EV 1 or 2

[bs0604]

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?

 

[480sparky]

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.

 

[bs0604]

"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.

 

[480sparky]

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.

 

[bs0604]

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.

 

[SlickSalmon]

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.

 

[GRbenji]

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.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

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.

 

[vipgraphx]

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.

 

[480sparky]

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

 

[vipgraphx]

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

 

[480sparky]

That's why you expose your frames longer.

 

[vipgraphx]

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.

 

[GRbenji]

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.

 

[SlickSalmon]

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.

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.