# First in camera HDR processing. Pentax K-7



## Wyjid (Aug 24, 2009)

just got the K-7 today. i like it. i haven't had a chance to really take it out, but i thought i'd give a quick snapshot example of it's HDR capture mode. for a more detailed explaination see: 

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the first image s standard shooting. the second image is HDR strong setting. i haven't much played with the HDR 1 setting or the shadow/highlights correction which provide various degrees of compensation. the shutter stays open a fraction long so that three miages can be captured (sans multiple shutter releases) so a steady hand is required. but this shot was handheld, it's slow but no where near as slow as bracketing. more to come in the future. these shots are straight from camera (aside from a resizing).

1: normal capture







2: HDR capture straight from camera


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## Wyjid (Aug 31, 2009)

this is the first camera with one push hdr capability and there are no thoughts or impressions? or opinions? opinions are usually rather rampent here... anybody with an opinion?


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## FreshBasil (Sep 1, 2009)

I just read about that yesterday... and frankly, I was kind of jealous... but after seeing the sample photo, I'm glad I've got my Rebel instead.  It's almost as if the HDR feature on there is just fill flash.  I'm not all that impressed... i'd rather do it after if I want HDR (as bad as I am at it lol)


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## manaheim (Sep 1, 2009)

It's interesting. Looks like a boosted version of my Nikon's dynamic lighting feature... or what I could do with a RAW image and "fill light" in ACR.

I would like to see more pictures taken with this. Some really good ones to try would be...

1. From inside a garage pointing outside with the interior of the garage in-frame.
2. (similar) from inside a house, pointing at a window, with the interior of the house in-frame. (shots with more and less window would be good here)

My general thought has been that HDR is likely not ever going to be really well done in any sort of automated fashion... this image supports that notion, but it's not THAT bad.

Very neat.

I hope you'll post more.


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## Psyentific (Sep 2, 2009)

Take a more interesting picture with it.  Something HDR worthy.  Show us it's true potential if it has any.


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## Wyjid (Sep 3, 2009)

i figured this was a good test as per manaheim's suggestion. light range from dark interior corner shadows all the way up to direct sun reflecting off i large white surface outside. later today i plan on trying a sunset over a field, i'll post that tonight. again, these are all unedited, right from camera.

first a stadard exposure with no S/H correction or HDR.






highlights correction only






shadow correction only (strongest setting, two other lesser degrees approaching standard exposure not shown)






HDR strength low






HDR strength high






HDR high with S/H corrections (the works)


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## manaheim (Sep 3, 2009)

Wow.  You know, that's really not at all bad.

Now what would be interesting is a comparison of the same scene as an HDR through photomatix.  I think you'd get better results, but still... thats solid.


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## Wyjid (Sep 3, 2009)

the nice thing is that you can shoot that with one push of the button. the exposure is about 1/2 second. it takes all three shots and merges them within roughly 10secs. much handier than multi bracketing, and then post process integration. agreed, not the absolute best, but incredibley painless, and fantastic when you just want the extra range in a shot but don't feel like doing the whole setup. the shadow correction is priceless cause it's done with a normal shutter speed but keeps your shadows safe. very handy.


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## Wyjid (Sep 3, 2009)

ok two more. this time sunset shots. the first is right out of camera, and the second i cleaned up the lighting a touch.


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## Dominantly (Sep 3, 2009)

First has a halo around the tree... It's right out of the camera like that?


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## Dominantly (Sep 3, 2009)

I think your first photo set was kind of a weak demonstration, the second however was fairly good considering...

I still agree that a better production could probably be done using another program, BUT it is still cool how well the camera put that together and it's possibilities for the people on here who seem to have issues with the HDR realm.


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## Wyjid (Sep 3, 2009)

Dominantly said:


> First has a halo around the tree... It's right out of the camera like that?


 
yeah it's right out of camera like that. it's the first time i've had significant haloing though. the second one i just burned the halo and boosted the curve a bit.


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