# HDR DSLR cameras



## Cornbread

forgive me if im in the wrong place with this post!

So, I'm in the market for a new camera (special thanks to santa). I  really want an SDLR camera but realize they are very expensive. I want  an entry level camera (prob no more than $700 for camera and basic  lens). 

So, plenty of options right? Well I don't know much about these cameras  but I know they each excel in their own way. I really want an in-camera  HDR option. The only two that I can confirm that have it are the *Pentax k-x* and the *Sony alpha 550*. 

Are there any other entry level cameras out there? The reason I ask is  because only about half the time are these features mentioned in item  descriptions. I also like the Nikon (or is it Canon) that has emphasis  on in-camera photo editing. If i could program the camera to take 3 or 4  photos automatically changing the EV each time that would be awesome.  But I don't want to have to go to photoshop each time. Some automatic  photo stitching would be pretty cool. 

Things that aren't really that important for me are size and weight,  battery life (if i can buy replacement batteries or extra battery  packs), video quality. i just want an easy to use camera for now, but still enough  stuff that i can learn about and enjoy later and not have to revert to  photoshop (which i suck at)

thanks folks

justin


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## skieur

Have you looked at the Sony A580?

skieur


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## Cornbread

no i have not, I'll check in to it. one thing about the sony a550 that i mentioned is that it only takes 2 photos for the auto HDR. the pentax kx takes 3


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## ann

Why in camera processing? You are always going to be a the mercy of a computer chip.  

One doesn't have to be an expert at using any photo editing program to use a stitching program, however , if you want great HDR images then you will need to learn how to use some type of software.

Advertisting may have us believe that we don't have to do anything but push a button, but in reality , if you want better images you need to be more involved in the process.  When i say better I mean the ones you are seeing in the ads, unless the person behind the camera really knows what they ae doing work has been done to make them look like a million dollars.


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## robertandrewphoto

I use a nikon d5000 and i'm pretty happy with it

there is in camera editing, but not hdr editing

you can bracket your shots on it but you would have to use a program to edit the hdr out

its like 800 for a combo i think


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## ann

I just talked to my dealer about this "in-camera" editing and she told me that a lot of the point and shoot cameras have this and nikon. Tomorrow , I have to go in to test a piece of equipment and will look at one just to see what that all means.

In my Olympus E-pen it does have some functions that can be applied but I never paid any attention to them and this is coming from an Iphotography fool.


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## mjhoward

The iPhone 4 has built in HDR... doesnt make it a good camera.


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## ann

There is an app for HDR for the Iphone and for what it does it isn't awful. Better than the built in one; but i suppose that just supports my orginal thought about what needs to be done after the fact.


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## Cornbread

everyone is right. I'm skipping on the in-camera HDR. 

I'm between the canon t2i (is it really "that" much better than the t1i?)
the nikon d5000 and 3100

i put my hands on the t2i and the autofocus was awesome. the d3100 (could have been a bad display) didn't auto focus well at all! and the lcd was terrible. but for the right price, it might be worth the trade off except for the autofocus. 

I'm pretty set on the t2i, but still chewing it over.

i also heard from a store employee that the d5000 is discontinued. is that any indication i should shy away from it or are they just updating it and i should get it when it goes on sale?


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## robertandrewphoto

Cornbread said:


> i also heard from a store employee that the d5000 is discontinued. is that any indication i should shy away from it or are they just updating it and i should get it when it goes on sale?



i didn't know it was discontinued, but that just means: 

1) it wasn't selling well

2) and they have come out with camera's like the 7000 , 3000 , and 3100


I use the 5000 and i think it is great, if you can get it i would strongly reccomend it


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## Provo

robertandrewphoto said:


> Cornbread said:
> 
> 
> 
> i also heard from a store employee that the d5000 is discontinued. is that any indication i should shy away from it or are they just updating it and i should get it when it goes on sale?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i didn't know it was discontinued, but that just means:
> 
> 1) it wasn't selling well
> 
> 2) and they have come out with camera's like the 7000 , 3000 , and 3100
> 
> 
> I use the 5000 and i think it is great, if you can get it i would strongly reccomend it
Click to expand...


D5000 for sure best bang for your buck and look around at some post in here including some of the ones I have posted.


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## myshkin

I would recommend the D90 if you go nikon. They should be coming down in price after the release of the D7000 and it has less limitations then the D5000 with lens


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## daarksun

Tons to look at.  The new Pentax k-r looks awesome and in your price range for the kit.  It's a great entry level camera. The Nikon D3100 is a kick butt entry level with kit lens as is the Canon T1i as well. 

1.  Pentax k-r kit
2.  Nikon 3100 kit
3.  Canon T1i kit
4.  Sony entry level - but most of these Sony's feel very cheap in your hands. 

Either of these four/five setups will get you going and turn out some incredible photos with practice to learn the Camera.  Best thing to do is look at what your "really good" friends are using... canon, nikon, whatever and see what lenses they have. Might be worth getting that name brand camera if they are willing to share lenses with you.  

Thing is to get something and get started. If you change mind later and all you have is the basic kit your can change name brand and start new with the knowledge you have learned. 

but you gotta get started.  For hdr tech, some cams take just two images and some will take three images. check those things and the features for what you want.


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## TJH1023

Take a look at the sony a33, it new and has hdr among other goodies for an entry level dsl. I went and played with one do to curiosity it quit a good little machine.


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## Provo

iazybandit said:


> Isn't it better to take pictures in brackets with different exposures and then use programs like Photomatix to do the HDR processing? At least this way, you can adjust it to your liking rather than use the camera to do it.




That is correct 3rd party software rules over in camera so called auto hdr for now at least


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## WesternGuy

Cornbread, I wasn't aware that cameras came with an _in camera HDR option._ My understanding is that most DSLRs and some P&S come with what is know as Automatic Exposure Bracketing or AEB - some may refer to this as an HDR option, but, personally, I think this can be a bit misleading.  This option allows you to take a series of exposures at, for example - regular exposure, +2 and -2 ev, or regular exposure +1 and -1 ev, or some combination.  A lot of DSLRs allow you to only take three bracketed exposures at a time ( as noted previously), while some of the higher end cameras will give you 5 or 7 and I think there may be one or two that will give you up to 9 bracketed exposures.  These are the images that are then fed into HDR software such as Photomatix or HDR Efex Pro to name a couple.  CS5 can also do HDR processing as well.  Programs like Lightroom, Photoshop CSn (n is currently 5), Aperture and maybe others have interfaces or plugins that allow you to pass programs from e.g., Lightroom to the HDR software programs and the have the HDR program return the finalized image to Lightroom, etc. for further processing if desired.  

I hope this helps you understand the technical mechanics of how HDR is done in cameras that have an AEB capability.  Having said that, there is nothing to stop you from doing the whole process manually by figuring out the bracketed exposures you need to cover the dynamic range of your potential HDR image. HTH

Cheers,

WesternGuy


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## Ovidiu

I think for example the Nikon D90 comes with in camera HDR: its called multiple exposures. You chose i.e. 3 exposures, put your camera on a tripod, shoot 3 of them and they get blended into one image in-camera.
Obviously you can use for a lot of other purposes, don't shoot all 3 images in a burst and walk around in your picture and you've got a triple shot of yourself


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## Casey78

mjhoward said:


> The iPhone 4 has built in HDR... doesnt make it a good camera.



and a camera having built in HDR doesn't make it a bad camera either.
I have the A500 and its a great camera,I don't use the HDR option much as I don't really like that type of photo whichever way its done be it in camera or in Photoshop.


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