High Dynamic Range Photography - HDR explained

[@paulbrace8098]

Thank you Peter, I’ve recently discovered you and what an eye opener you are. Your teaching method is great, I will be watching a whole lot more of your reports, as someone in later life well 68! I’ve got a whole lot of learning to do, but just loving my Mk II and 300mm plus some other pro lens. Again thank you.

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thank you so much for your comment. Made my day.

[@certoglenn4840]

Thanks for the lesson, Peter. I remember a few years ago, trying HDR in my D?, whichever it was. The outdoor scene had good dynamics, especially with the sunlight finding its way between trees. The resulting HDR image was very flat, no good. It took some doing to learn what has potential of being an acceptable HDR shot. I wish I had seen this video back then.

[@Woodenarrows]

Very detailed video, thanks Peter

[@alamin-fr8rc]

Thank you for clarifying what HDR does

[@ForsgardPeter]

Glad it was helpful.

[@JorgeFerreira_jomafe]

HDR really well explained. I'm a early subscriber, but daily I try to see the maximum possible of your videos: your capacity to deliver knowledge is fantastic. Congratulations from Portugal

[@ForsgardPeter]

Glad you like them! Thank you very much.

[@hauke3644]

The old E-M5 doesn't have a dedicated HDR function, but I have set up a "My Set", which does an exposure bracketing in high speed drive mode. That served me well for several years. Of course a software for post production is needed with this method. I can recommend EasyHDR, which was mentioned in the video. It is really affordable and gives very detailed control, but is still easy and quick to use with many presets.

[@ottohansnitsch3764]

Excellent explanation.

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thanks.

[@michaelhawkins1173]

Hi Peter another informative and well presented video. thank you.

[@richardpriestley477]

Thank you for this video Peter - a fresh and comprehensive explanation of a complex subject with good options to try in practice . many thanks and keep the videos coming !!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Rebla01]

Thank you as always Peter. Really great effort taken in producing this vlog & i think you may have a cold too? Very informative & helpful. Looking forward to next episode. & Bye for now ☺️

[@siofna9709]

Thanks for this Video. Realy good explain. Must try it if I can.

[@ForsgardPeter]

Go for it!

[@tenzinpeljor]

Great. Thank you. Very helpful!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Rafaga777]

Thanks for the explanation. As always very useful and instructive.

[@JarmoF]

Very good tips !

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thank you.

[@garybrown9719]

Adding light great idea I have some graduated filters Cokin For the 70s i think ill try them

[@dominic8766]

I used to wonder how to use the HDR. Now I know, thanks sir.

[@jimsjourney3152]

Very helpful thank you!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thanks!

[@andersontorressaavedra739]

Muchas gracias por tus vídeos son de mucha ayuda saludos desde Colombia bendiciones..

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thank you!

[@annettedutoit3844]

Great video Peter Thank you. I’m learning so much from these video tutorials. Your knowledge and wisdom is admirable and very inspirational. You must just remember to say “Bye for now” at the end 😅🇿🇦

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thank you. I will in my next video. :)

[@duncanross4185]

Good informative video. I must try HDR1 next time I shoot a stained glass church window from inside. I had HDR on once by accident and wondered why I was shooting high speed and it took me a while to get it off and back to single shot.

[@ForsgardPeter]

That is a typical scene that is almost impossible for a digital camera with out HDR.

[@chow66386]

Great! Very useful.

[@michaelspiridakis6796]

Hi Peter nice video, in truth all of your work is very honorary for the Olympus. Now let me add a question why on earth Olympus left outside the Bracketing the HIRES mode. There is no way to take a series of exposure Bracketing on HIRES mode. Not for EM5 markII nor for M1 markII as far as I know. They have to fix it via firmware, what do you think...?

[@ForsgardPeter]

Good question! It would be great if they added that. Not sure if they will.

