# EV 1 or 2



## bs0604 (Dec 2, 2011)

In reading HDR sites I seen some controversy regarding whether to use 1 or 2 EV increments with Photomatix.  My Nikon D90, I believe, will only let me set 3 bracketed frames, ie -1 0 +1 OR -2 0 +2.  In such a case it would seem we would get the most information to take in -1 increments and then change the camera to -2 increments.  Then upload to the -2, -1 0 +1 and +2 to photomatix.  Rather than uploading only 3 bracket frames in either 1 or 2 EV increments.  Thoughts?


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2011)

I have always gone 1 EV steps.  But I don't do 1 over and 1 under any more.  I meter the scene, and take one frame for every EV of the dynamic range.  So I may take 3, I may take 6, I may take 9, I may take 14......... depends on the scene.  I shoot in full manual, unless the subject is moving.... in which case I default to AEB at -2,0,+2.


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## bs0604 (Dec 2, 2011)

"I meter the scene, and take one frame for every EV of the dynamic range. So I may take 3, I may take 6"
I'm too new to & too ignorant of photography to understand the answer.  Are you using an external hand held light meter?  Does the meter indicate a scale of EVs on the dynamic range?  Sorry for my ignorance but I am learning.


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2011)

bs0604 said:


> I'm too new to & too ignorant of photography to understand the answer.  Are you using an external hand held light meter?  Does the meter indicate a scale of EVs on the dynamic range?  Sorry for my ignorance but I am learning.



Click here.


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## bs0604 (Dec 2, 2011)

excellent tutorial!!  I will get a meter and if I have further questions after the meter comes and I have had a chance to use it I will post.


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## SlickSalmon (Dec 2, 2011)

There's a wide range of opinion on this topic, and we've discussed it many times.  480sparky gave one view; I'll give the other.  Sparky's informative video describes a scene where the luminance ranges from 1 sec to 1/500 of a sec.  That sounds like a lot, but it's really only 10 EV.  That range is easily captured by a standard series of exposures at -2, 0 and +2 EV.  If you have a well-centered 0EV exposure, then the vast majority of scenes can be captured using 3-shot AEB in 2 EV steps.  I almost always shoot this way. It's fast and easy.  The exception would be any scene that contains the image of a light source (eg, the sun, street lamp, etc.).  These types of scenes always call for a wider range and, hence, more shots.


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## GRbenji (Dec 2, 2011)

I ues AEB with High Speed Continuous shutter to minimise ghosting due to moving subject.  For scene that requires more than 3 exposures, I set AEB to -2, -1, 0 for 1st set of exposures and then turn shutter dial very quickly to +1, +2, +3 for 2nd set of exposures.  This way I have 6 exposures of 1EV difference from -2 to +3.


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## GooniesNeverSayDie11 (Dec 2, 2011)

If you are shooting with a camera that only allows 3 exposure brackets, you can set one of your custom modes ( assuming you have those ) to a -2,0,+2 and aperture priority mode. Then you can gently switch the mode and simply adjust to the same aperture as your first bracketed set, and trip the shutter again. This saves you from having to dive back into the menu and risk moving the cameras position. This obviously works best on a tripod with shutter release and a very secure head.


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## vipgraphx (Dec 2, 2011)

I usually use -2,0,+2 that is usally enough for all my pictures especially in daylight. Plenty of light info in the raw files for HDR. If I was to shoot in real low light I might do
 -2,-1,0,1,2 but thats it. most my shots are at F11 iso 100.

I am new to the forum and posted a few sample HDR images. Check them out if you want to see my out come.


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2011)

Why do you take 5 shots in low light?  What's low light got to do with dynamic range?


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## vipgraphx (Dec 2, 2011)

because you need more light information other wise sometimes the colors become whack.....and grainy


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## 480sparky (Dec 2, 2011)

That's why you expose your frames longer.


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## vipgraphx (Dec 2, 2011)

But exposing longer will not get you every thing you may need in just three exposures. Sometimes you need more to get a better looking image that has more range. 

its ok to have different methods. The OP asked what EV so I explained mine.


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## GRbenji (Dec 3, 2011)

vipgraphx said:


> But exposing longer will not get you every thing you may need in just three exposures. Sometimes you need more to get a better looking image that has more range.
> 
> its ok to have different methods. The OP asked what EV so I explained mine.



I believe what sparky meant was why so particular that you only need 5 exposures (ie @1EV) for low light situation and 3 (ie @2EV) for other situations.


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## SlickSalmon (Dec 3, 2011)

GRbenji said:


> vipgraphx said:
> 
> 
> > But exposing longer will not get you every thing you may need in just three exposures. Sometimes you need more to get a better looking image that has more range.
> ...



Yes, this really is the central question.  A -2,-1,0,+1,+2 series doesn't capture any more dynamic range than a -2,0,+2 series.  

