot hand held, image alignment is an essential feature
of HDR processing. Photos are often slightly misaligned even when shot using a tripod, due to wind or other
sources of minor camera disturbances. The Align bracketed photos option therefore is on by default in
Photomatix Essentials.
NOTE: There are cases when images should not be aligned. One example is when you have derived the
different exposures from a single RAW file, by adjusting the Exposure setting of your RAW converter. Another
example is when you are processing stitched panoramas.
The Crop aligned images option removes the unneeded borders resulting from alignment adjustments.
Unchecking it disables this, so that the resulting image has exactly the same width and height as the source
images, but may have white areas around the edges.
Ghost removal addresses the problem of artifacts that appear when combining bracketed images of a scene
with some moving elements. For example, if pedestrians are moving through a scene while you capture your
bracketed photos, multiple faint images of the people will appear in the combined image, as if they were “ghosts”.
To reduce these artifacts, select Remove ghosts and set a Deghosting strength. There are 5 levels of deghosting
strength, from Very Mild to Very Strong. Since deghosting lowers image quality, always choose the most mild
deghosting setting possible.
If some ghosting remain visible in the Step 2 Preview, you may close the Step 2 window to return to Step 1.
Now, you can click again Next: Adjust & Preview, to re-merge your source images. Once you are back in the
Alignment and Deghosting Options dialog, choose a higher deghosting setting than you had previously
You may repeat this process, if any ghosting still remains. Some image sets will contain ghosting artifacts that
cannot be fully remedied automatically
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3.3 Step 2: Adjust & Preview
3.3.1 Step 2 Overview
The heart of Photomatix Essentials is Step 2. In Step 2, you can choose one of the built-in Presets, or a Custom
Preset that you created during an earlier work session. Once a Preset is applied, you can optimize individual
parameters to best suit the current image. If your parameter adjustments produce a new attractive effect, you
may save these settings as a new Custom Preset for future use.
Follow these steps when you enter Step 2:
1. Click on the thumbnails on the right side to select a preset that gives you the result you prefer.
(Refer to “3.3.2 Working with Presets” on page 13 for details.)
2. If desired, adjust the Settings on the left to refine, overhaul or experiment with the effect.
3. Once you are satisfied with your result, select Next: Finish & Save.
The Step 2 window: Adjust & Preview
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3.3.2 Working with Presets
Photomatix Essentials displays presets as thumbnails on the right side of the Step 2 window. Each thumbnail
is a small preview of the effect of that preset on your image. When you click a thumbnail, that preset is selected
and applied to the main preview. The parameters at the left of the screen are also updated to reflect the settings
contained in a clicked preset.
These built-in thumbnail presets are “factory” presets that are provided with the software. Photomatix Essentials offers
31 built-in presets when you are working with bracketed photo sets, 26 presets when you load just a single photo.
The built-in presets use a range of different settings combinations that provide pleasing results with a wide
variety of image types. Built-in presets are a good starting point for exploring your own custom settings, finetuned to your specific image.
Different combinations of settings produce a wide range of image effects and styles. When you find a new
settings combination that works well for a given type of image, you may wish to save this settings combination
for future use with similar images. To save your own “Custom Preset” for convenient access later, in the Presets
drop-down list:
1. Click the Presets drop-down list.
2. Select Save Preset from the list.
3. Enter a name for the preset in the File name field and click Save.
If you save the preset in the default location (which is also the Presets folder used by the Photomatix Pro
application), the preset is automatically added to the Presets combo-box list. If you save it in another location,
you can access it by clicking on the Presets drop-down list and selecting Load Preset from the list.
3.3.3 Details Enhancer Settings
The following settings belong to the Details Enhancer method, which is used by these Presets: Default, Painterly,
Painterly 2, Painterly 3, Painterly 4, Enhanced, Surreal, Grunge, Grunge 2, Creative, Creative 2, Creative 3, Soft 2, Soft 3,
Smooth, Smooth 2, Monochrome, Monochrome 2, B&W Artistic.
• Strength: Affects the amount of enhancement given to contrast and
detail in the image. A value of 100 gives the greatest enhancement.