[@bakermantube]

Thanks for the video. Very helpful and like a refreshing of my knowledge about the settings of a Olympus camera. I watch every video and sometimes again a special one when I want to do something like Live composite for example. Thanks again for your videos!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Thanks you. How did the Live Comp. photos come out?

[@bakermantube]

@@ForsgardPeter It was a firework at New Years Eve. It was a snap decision 10 minutes before. I thought it is the best first time to try live composite. The result was good for the first time. I was so fascinated to see the picture "growing" on the screen during that shot when all the fireworks exploded in the sky. I don't know how to show pictures here. Bye for now😉

[@ForsgardPeter]

Seeing the picture "develop" on the screen makes it easy to stop the exposure when the photo is ready.

[@newrichpictures332]

Thank you for this video. Always great learning about Olympus products from you. Just wondering about your thoughts on mzuiko 45mm f1.8 against the sigma 56mm f1.4 primes. Test them in your next video perhaps?

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

Thank you -- lots of options on Olympus mirrorless cameras! Very similar on my Lumix G85 -- but I had one question. When adjusting the highlights and shadows in camera, before taking the picture, do those changes only affect a JPG saved picture of do they also affect the RAW image saved on the camera? Bye for now!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Yes it does, but Lightroom wont show the difference. You need to use Olympus Workspace.

[@Hoggdoc1946]

Peter thanks for the LR tip on HDR. I have been using LR for many years and never knew that option was available. I always open in PS and merge to HDR there.

[@ForsgardPeter]

I have not used the HDR mode in Photoshop. Is there a big difference?

[@AndreadePoloSaibanti]

Hi, on the Pen-F, if I recall correctly, using the HDR you have always ONLY available the 200 ISO. Is it true? Not possible to change the ISO settings at all?

[@ForsgardPeter]

Yes, on HDR1 and HDR2 the ISO is fixed to ISO200. With the other options that HDR has you can have other ISO values.

[@gianlucatrevisanato4089]

What's the difference from exposure bracketing? I didn't understand that point. Bye for now!😊

[@ForsgardPeter]

HDR uses high sequencal mode and it is easier to make HDR hand held.

[@charleyb4424]

I use exposure bracketing 5 frames each 0.3 EV apart. This usually works well and is the same old school method I learned in college 30 years ago with a Pentax K1000 and have used ever since. In your video, I learned about HDR. I am excited and want to try using HDR1. Can I simultaneusly use HDR1 and auto-bracketing? I'd like to get 5 HDR1 composite photos with each composite being 0.3 EV apart. Can my EM10ii camera do this? Can an EM5iii do this?

[@ForsgardPeter]

No they cannot. You need make 5 separate images.

[@davidbentley8848]

Thank you again Peter. Very nice presentation .. As an Enthusiast / Hobbyist one question please Maybe a video later. What is the difference between "Focus Stacking" and HDR? how do you think or choose hmm I think I will Focus Stack or Hmm I will create a HDR thank you from Manila.

[@ForsgardPeter]

Focus stacking is for blending different focus distances and HDR is blending different exposures.

[@davidbentley8848]

Peter Forsgård thank you Peter, That has cleared my confusion.

[@drpentecost]

Hi Peter, Thanks for this tutorial. I've been thinking of switching to Olympus but there's a particular function that I'm looking for. My Canon 6D can shoot 2 Auto Bracketed photos but the 2nd photo has a maximum EV Increment of either (+3) or (-3) stops. By installing Magic Lantern software I can set my 2nd bracketed photo to (-5) stops if needed. I shoot property handheld using an image stabilised lens so I can have a properly exposed room and still maintain the view outside the window. Can I shoot 2 auto bracketed shots with the Olympus omd 1 mk 2 and set my 2nd shot to (-5) stops ? Thanks for your help. Darren

[@catrionathomson8981]

Is this likely to be available in monotone anytime soon as an update for older cameras?

[@ForsgardPeter]

Unfortunately I do not have info about that.

