# Which HDR plugin to buy?



## RSisco (Jun 5, 2011)

HDR Efex Pro vs. Photomatix Pro?

Both get good reviews, which plugin do the members of TPF recommend?

Rick


----------



## Light Guru (Jun 5, 2011)

HDR Efex Pro is my preference between the two.


----------



## Bynx (Jun 5, 2011)

This is a silly question because there is no definitive answer. Those with HDR Effex Pro will tell you its the best. Those with Photomatix Pro will tell you its the best. So what do you do? You download both and use the trial versions. Then decide for yourself whats best for you. And those arent the only ones. There is HDRtist, and HDR Expose for the Mac. I dont know if they are available for the PC. But Im sure there are other programs for the PC as well. I have all the programs mentioned here and I go from one to the other. Each have different things to offer and it really is up to you to decide what it is YOU want.


----------



## RSisco (Jun 5, 2011)

Bynx said:


> This is a silly question because there is no definitive answer.


 
I do appriciate your time to respond, but in all due respect, I didn't ask which software was best. I understand there is no black and white answer for that. What I asked was which software the members of this forum preferred. This is merely a discussion, I am curious which the members use and why.

If every question on this forum was answered by typing "Just try it and see" the forum wouldn't really have much room for discussion.

Again, I do appriciate and respect your opinion on the subject, but I am simply opening a dialog/discussion. If the results show that a majority use one or the other, it would indicate that I'd find more support from fellow forum members if I used the same.

Rick


----------



## Light Guru (Jun 5, 2011)

Bynx said:


> Those with HDR Effex Pro will tell you its the best. Those with Photomatix Pro will tell you its the best.


 
I actually have BOTH.  And like I said I prefer HDR Efex Pro.  For a long time Photomatix was the best option out there for HDR processing.  But Since I got HDR Efex Pro, I haven't used Photomatix once.  The nodel control points alone make it HDR Efex Pro a better option.  Plus it is easier to use overall.


----------



## bigboi3 (Jun 5, 2011)

I have the Nik HDR Efex Pro. I haven't had a chance to fully use it yet. It came with the bundle I got from Nik.


----------



## Light Guru (Jun 5, 2011)

bigboi3 said:


> I have the Nik HDR Efex Pro. I haven't had a chance to fully use it yet. It came with the bundle I got from Nik.


 
Yea the bundle is GREAT.  My B&W photos have never looked so good.  Honestly I LOVE doing a simple HDR and turning it B&W.


----------



## RSisco (Jun 6, 2011)

I am just starting out, so I haven't shot HDR yet, but that is something that I will be doing very soon. I am learning tons of stuff on a daily basis.. Reading, watching tutorials and just getting outside to shoot..


----------



## SlickSalmon (Jun 6, 2011)

Here's the results from the last time this question was asked:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/hdr-discussions/235190-what-software-do-you-use-hdr.html


----------



## Bynx (Jun 6, 2011)

RSisco said:


> Bynx said:
> 
> 
> > This is a silly question because there is no definitive answer.
> ...



Discussions are great and Im all for it. But instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and asking the same question that was asked before, why not just read the previous thread as slick salmon points out. There must be something else to ask about HDR software instead of which is best. And yes you do ask which is best, because no one is going to recommend the worst one. And no one will admit they paid for and are using the worst one. Software is more than which gives the best results. Some are intuitive and some are not. How you adapt to it is important so thats why I suggested you use the trials and decide for yourself which is the best one for you. Its not necessarily the best one for everyone. I agree with Light Guru a lot of the times, but I still try out more than one software to see which gives me the results I want. And I agree with Light Guru all the time regarding B&W. Nothing beats Silver Effex Pro. Also as a newbie here you are doing both yourself and the site an injustice by not browsing through the previous threads which are here for just that purpose and will actually answer a lot of your questions. Now a new question, that would be nice.


----------



## RSisco (Jun 6, 2011)

Bynx said:


> Also as a newbie here you are doing both yourself and the site an injustice by not browsing through the previous threads which are here for just that purpose and will actually answer a lot of your questions.


 
Sadly this is a common attitude on internet forums. The fact remains that this is a "discussion" forum. If you do not like questions that have been asked before, I am afraid you are in the wrong spot. I am sure this is not your first time telling someone they shouldn't ask repeditive questions, in which case you are also being repeditive.

Do you act like this in real life or just from behind a monitor? If someone walks up to you and asks you which camera model you like best, do you tell them there is no definitive answer and to go try them and see which one they like? Do you tell them to stop asking questions that you have already heard and to go read some books because all their answers are right there?

The above questions were rhetorical. Please allow my post to remain on topic. Thank you.


----------



## Bynx (Jun 6, 2011)

Im just curious why you are insisting on asking the same question that has been asked and answered.


----------



## GreatPhotoRace (Jun 6, 2011)

Bynx said:


> RSisco said:
> 
> 
> > Bynx said:
> ...


 
Bynx,

You are right in that there are currently a lot of threads on which HDR software to use, but you have to realize that software changes.  New versions will come out and with new versions come better feature sets and stability amongst many other enhancements.  At one time, MS Paint was the imaging editor to use, now there is GIMP, Photoshop, etc.

OP,

Perhaps you should rephrase the question to: "what is the best HDR software _as of today_?"


----------



## RSisco (Jun 6, 2011)

GreatPhotoRace said:


> Perhaps you should rephrase the question to: "what is the best HDR software _as of today_?"


 
I will keep that in mind.


----------