Moving the slider to the left gives a more natural effect. The default
value is 70.
• Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater the
saturation, the more intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest
value (0) produces a grayscale image. The default value is 46.
• Tone Compression: Adjusts the dynamic range of the tone mapped
image. Moving the slider to the right decreases the dynamic range,
brightening the shadows and darkening the highlights. Moving to the
left has the opposite effect, giving a more ‘natural’ look.
• Detail Contrast: Controls the amount of contrast applied to detail in the
image. Moving the slider to the right increases the contrast of details
and gives a sharper look to the image, but also has a darkening effect.
Moving to the left decreases the contrast of details and brightens the
image.
Details Enhancer settings
• Lighting Adjustments slider: Affects the overall ‘look’, controlling the extent to which the image looks
natural or surreal.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 13
• Lighting Effects Mode checkbox: Lighting Effects Mode lets you switch
between two modes for the Lighting Adjustments setting, where each
mode produces slightly different results. Checking the box tends to
produce results with a type of ‘Magic Light’ effect. Note that finer control
is not possible in this mode.
Details Enhancer –
Lighting Adjustment Settings
3.3.4 Contrast Optimizer Settings
The following settings belong to the Contrast Optimizer method, which is used by these Presets: Balanced,
Vibrant, Enhanced 2, Soft, Monochrome 3.
• Strength: Affects the amount of enhancement given to contrast and detail in the image. A value of 100 gives
the greatest enhancement. Moving the slider to the left gives a more natural effect. The default value is 50.
• Tone Compression: Alters the dynamic range of the tone mapped image. Moving the slider to the right
decreases the dynamic range, brightening the shadows and darkening the
highlights. Moving to the left has the opposite effect, giving a more ‘natural’ look
to the image.
• Lighting Effect: Controls the prominence of the shadows, affecting the overall
look of the image. Moving the slider to the right brightens the shadows, giving
a more vibrant or surreal look. A value of zero disables the effect, leaving the
shadows unaffected. The default value is 20.
• Midtone: Adjusts the brightness of the midtones, which also has an impact on
the overall contrast. Moving the slider to the right brightens the midtones and
decreases contrast. Moving to the left darkens the midtones and increases
contrast.
• Color Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater
the saturation, the more intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest
value (-10) produces a grayscale image.
Contrast Optimizer settings
3.3.5 Tone Compressor Settings
The following settings belong to the Tone Compressor method, which is used by these Presets: Photographic,
Deep, B&W Photographic.
• Brightness: Adjusts the overall brightness of the tone mapped image.
The default value is 0.
• Compression: Controls the compression of the tonal range. Moving the
slider to the right has the effect of shifting both shadows and highlights
toward the midtones.
• Contrast Adaptation: Adjusts the contrast in relation to the average
brightness. Moving the slider to the right tends to decrease contrast and give
more ‘pronounced’ colors. Moving to the left tends to increase contrast and
give a more ‘natural’ look.
• Color Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater the
saturation, the more intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest value
(-10) produces a grayscale image.
Tone Compressor settings
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 14
• Color Temperature: Adjusts the color temperature of the tone mapped image relative to the temperature of
the HDR source image. Move the slider to the right for a warmer, more yellow-orange colored look. Move it
to the left for a colder, more bluish look. A value of 0 (default) preserves the original color temperature of the
HDR source image.
3.3.6 Exposure Fusion/Natural Settings
The following settings belong to the Exposure Fusion method, which is
used by these Presets: Natural, Painterly 5, Surreal 2, Soft 4, B&W Natural.
• Strength: Sets by how much local contrast is accentuated. Moving the
slider to the right tends to brighten the shadows and to show more details
in the highlights. Moving to the left produces a more ‘natural’ effect.
• Brightness: Controls the brightness of the fused image by adjusting the
influence each of the input photos has on the final result. Moving the slider to
the right gives the overexposed photos more influence, resulting in a brighter
result. Moving to the left darkens the result by giving the underexposed
photos more influence.
• Local Contrast: Increases the contrast and sharpness of details in the
image. Increasing local contrast may have the side effect of making noise
more visible and of creating thin halo effects around strong luminosity edges. Values near the maximum tend
to give a surreal look to the image. The default value is 2.
