# HDR bracketing



## rocket_scientist (Jul 22, 2011)

I got a question for all those HDR lovers out there. With Canon, one can only do auto bracketing (whether shooting in Aperture Priority or Manual) for three exposures. For a lot of scenes that I come across, this seems to not capture the entire dynamic range of the scene. My question is: How do you compensate? Do you manually expose 9 brackets and hope you don't bump your tripod or nothing dramatic changes in the scene? Or, do you deal with only 3 exposures and if so, what is your typical range of compensation (ie +/- 1,2 stops etc)?


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 22, 2011)

Yes, you manually expose, adjusting shutter speed to cover the range you need with the number of shots you want to combine (e.g. 1 EV or 1.5 EV increments). 



rocket_scientist said:


> With Canon, one can only do auto bracketing (whether shooting in Aperture Priority or Manual) for three exposures.



With most Canon bodies, that is - the 1-series bodies can take 2, 3, 5 or 7 bracketed exposures.


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## rocket_scientist (Jul 22, 2011)

For some reason, the last time I looked at the 1D's (not that I could afford one), I saw only 3 exposure bracketing... Just checked at dpreview and I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that out. I was a little worried that my friends with Nikon's would be able to do it on a D300s while no Canons could. I hope the guys at Canon begin to incorporate this into other bodies (it is only a coding issue, I think). My buddy has a remote that does timed exposures, I wonder if that would do auto-bracketing without the need for touching the camera at more than 3 exposures.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 22, 2011)

Nice idea, but unfortunately no, the TC-80N3 doens't allow you to get around the 3-shot, Â±2 EV (or Â±3 EV for some newer bodies like the 7D and 60D) limit.

One option, if you have an xxD or better with custom function(s) on the mode dial, is to set up different exposures as custom modes (Av-based). That still means touching the camera, but setting up 2, 3, or 4 offset 3-shot AEBs (Av mode + C1-3 on a 5DII/7D) would allow you to cover a wide dynamic range with minimal touching of the camera.


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## swiss (Jul 22, 2011)

There are nice gadgets on the market that use the USB protocol to control your camera. With these you can make HDR's (and more) in any manner you want. Go on and google for _promote control_.


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## gferdinandsen (Jul 22, 2011)

I just set it up in manual mode and adjust downwards the length of the exposure. Also I shoot a couple solid black shots before I begin and when I end, this helps in Bridge since I can see numersous shots bracked around the black and know that those shots were for HDR


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## gferdinandsen (Jul 22, 2011)

I should also point out, that ever since I went digital, I quit using automatic AEB. I still bracket somewhat frequently, but I just use the dial on the rear to manually bracket; I find it easier than setting up AEB. And with AEB you are more likely to end up with brackets that you don't like. By manually bracketing, I can look at the shot and, more importantly, the histogram, to decide if that is how I want to bracket it.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 22, 2011)

swiss said:


> There are nice gadgets on the market that use the USB protocol to control your camera. With these you can make HDR's (and more) in any manner you want. Go on and google for _promote control_.



Great tip, thanks! Makes sense as a dedicated gadget for someone who shoots a lot of HDR (which is probably a much bigger potential audience than for this dedicated gadget aimed at storm chasers).



gferdinandsen said:


> I just set it up in manual mode...





gferdinandsen said:


> ...I just use the dial on the rear to manually bracket...



I wouldn't recommend doing that - in M mode, rotating the quick control dial (the 'dial on the rear') adjusts the aperture. For HDR, you need to keep the aperture constant to have the same DoF in all your shots. So, in M mode, rotate the main dial (the one behind the shutter button) to adjust shutter speed.

If you actually mean Av mode (not M mode), then the quick control dial is adjusting exposure compensation (EC), which as long as your ISO is set to a fixed value (i.e. not Auto), will adjust shutter speed only (unless you have the C.Fn for Saftey Shift enabled, in which case aperture _might_ change). The probelm with using just the EC change for HDR is that you're limited to a 4 EV range (metered Â±2 EV) for most bodies, or a 6 EV range (metered Â±3 EV) for the 7D/60D. That's probably fine outdoors (especially the 6 EV range), but for many situations that's not sufficient dynamic range to cover the scene (e.g. dimly-lit interior with bright exterior windows).


