Photomatix Essentials Version 4.0 User Manual HDR soft Photomatix Essentials 4.0 User Manual © 2014 HDRsoft. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents Introduction 1 Section 1: HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 What is HDR Photography? How to Take Photos for HDR Processing Set Up Your Camera Recommended 2 EV Separation Three Essential Steps 2 3 3 4 5 Section 2: Using Photomatix Essentials 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 2.1.
1 Taking Photos for HDR Introduction The shooting phase is essential for getting good results with Photomatix. Photomatix Essentials works with photographs of the same scene taken under different exposure settings.
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.
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.
1.4 Recommended EV Separation 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 2.0 EV using AEB. However, not all cameras have the same AEB capabilities.
1.5 Three Essential Steps The Photomatix Essentials workflow is comprised of three main steps: Step 1. Load a bracketed photo set into Photomatix Essentials. Step 2. Adust 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 bracketed set.
Section 2: Using Photomatix Essentials 2.1 Step 1: Load Bracketed Photos 2.1.1 Step 1 Overview 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.
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 to Photomatix Essentials. You can drag and drop files individually or in groups. Photomatix Essentials 4.
2.1.3 Browse for Photos To browse to 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 Open. Photomatix Essentials 4.
The Step 1 window, with a 3-photo bracketed set loaded 2.1.4 Select / Deselect Loaded Photos Once you load your photos into Photomatix Essentials, you should notice a few things in the interface: First, 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.
2.1.6 Alignment and Deghosting Options After you click Next: Adjust & Preview in the Step 1 window, the Alignment and Deghosting Options dialog appears. Note that you can set an option in Preferences to skip this 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.
2.2 Step 2: Adjust & Preview 2.2.1 Step 2 Overview The heart of Photomatix Essentials is Step 2. In Step 2 you adjust the tone mapping settings or apply saved presets, to get the look that you want. 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 section 2.2.
2.2.2 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.
• 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 2.2.
2.2.6 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.
2.3 Step 3: Finish & Save The Step 3 window: Finish & Save 2.3.1 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. The Back button gives you the option to return to Step 2, if you wish to adjust the image again using different settings or a different Preset.
2.3.3 Save and Return to Step 1 Once you are happy with your image, follow these steps to save it: 1. Click Save 2. Enter a new file name or navigate to a new save location, if desired, and select a file type: 3. • JPEG: JPEG is best if you want to go straight to the Web or other medium with no further processing. • 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 editor.
Section 3: 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. The Preferences window 3.1 Single Image Selection The Select thumbnail when a single image is loaded in Step 1 option applies to the case when you load a single photo instead of a set of bracketed photos.
3.4 Refresh Preview Continuously Normally, when you adjust a parameter slider in Steps 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 Step 2 image Preview is updated every time a parameter slider is moved. Image adjustment feedback is thus more immediate, when this option is selected.
Glossary AEB mode (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. Aperture priority 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.
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 Statistical variations inherent in the sensor system cause noise. Noise is always present, but higher sensitivities and smaller sensors usually generate more noise. Pixel Digital pictures consist of pixels, the smallest units.
Getting More Information and 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.
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