Fusion/Natural Settings
• Color Saturation: Adjusts the color saturation of the image. The greater the saturation, the more
intense the color. Setting the slider to its lowest value (-10) produces a grayscale image.
• Midtones: Adjusts the brightness of the midtones, which also has an impact on the overall contrast.
Moving the slider to the right brightens the midtones and decreases contrast. Moving to the left
darkens the midtones and increases contrast.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 15
3.4 Step 3: Finish & Save
The Step 3 window: Finish & Save
3.4.1 Step 3 Overview
The settings that you chose in Step 2 have now been applied to the bracketed set source image files, and the
resulting full resolution processed image is shown in Step 3.
If you wish to adjust the image again using different settings or a different Preset, then close the Step 3 window
to return to Step 2.
The primary purposes of Step 3 are to allow you to apply any finishing touches you may wish, and to save your
file before returning you to Step 1.
3.4.2 Apply Finishing Touches
Before saving, you may wish to adjust sharpening or contrast. Sharpening is available in three presets. You may
wish to use the Zoom slider to view the effect of Sharpening on your image. Contrast adjustment is available in
four presets, as well as the option to directly adjust tone levels using sliders.
3.4.3 Cropping your Image (standalone edition)
The crop tool allows you to trim away material from the edges to show a smaller area. You can do this by clicking
on the Crop Tool button, then holding down the mouse button while dragging the mouse to select the area you
want to keep, then click the Apply button.
When the Constrain to original ratio box is checked, the crop rectangle you select while dragging your mouse
is drawn with the aspect ratio of your original image (i.e. the aspect ratio of your source photos). If it is unchecked,
then you can freely adjust the height and width of the crop rectangle regardless of the aspect ratio.
If you wish to undo the cropping, you can do that by clicking the Undo Crop button.
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3.4.4 Save, and Return to Step 1 (standalone edition)
Once you are happy with your image, when using the standalone edition of Photomatix Essentials, follow these
steps to save the image:
1. If you want to resize the image to a lower resolution, then click on the pull-down menu under Save with size
and select the size you want.
2. Click on the ‘Save’ button.
3. Enter a new file name or navigate to a new save location, if desired, and select a file type:
• JPEG: JPEG is best if you want to go straight to the Web or other medium with no further processing.
4. TIFF 16-bit: This is the highest quality output available and is the best format if you plan on processing the
image further in an image edi tor.
5. If you want to automatically open the processed image in an image editor, select Open saved image with,
then choose an image editor.
6. Choose Save.
Your image is saved to disk, and you are returned to Step 1, ready to load and process the next bracketed set or
single image.
Saving the processed image
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 17
Save, and Return to Photoshop Elements (plugin edition)
Once you are happy with your image, when using the plugin edition, click OK in the Step 3 window.
Your processed image will then open in Photoshop Elements. You can now save the image as you normally
would.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 18
Section 4: Preferences
Photomatix Essentials offers a few options that you can adjust in the Preferences window.
To access Preferences, click the Preferences… button located at the bottom left of the Step 1 window.
4.1 Skip Merge Dialog
When Skip dialog for alignment and deghosting options is selected, alignment and cropping defaults are set
here in Preferences. When it is not selected, you will have the opportunity to set alignment options individually
for each bracketed set as you process it, using the Alignment and Deghosting dialog which appears just before
Step 2. Refer to the Alignment and Deghosting Dialog section on page 10.
The Preferences window
4.2 Noise Reduction Options
Noise Reduction is often useful when using presets such as Painterly, Surreal or Grunge, because these
presets enhance local detail, which has the drawback of accentuating noise. Noise reduction is particularly
recommended when you have loaded RAW files directly into the photomatix Essentials application, or when
processing just one photo instead of a bracketed set, especially when this photo is underexposed.
You can turn Noise Reduction on or off, using the Reduce noise menu options, or you can be prompted after
Step 2 whether or not to apply it. Noise reduction is most helpful when applied to the darkest images in a
bracketed set. Since reducing noise takes time, you can choose to process just a subset of your source images
with noise reduction by adjusting the Apply noise reduction to option.