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## aldvan (Jul 22, 2011)

neuroanatomist said:


> With most Canon bodies, that is - the 1-series bodies can take 2, 3, 5 or 7 bracketed exposures.



I confirm that. 2,3,5,7 bracketed exposures with my 1Ds MkIII.


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## rocket_scientist (Jul 22, 2011)

The Promote Control was what I was looking for, although a little pricey. It does more than I need (time lapse ,etc) but maybe something I can tell the wife I want for Christmas... Thanks for the tip gferdinandsen!!


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## Hesbehindyou (Jul 22, 2011)

*9 shots with spread of 5EV between each shot do you?*

Install the Magic Lantern firmware and you can get a burst of up to 9 shots with a spread of between 0.5 and 5EV between each shot. Works on 550D, 600D & 60D. Think they've got firmware for a couple of other Canon DSLRs too.

There's other good stuff too - auto focus stacking for macros, an experimental motion sensing mode, interval-o-meter, custom overlays in Liveview, settable time settings for bulb and more. Loads of extra functions for video people too.


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## willhuff.net (Jul 22, 2011)

It's a little annoying that Canon blocks out features like that via software. They've already done the work coding the firmware, it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.


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## dr croubie (Jul 23, 2011)

neuroanatomist said:


> in M mode, rotating the quick control dial (the 'dial on the rear') adjusts the aperture. For HDR, you need to keep the aperture constant to have the same DoF in all your shots. So, in M mode, rotate the main dial (the one behind the shutter button) to adjust shutter speed.



Not on my 7D, it was the first custom function i changed. In Tv the dial by the shutter changes time, in Av and M the dial does aperture, and in M the wheel on the back does time. Can a 60D or lower do this? (real question, not rhetorical).



willhuff.net said:


> it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.



No, it doesn't. But a 1Ds3 is 2-3x the price of a 5D2 with the same sensor. They have to justify the price differential somehow, like using better AF, built like a tank, more 'little' features. This is one of those nice 'little' features, not worth a grand on its own, but they all add up...


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## Canon 14-24 (Jul 23, 2011)

I am not sure if they rectified it, but the Promote Control I recalled to have some issues when in bulb setting or anything with exposures greater than 30 secs. Plus I prefer the infrared rc-1 wireless remote over dangling cables out in the field. I did purchase it but returned it due to these two issues. Additionally with my attached L bracket, mounting on a tripod in a vertical position was difficult at times.

I still prefer to take 2-3 AEB bracketed shots or a total of 6-9 images for those larger dynamic range scenes.


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## K-amps (Aug 16, 2011)

willhuff.net said:


> It's a little annoying that Canon blocks out features like that via software. They've already done the work coding the firmware, it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.



Amen!! they are acting like fat bankers / huges car dealerships that tell us what we need to have.


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## K-amps (Aug 16, 2011)

rocket_scientist said:


> I got a question for all those HDR lovers out there. With Canon, one can only do auto bracketing (whether shooting in Aperture Priority or Manual) for three exposures. For a lot of scenes that I come across, this seems to not capture the entire dynamic range of the scene. My question is: How do you compensate? Do you manually expose 9 brackets and hope you don't bump your tripod or nothing dramatic changes in the scene? Or, do you deal with only 3 exposures and if so, what is your typical range of compensation (ie +/- 1,2 stops etc)?



I had a 350d and had the same dilemma; plus maybe I am lazy... so I went to eekbay and got myself a 1d Mk.II for less than $900. Set the custom function to do 7AEB's. It works!


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## autochrome (Aug 16, 2011)

willhuff.net said:


> It's a little annoying that Canon blocks out features like that via software. They've already done the work coding the firmware, it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.



Rack focus, audio levels...
It's annoying this artificial market segmentation via software, i don't know what else it can be. Surely not incompetence, lazyness or lack of funds, it would be trivial for Canon software engineers to add these features as Magic Lantern does, specially for Canon engineers since they don't have to reverse engineer a thing.


