Photomatix... Not that great

[D-50]

I have been using the trial version of photomatix and the results I get are really grainy. Is this because Im using a trial version or due to something else, also the picture I see in the preview window when tone mapping often does not match the final image that is created. I have seen quite a few nice HDR images on this forum, what are people using to get these quality images? How much post processing in photoshop is being done after running photos through an HDR program like photo matrix?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Noise is a natural byproduct of HDR's. You can't escape it unless you push your micro-smoothing to the max.

If you're working in TIFF (and if not, than you should), the darker image that it cranks out makes no difference. You have tonal data from three images, you can use curves or levels to bring it back up without adding much noise at all.

ALOT of post production goes into every one of my HDR's. It's a combination of Lightroom, Photomatix, and CS2.

The images that photomatix cranks out are not intended to be the final image, it's obvious. nonetheless, HDR is an artwork and it takes time and effort into getting it right and how you want it to look.

 

[abraxas]

& experience.

...

ALOT of post production goes into every one of my HDR's. It's a combination of Lightroom, Photomatix, and CS2.

...

I use cs2 & photomatix, how/what do you use lightroom for?- Seriously, if it'll help me I'll get a copy, but don't understand how it fits in to the workflow.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

after I match my WB's when I first import my images into lightroom, I take them into photomatix, and export back into lightroom for the color correction, than CS2.

Lightroom's color correction controls are faster, non destructive, and more intuitive than anything Photoshop has.

 

[hawee99]

is the the correct lightroom software, I didn't know it was a adobe product. Seems like a decent price......http://www.academicsuperstore.com/market/marketdisp.html?PartNo=786947

 

[Sw1tchFX]

yeah that's it.

 

[woodsac]

Noise is natural. However, are you tryiny to process a single image? If so, the noise can be unbareable! Noise control is pretty good as long as you are using multiple exposures. Adjusting the exposure on one image to create three doesn't count

 

[D-50]

Thanks for the info. Iam new to HDR programs, I have been creating HDR like images through blending differently exposed images in Photoshop for quite some time but recently have started to work with Photomatix. Sounds lke Photomatix is just a starting point, Ill give it another try tonight. Any other tips on using photomatix would be appreciated and utilized.

 

[woodsac]

Here's an HDR 'overflow'

Lots of great links with tons of info and tutorials.
http://tutorialblog.org/hdr-tutorials-roundup/

 

[PatriK-b]

I read here many times here that HDR implies noise. I didn't make that much HDR (no noise killer post-process on theses images), but I only noticed, as said woodsac, that noise shows up only if you don't have enough under/over exposed shoots, worst case only one shoot.