[@timofeysavelyev9301]

Hello Peter, does exposure correction make sense in HDR1 while shooting a RAW? I followed your recommendations for the best settings on omd em5 mark 3 but I guess I can simply leave exposure on 0 in HDR1? Thank you in advance!

[@ForsgardPeter]

Yes you can. Camera does that bracketing automatically when you have HDR on.

[@MrMatiew48]

Hi and thank you for your videos, I'm waiting my eM10 mii.... Is the HDR advanced mode avalaible with this model? And do you think it's possible to take HDR for non very static children?

[@ForsgardPeter]

In HDR mode the camera takes several images in high sequencial mode and with movin subjects that can be a problem.

[@MrMatiew48]

@@ForsgardPeter but why smartphones like my Google pixel achieve that very well...? It's really Impressive...

[@earlteigrob9211]

Thank you, Peter, Good explanation!!! I love the 12 stops of bracketing I can get with my EM1.2 and use it all the time. The only thing I would like is the ability to cut a sequence short when I don't need any more exposures. For example, if I am shooting a 7 shot bracket at sunset with a starting shutter speed of 1 second, then the dark frames are shot quite quickly but the light frames are shot at 4s, 16s and 64s. Often times I don't need the last two shots but I either have to wait for them to complete or turn off the camera to abort the 16 and 64 second frames. I could change to a 5 bracket setting but I will forget to set it back so I don't do this. Having a way to abort a HDR bracket sequence would be way more elegant. (like pressing the OK button or something like that) . This is especially important during HDR Panos where I want to minimize cloud movement between shots.

[@rfsanjurjo]

Turning the mode dial 1 step would abort the series of shots, too.

[@earlteigrob9211]

@@rfsanjurjo Good to know!!! Thank you

[@lakebummer]

Instead of 7 do 5 and start at -6ev for base

[@catrionathomson8981]

Hi Peter, once again thanks for the video. As an Olympus Visionary can you shed any light on why monotone is not available on HDR 1 & 2 or Hand held starlight?

[@ForsgardPeter]

No I do not know why it is that way. Only Natural is available.

[@Undiadebirding]

Hi Peter!!! Which filter system do you use? Can't identify the one in the video. which do you recommend?

[@ForsgardPeter]

I have Aurora PowerND MKII and for my 7-14mm f2.8 I have Haida glass filters.

[@Undiadebirding]

@@ForsgardPeter Thanks Peter!!! Which portafilter do you use/recommend for a M1 Mark II?

[@brienchristopherson637]

Can any of the Post work for HDR be done in Olympus Workspace?

[@ForsgardPeter]

Not really HDR, but it has some image blending features.

[@ericpiepers3354]

Can you use Exposure Compensation with Olympus while taking HDR pictures..? (my new G5X-ii cannot do this.., but I used to utilise this feature with my good old RX100-iii)

[@ForsgardPeter]

HDR does that, but I am not sure what you mean. That you could adjust the individual image or adjust the base exposure? The base exposure can be adjusted, so yes.

[@ericpiepers3354]

@@ForsgardPeter Thanks for your prompt reply, Peter..! I am quite disappointed with Canons HDR handling.., guess I am being spoiled from Sony's. I use to use HDR often, but many times at e.g. -2 EV. With Canon it only shoots HDR in some Scene Mode / fully Automatic.., you will need to go adjusting levels behind the PC again... (Sony even saves both, like iPhone) Maybe I should sell the Canon and go Olympus :-p

[@strac2534]

Thank you 🇨🇵

[@MarkoKoskenoja]

Good video with very useful information even though I am a Lumix user. I find my HDR photos come out best with my prime lenses and f1.7 to f5.6. Otherwise too many weird artifacts as you suggested.

[@siegfriedtremel3759]

Hi Peter, Thanks a lot for this tutorial. May I ask You a question! Why it is not possible to use the silent shutter if I want to use the Auto Exposure Bracketing mode... ?? Thanks a lot

[@ForsgardPeter]

Really do not know. It automatically chooses the High Sequentical mode.