However, night time shots often represent a surprisingly wide dynamic range, because they almost always contain the image of a light source (moon, street lamp, etc).  For this reason, a more extended series is required.  However, even in these situations a 2EV separation between shots is still OK.


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## BlairWright (Dec 3, 2011)

Trey of at Stuck in Customs is really the HDR expert. He has a pretty good tutorial over on his site.


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## 480sparky (Dec 3, 2011)

OK, take a given landscape scene, with the sky half covered with clouds, and the sun directly behind you high in the sky.  That scene has a given, measurable dynamic range, does it not?  You need to take more than one exposure in order to capture the range between the bright, sun-lit clouds and the deep, dark shadows in the scene.

Now, if you were able to magically replace the sun with a full moon in the exact same spot in the sky............. the scene has the _exact same dynamic range_.


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## vipgraphx (Dec 3, 2011)

Yeah I understand this and I am not saying that you or I am right. I answered the question that the OP asked. This is how I have come to learn how to do it based of Trey of at Stuck in Customs and it works. I am sure there are even those that will take 9 exposures. Trey said one time he took 100....All I can say is look at his portfolio..can you argue his technique??

Not trying to argue just answering my thought.


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## 480sparky (Dec 3, 2011)

I'm still trying to understand why 'low light' shots require -2/-1/0/+1/+1 frames, while well-lit ones only require -2/0/+2.  You capture the same range with both, although you have more control with the 5 frames in post.

100 shots?  C'mon, get real........... unless he's shooting 1/3 EVs.


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## vipgraphx (Dec 3, 2011)

He said he did it once and will never do it again.....I am not sure exactly why to be honest with you other than what he explains makes sense to me.


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## bs0604 (Dec 4, 2011)

It would seem to me that if you take a picture and the camera histogram shows all the highlights and shadows to be contained within the histogram, then taking additional pictures at underexposed and overexposed and merging in to HDR would not alter the image and thus no need for HDR in this situation?  
As a corollary, it would also appear that if you take a picture and, eg, all the highlights are w/i the histogram, but the shadows are not fully included, then you just need to change the shutter speed untill you get exposure(s) that now include all the shadows, and then process in HDR.  A relatively easy way to avoid needing a Starlite?


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## Rephargotohp (Dec 4, 2011)

Although a Starlite is of course nice to have, a spot meter in yor camara is suffcient for HDR work since we are taking a series of exposures not just one that has to be perfect.

You can also do a quick test, Go to the brightest part of your scence and set you meter on that at +2 then move to the shadow area and if that meters -2 or less, you probably have a good candidate for HDR. It's not the most precise method but it avoids you in a quick manner, shooting something that doesn't need HDR and a LOT of scenes are shot with HDR that don't need it


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## bs0604 (Dec 4, 2011)

But am I correct in thinking that if the shadows and highlights are completely contained within the histogram that additional bracketed shots & HDR processing won't change the image?


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## Rephargotohp (Dec 4, 2011)

Honestly it depends, Sometimes you will get it in and you see a Two hills and a big valley response, and it not so much the total range but the relationship of the tones that needs to be changed or tone mapped making it "As the eye sees"

People way over-think HDR, way overshoot way over process. For the most part, Most HDR's can be captured with 3 Images 2EV apart. provided you find your right center exposure.

Most of my most successful and received HDR's have been shot with 3 exposures

But people get into the 3 is good 9 must be better mindset ( and yes I have had to do 9 exposures sometimes) and it really isn't. The more exposures lead to registration errors on complex textures regardless of your tripod (shifts can occur even though your image didn't) and that leads to loss of detail.
Then people overshoot the bracketing and those grossly overexposed and under exposed images REALLY affect image detail. It's hard for the software to find an edge of contrast to align if there is none on that super blown out exposure or that super dark one.

and then people shoot subjects that don't need HDR at all and that leads to just a big Flat Mess of Midtones.

3 works most times, 5 is Good. I've done more when the sun is in the image or shooting an architectural interior with has a huge DR

My 2


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## Rephargotohp (Dec 4, 2011)

Oh and one last thing, Before it can be a great HDR it has to be a great photograph. If it doesn't have great light and great composition first, it will never be a great HDR. And great light is important. HDR is not a substitute for great light, it only allows you to capture that great light full. If you have flat uninteresting light, you will never make a great HDR. And if the "HDR" is the subject of interest in your photo, you have failed. Just like Black and white does not make the photograph great, it was a great photograph that happened to be Black & White...or HDR


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## SlickSalmon (Dec 4, 2011)

Rephargotohp said:


> People way over-think HDR, way overshoot way over process. For the most part, Most HDR's can be captured with 3 Images 2EV apart. provided you find your right center exposure.
> 
> Most of my most successful and received HDR's have been shot with 3 exposures
> 
> ...



I agree completely.


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