Photography HDR questioning

[finbarqs]

Okay i have a 400D (XTi) and factory 18-55mm lens. Problem:

HDR.

sometimes when i purposely underexpose my shots, it comes out grainy. I have no idea why. I don't even know how to "reduce noise" inside the camera. But it's really pissing me off. With my film SLR, it's fine. no problems what so ever. Digital, everything is not so "black and white".

 

[destrekor]

to reduce noise, you have to change the ISO setting.
and you are correct, the digital processing of images still noes not reproduce the amazingness of film. thus why I am still using film.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Erm, your question has nothing to do with High Dynamic Range. It has to do with underexposure, ISO, and noise.

When you underexpose and then push your exposure in software, the image will be grainy. It's just how it is. When you up the ISO, pictures will also be grainy. You need to use software like Noise Ninja or Neat Image to reduce the noise.

 

[finbarqs]

i don't under expose and then push in software (i don't even know how), and i'm shooting at ISO 100. It just pisses me off sometimes when i take multiple exposures (different range of exposures) under the same lighting condition. -2, -1, 0, 1, 2. -2 came out grainy (to create the full range of HDR). Mind you i have a tripod. It's like out of no where, it decides to be grainy. That is what pisses me off.

Sorry fuzzy bunny, i had 2 questions. First, WHY the HELL are they coming out grainy! I'm using full manual including manual focus. I stop down to around... f8 or even f10 (since we get half stops on our awesome digital cameras) and properly adjust the shutter speed for the exposure i'm looking for. Anyway, I'm trying to achieve a longer DOF.

regarding HDR, i'm using CS2 and using the "merge to HDR" command. It doesn't come out exactly how i wanted it to come out. Maybe it's my lens not being able to capture enough detail... crappy factory glass ... But anyway, i've tried using the photomatix software, and it reproduces HDR images MUCH more to my liking. However, it came out grainy again...

film o film.. how i miss thee... But you are still a pain in the ass to develop and enlarge!

btw, ALL my pictures are almost always shot with ISO 100 (wish they had a 50 option...) except: indoor (400-800), shooting portraits at night, and i'm sure i'll figure more out.

Fuzzy babybunny, i see you have one shot with HDR in it, or a graduated neutral grey filter (if you have this, which one do you use?) tellll me!!! HDR is pissing me off! Also, when shooting clouds, how do you capture them? 'cause i know they're constantly moving.. well i guess it'll give me a "cool" effect...

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Can you provide sample pics of the graininess? One example of grainy and one example of not grainy? Without this I can't really tell you if it's normal or not, or hazard a guess as to why it's grainy.

Are the singular underexposed pictures grainy, or is it the final HDR image that's grainy?

Are you exposure bracketing at 3fps? Or are you manually changing the exposure for each shot? Are you shooting with a remote shutter cord? If you shoot without one your finger presses could jar the camera just enough so that the exposures don't line up properly, resulting in a blurred HDR photo.

I do not use a split ND, just HDR software like Photomatix. I usually exposure bracket for 3 shots, with a spread of 1 or 2/3 stops. If I have a spread of 1 stop, I will sometimes shoot my first three shot bracket at -2, -1, 0. Then I will quickly shoot another three shot bracket at 0, +1, +2. This process should only take 3-4 seconds to shoot effectively 5 pictures at -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, minimizing things like cloud or water movement.

 

[finbarqs]

i'm manually changing the exposure for each shot, and no shutter cord, so i have to be really really careful heh... luckily it comes out okay, BUT the clouds are moving! but lemme provide some samples pictures..

link for no HDR, but photoshop equalize (one exposure)

Adobe Photoshop "Merge to HDR" function with 7 different exposures

Photomatix HDR (as you can see) merging the same exposures as photoshop cs2.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Can you post the brightest and the darkest photos from the 7 picture set above (large versions please)? I think your noise problem in the foreground is because your foreground is too dark to begin with, and Photomatix has to push the exposure of this area, which results in noise.