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4.3 Refresh Preview Continuously (standalone edition)
Normally, when you adjust a parameter slider in Step 2, the image Preview is adjusted to the new setting
immediately after you release the slider thumb. Not before.
If you select the Refresh Preview continuously as slider moves option, the image Preview is adjusted every
time a slider is moved. Image adjustment feedback is thus more immediate, but a powerful computer is required
to take good advantage of this feature.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 20
Glossary
AEB mode
Aperture priority
Bit
Bit depth
Bracketed images
dSLR
Dynamic range
(Automatic Exposure Bracketing). DSLR cameras and some compact digital
cameras offer this feature. It 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.
In Aperture Priority mode, you select the aperture and the camera determines
the correct shutter speed for the available light. The shutter speed also depends
on ISO sensitivity. This is the right mode for shooting bracketed shots for HDR
(refer to Section 1 for more information).
Bits represent digital data in computers. Digital Images are made of bits. A bit
depth corresponds to 2^(Bit Depth) levels (e.g. 256 levels for 8-bit).
The number of bits a file type uses to represent a pixel’s color at a given location
in an image.
A group of photos taken with the Automatic Exposure Bracketing function of a
camera, resulting in photos of the same scene taken with different exposures.
Digital Single Lens Reflex camera.
In the context of HDR photography, the total range of light intensity in a scene,
from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights.
Exposure
Exposure fusion
EV (Exposure Value)
HDR
HDR image
The amount of light that enters a camera for the length of time the shutter is
open. Exposure depends on aperture and shutter speed, as well as the camera’s
sensitivity to light (controlled by the ISO). “Exposure” is also shorthand for a
photograph or frame (a frame of film).
Combination of photos of the same scene taken under different exposure
settings in such a way that highlight details are taken from the underexposed
photos and shadow details from the overexposed ones.
A measure of exposure which is the equivalent of a stop. In the absolute sense,
EV is defined as the exposure from a photo taken at 1 second, f/1, and ISO 100.
In the relative sense, the correct exposure is normally 0 EV and any deviation is
measured in positive or negative EV from that mark.
High Dynamic Range.
Strictly speaking, an HDR image is an intermediary image with 32 bits per color
channel (96 bits per pixel). An HDR image is the result of merging photos of the
same scene taken under different exposure settings and stored in special HDR
image format. The 32-bit intermediary HDR image must be processed with tone
mapping for proper display on standard monitors and prints. It has become very
common to define “HDR image” as the result of processing the 32-bit HDR image
with tone mapping, i.e. the tone mapped output, but this is not technically
correct.
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JPEG
A common image file format with two primary strengths – a relatively small file
size and universal compatibility. JPEGs use a lossy compression scheme and
should not be edited and re-saved.
Noise
Pixel
PPI
RAW le
TIFF
Tone mapping
Statistical variations inherent in the sensor system cause noise. Noise is always
present, but higher sensitivities and smaller sensors usually generate more
noise.
Digital pictures consist of pixels, the smallest units. Each pixel has a color that
can be represented by 8 or 16 bits or as a floating-point number (32-bit HDR).
Pixels per Inch. Can be used to describe the actual pixels per inch of a print.
Often confused with DPI (Dots per Inch), used by color printers to print an
image.
A file containing the raw data from the camera sensor. RAW files do not have a
color profile or other stylistic preferences permanently applied.
A comprehensive image format that offers lossless compression schemes for
smaller file sizes with higher quality. This format is suitable for editing and
printing but not publishing on the Web.
Processing a 32-bit HDR image into an image that can be properly viewed on
monitors and in prints.
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Learning More and Getting Help
The Photomatix FAQ on the HDRsoft.com website offers several tips, as well as general information.
If you cannot find the answer to your question in the FAQs, you are welcome to contact us.
Please refer to the Photomatix Support page for contact information.
Additionally, the resources page at www.hdrsoft.com/resources lists Internet tutorials, books and DVDs on the
subject of HDR photography.
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 23
www.HDRsoft.com
Photomatix Essentials 4.1 User Manual 24
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