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## WildBill (Aug 16, 2011)

willhuff.net said:


> It's a little annoying that Canon blocks out features like that via software. They've already done the work coding the firmware, it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.



Isn't this sort of like saying, Photoshop Elements should have all the feature of Photoshop and Lightroom since Adobe has already done all the coding. Canon like all companies is trying to find the right mix between making money and keeping customers happy. Unless you are a monopoly or a politician you must do both to stay alive.


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## EELinneman (Aug 16, 2011)

I ended up buying a Promote remote control. It will allow you to take up to 9 I believe, plus supports timelapse and timelapse HDR too. Highly recommended.


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## dstppy (Aug 16, 2011)

WildBill said:


> willhuff.net said:
> 
> 
> > It's a little annoying that Canon blocks out features like that via software. They've already done the work coding the firmware, it doesn't take much to just add it to other bodies.
> ...



You're not from the United States, are you? ???


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## willhuff.net (Aug 16, 2011)

WildBill said:


> Isn't this sort of like saying, Photoshop Elements should have all the feature of Photoshop and Lightroom since Adobe has already done all the coding. Canon like all companies is trying to find the right mix between making money and keeping customers happy. Unless you are a monopoly or a politician you must do both to stay alive.



The problem with that analogy is that Photoshop is strictly a piece of software. Its features require significantly more coding and development than allowing more shots to be bracketed. A camera is mainly a piece of hardware. Most of the cost goes towards the physical parts, body, sensor, shutter, etc. 
It would be like buying a CD player that has 4 volume settings or having to pay more for one that has 10.


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## K-amps (Aug 17, 2011)

willhuff.net said:


> WildBill said:
> 
> 
> > Isn't this sort of like saying, Photoshop Elements should have all the feature of Photoshop and Lightroom since Adobe has already done all the coding. Canon like all companies is trying to find the right mix between making money and keeping customers happy. Unless you are a monopoly or a politician you must do both to stay alive.
> ...



Nice Analogy...

The kicker is that the value gained by the consumer is far more the cost of a few extra lines of code... So Basically, Canon is ok with Magic Lantern providing for free; what they wont do on their own? I would never let anyone feed crumbs to my kids... I'd want to take care of them myself as any self respecting person...


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## TexPhoto (Aug 17, 2011)

As others have said, obviously Canon is trying to give you a reason to buy the pro body. Sucks, but that's what they have gone with. 

The way I shoot this, is to have saved as a one of my custom settings: bracket -2, 0, +2. A priority, F11, 2 second delay, mirror lock. I shoot this, then if I really want more exposures, twist in a +1, and shoot three more, resulting in -1,+1,+3. Those 6 exposure will make for a pretty nice HDR.

2 second delay, mirror lock because I want the shot as steady as possible, and obviously I'm on a tripod.


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## thejoyofsobe (Aug 17, 2011)

If I need more exposures then I take the 3 bracketed RAW files and adjust the exposure to process them to get as many levels of exposures as I need.

But really I'm usually too lazy to bring a tripod and don't usually need more than +/- 2 stops so I just do a lot of mine by reprocessing a single RAW file with half stop exposure increments. Sure the results aren't as good as if I broke out a tripod and bracketed but as most of my HDR work tends to be in black and white it tends not to matter as much.


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## Kirill (Aug 17, 2011)

EELinneman said:


> I ended up buying a Promote remote control. It will allow you to take up to 9 I believe, plus supports timelapse and timelapse HDR too. Highly recommended.



Wow - Promote is 300$ - i rather get Xoom tablet for 400$ and use it to trigger 9 exposures. I am not sure if software for it already exists or this is the only thing in the works - http://www.talkandroid.com/51588-live-view-canon-shooting-via-usb-from-dslr-controller-app/?utm_source=feedburner-ta&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AndroidNewsGoogleAndroidForums+%28Android+News%2C+Rumours%2C+and+Updates%29


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