RE Interior Shots - OM-D - Breathtaking Views

[MrSquished]

Oly OM-D EM-5 & the Oly 9-18mm. Shot in Raw, 5 shot bracketing at -2to+2EV, merged to 32-bit HDR in LR4 with Photomatix plugin, Tonemapped in LR4. All interior shots on tripod.

The two shots of the balcony were handheld though, also 5 shot bracketing but at 8FPS.

Views are gorgeous.

The apartment was so full of stuff. It was not dirty at all - and all the 'clutter' was mostly an insane amount of kids toys - i mean storage box after storage box of toys, and ones all about from a toy kitchen to stacks of games (3 kids)

it was unreal, and i regret now not taking pictures of the insane amounts of toys but that was not my focus. and due to client time constraints I didn't have the time to do as much as I wanted to (like catch the divet in the comfortor, a few other angles). I simply couldn't get some angles because we were moving tons of stuff out of every shot - and some parts they just couldn't clear. this is only my 10th property, and 2nd in HDR - which is why my rates are still quite low. i feel i am about 75% of where i want to be.

i couldn't do a damn thing better with any single Canikon APS-C and a wide angle than i could do with the OM-D UNLESS i had a tilt shift lens, that's it IMO

 

[MrSquished]

i wouldn't mind a camera mounted flash aimed up, along with the HDR, but that's $300 that I need. however setting up multiple off camera flashes on tripods would be a hassle, too time consuming and very tough in small spaces.

 

[arrfep]

Nice. HDR done right. Also glad to see it done with the m4/3 system.

However, I will say this: Picked up a D600 recently after having used 5D/5DII for a number of years. The ability to pull highlights and push shadows is as good as people have been saying, and my work (moving subjects in poorly lit environments) doesn't allow for tradtional HDR. But, I digress.

Love the photos. I'm close to picking up an OM-D as my go-to travel camera system.

 

[elitejp]

There are reasons why sensor size matters. And there are also reasons you may not need full frame. In good light most cameras will produce great pics and being able to shoot bracketed hdr will help as well. Glad you enjoy your camera

 

[Gintaras]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/01/01/best-camera-of-2012-results

Of course, camera itself doesn't do the 'tricks"....

and your photos are very nice.....

 

[iGas]

I agree that you can't do much better HDR using an aps-c, however a p&s (such as my old Canon S95) can do just as good a job in that ideal situation (full sunlight). In fact any camera with Manual mode can do the task but you have to take 3 or more images separately.

That said, the aps-c will perform better in low light, have much more lenses to chose from, and out of focus area is better for subject separation.

IMHO, if we go by your conclusion, then there isn't a need for full frame, medium format, or large format cameras.

 

[MrSquished]

I agree that you can't do much better HDR using an aps-c, however a p&s (such as my old Canon S95) can do just as good a job in that ideal situation (full sunlight). In fact any camera with Manual mode can do the task but you have to take 3 or more images separately.

That said, the aps-c will perform better in low light, have much more lenses to chose from, and out of focus area is better for subject separation.

IMHO, if we go by your conclusion, then there isn't a need for full frame, medium format, or large format cameras.

is there a P&S with an 9-18mm on MFT perspective? (or 7-14mm with a panny lens) not that i know of.

but you are correct in the sense that if there is a sensor small enough where base ISO's are very clean with tripod usage, shooting static objects, and you had the right focal length available, they would be good for photography like this.

if you didn't just want a unitasker, to be as versatile as the three main formats out now (FF, APS-C & MFT), they would also have to have cleaner higher ISO's and be interchangeable lens cameras, as well as a good lens selection.

of course i didn't make that clear. but yes, for interior shooting AS WELL AS being as flexible as traditional 'slr's, i believe MFT to be on firm ground.

- although the two outside balcony shots were handheld, 5 shot bracketing, no tripod. i just didn't have room to set up a tripod. that required high FPS as well.

 

[Paladin3]

i wouldn't mind a camera mounted flash aimed up, along with the HDR, but that's $300 that I need. however setting up multiple off camera flashes on tripods would be a hassle, too time consuming and very tough in small spaces.

I very much agree that you need to light up the interiors a bunch. A few flashes on tripods would not be too much work. It's what you need to brighten those rooms up and compete with other RE photographers.

Nice work.