[@siegfriedtremel3759]

@@ForsgardPeter Thanks a lot for Your answer!! Well, that's a problem, at least for me, cause the silent shutter opens up many advantages for me! "wear, minimize vibrations and speed" .. p.s I can use the exposure bracketing mode from shooting menu 2, but with this option I cannot use the fully potential of HDR so it allows an exposure of maximum 1.0EV .. (here i can use the silent shutter), but another disadvantage here is that all the images must be taken manually. Thank You and best Regards

[@ForsgardPeter]

I agree that too much automations or decisions camera is making is not good. Silent shutter should available also with Auto Exp. bracketing. maybe there is some technical issue and it is not possible?

[@robincrampton3978]

Hi Peter, can you tell me if adjusting contrast in SCP to -2 as well as Fn2 highlight/shadow control will further 'soften' or reduce contrast further? I find Rob Trek and yourself very helpful in my quest for better photos! Thanks a million, Rob

[@ForsgardPeter]

Yes it does. Thanks.

[@maidn1887]

i have one question about that HDR. You sayd the camera safe 2 HDR Images. JPEG and RAW. The JPEG looks like an HDR - no question. But what is this RAW file? Is that a RAW with a single exposure for security, or really stitch the camera 4 shots (RAW) and press the dynamic range in one single raw shot? i thought thats not possible in camera - only lightroom can do that.

[@ForsgardPeter]

It is single shot. I said that really in a way that it could be understood wrong.

[@maidn1887]

Peter Forsgård thank you 😊

[@atodea]

So the RAW file is a processed file from the 4 shots (similar to the Jpeg)?

[@rogerquenault7207]

Good info on HDR, and It must be very hard not to say “bye for now”

[@ForsgardPeter]

It is and in the next video next Friday it is there.

[@robertcudlipp3426]

I believe that on a video dealing with HDR on my Pen F, selecting HDR automatically defaulted the ISO setting to 200, a little low for lower light areas of images. Is this correct?

[@ForsgardPeter]

Sorry, but not sure how Pen-F handles HDR. Some things might restrickted.

[@robertcudlipp3426]

@@ForsgardPeter Think I saw this on a Rob video and will attempt to locate it, if can't find, will ask a question on his FB page. It is a constant source of frustration, that many camera functions, or sub-functions, are not set out in camera manuals. Sam Thompson was very kind and sent me a pdf booklet on the optimum method of setting B and W menu choices in the Pen F. Would not have been found by going through the pretty useless Pen F official manual. I fully appreciate that as an Ambassador, you are limited in what you can say!

[@rhiwderinraytube]

Hi Peter Does HDR1 etc only work with JPEG? I didn't think it worked with RAW as you said?

[@ForsgardPeter]

You need to choose RAW+jpg.

[@Vincenzo-bm1up]

At least on the E-M1 MkIII, HDR switches to LF+RAW automatically if the camera is set to RAW only. Then switches back. @@ForsgardPeter

[@Vincenzo-bm1up]

I believe that the way the RAW files are created in HDR1-2 modes differs depending on the camera. I now remember that on the PEN-F the RAW file was simply the exposure in the middle. This is confirmed in the manual for the PEN-F: In the case of [HDR1] and [HDR2], the HDR-processed image will be saved as a JPEG file. When the image quality mode is set to [RAW], the image is recorded in RAW+JPEG. The only image recorded in RAW is the image with suitable exposure. Unfortunately this means that the single RAW file is useless as far as HDR is concerned. For the E-M1 MkIII there is no such limitation, according to the manual. However the JPG and RAW files seem to differ. I shall investigate further. Cameras: PEN-F, E-M1 MkIII

[@jconeto]

I find tour videos truly helpfull, AND it's obvius tour great knowledge, but sometimes hoy get carried away and it's pretty hard to follow you for viewers, with limited practice with english

[@LarsKiel]

👍