# Why is my HDR grainy?



## ReticentEnigma (Apr 7, 2008)

I bought the best camera I could afford a few years ago (Canon S2)

and pics turn out great for everything I've used it for, but I've recently tried a little HDR, and they always seem to turn out grainy.

I've tried Paint Shop Pro, Photomatix, and have had best results with MediaChance HDR; but they all look grainy.

Any ideas?


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## RKW3 (Apr 8, 2008)

Triple the shots = Triple the noise (kinda)

The camera is a limit too, if you had a DSLR the noise would be less noticeable. Just try to shoot at low ISO's on your individual shots.


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## Garbz (Apr 8, 2008)

HDR makes the dark points light. Yes it uses an image for that, but it also uses an approximation across all images. In this point it usually brings out some grain just like it would if you took the curves tool in photoshop to bring up the dark a bit. Although HDR looks much better.

The grain is much worse if you even attempt to make a HDR using an single exposure.


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## ReticentEnigma (Apr 8, 2008)

RKW3 said:
			
		

> Triple the shots = Triple the noise (kinda)
> 
> The camera is a limit too, if you had a DSLR the noise would be less noticeable. Just try to shoot at low ISO's on your individual shots.



These two are ISO 100.

Each individual shot looks great; It's only when I combine them that the noise appears.


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## TamiyaGuy (Apr 9, 2008)

Even at ISO 100, P&S photos (especially when turned into HDR) can become really grainy. I'm afraid you won't get much less grainy results unless you get a DSLR. Nevertheless, I think the grain in pic 1 looks really nice, gives it a character, and I can't really see that much grain in Image 2.


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## asfixiate (Apr 9, 2008)

I actually like the first one.  Looks like it was painted.


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## HailttRedskins (Apr 9, 2008)

I was thinking the same about #1, I actually like it


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