 

[iGas]

I very much agree that you need to light up the interiors a bunch. A few flashes on tripods would not be too much work. It's what you need to brighten those rooms up and compete with other RE photographers.

Nice work.

The Oly have very quick flash sync, at 1/250s, but it going to take a lot more than a few flashes to fill-flash in the above pictures. In normal shooting situation exposing for the outdoor sky is +2 stop with sunny 16 rule, and in that situation you will need 1/200s, f32, at 200 ISO (Oly ISO limitation) to properly expose for the sky, and essentially render all flashes useless because of the sheer power requirement to match the sun power (even at normal 2/3 power for fill flash).

 

[Throckmorton]

The Oly have very quick flash sync, at 1/250s, but it going to take a lot more than a few flashes to fill-flash in the above pictures. In normal shooting situation exposing for the outdoor sky is +2 stop with sunny 16 rule, and in that situation you will need 1/200s, f32, at 200 ISO (Oly ISO limitation) to properly expose for the sky, and essentially render all flashes useless because of the sheer power requirement to match the sun power (even at normal 2/3 power for fill flash).

He's doing HDR so the flash doesn't have to overpower the sky

 

[MrSquished]

duplicate post

 

[MrSquished]

I'm looking at a Metz flash for the OM-D. Ill mount it on camera and bounce off the ceiling. Haven't had the money yet, focused on lenses. But I need it for other shooting as well anyway.s

What I need to research is how to mix the flash with HDR.

Currently I have an HDR Myset where the camera turns IBIS off (for use on tripod) shoots at 4FPS, anti-shock of 2seconds in between each shot, and to bracket 5 shots at -2EV -1Ev 0 +1EV +2EV - sometimes I dial in EC first and it brackets from that point as 0

Would I want the flash to fire on each of the 5 bracketed shots? Or Just on the two negative EV shots? I test these things out at home or a friends place before I use them for a client but curious to get opinions.

The exterior or outdoor shots I handhold the 5 bracketed shots at 9fps, hold my breath and they merge fine with photomatix plugin.

 

[Kaido]

Wow, was not disappointed, nice job :thumbsup:

 

[Slacker]

What's the rent?

 

[MrSquished]

What's the rent?

for sale. listed at $824K

 

[arrfep]

I'm looking at a Metz flash for the OM-D. Ill mount it on camera and bounce off the ceiling. Haven't had the money yet, focused on lenses. But I need it for other shooting as well anyway.s

What I need to research is how to mix the flash with HDR.

Currently I have an HDR Myset where the camera turns IBIS off (for use on tripod) shoots at 4FPS, anti-shock of 2seconds in between each shot, and to bracket 5 shots at -2EV -1Ev 0 +1EV +2EV - sometimes I dial in EC first and it brackets from that point as 0

Would I want the flash to fire on each of the 5 bracketed shots? Or Just on the two negative EV shots? I test these things out at home or a friends place before I use them for a client but curious to get opinions.

The exterior or outdoor shots I handhold the 5 bracketed shots at 9fps, hold my breath and they merge fine with photomatix plugin.

IMO, you won't need 5 bracketed shots if you start using a flash. In fact, for small rooms, it's conceivable you wouldn't need HDR at all (after all, that is the point of introducing auxiliary lighting when doing interior work). That last pic, for example, could have been done by lighting the interior with flash, balanced for the exterior light level.

 

[MrSquished]

IMO, you won't need 5 bracketed shots if you start using a flash. In fact, for small rooms, it's conceivable you wouldn't need HDR at all (after all, that is the point of introducing auxiliary lighting when doing interior work). That last pic, for example, could have been done by lighting the interior with flash, balanced for the exterior light level.

true. i could probably just do a 3 shot bracket. i looked at a lot of high end RE photography and read about it, rooms with a window view they seem to use HDR as well as some flash. in many cases in urban nice listings, that's a primary feature. ill have to practice as usual.

right now my biggest leads are with realtors in urban areas, where rooms are pretty small per se. often enough i am right in the door way shooting, i'd have nowhere to put multiple flashes without them getting into the shot unless i put them on little floor stands right in front of the camera.

i could get the wider 7-14mm lens aka 14-28mm FF vs the 9-18 aka 18-36mm FF that i have now, so i can be further into a room but be wider - but i've used it, i find that at 14mm it's too wide and distortion is hard to overcome. i find that 17-18mm FF is the sweet spot between the widest you want to go and distortion to get good verticals in architectural/interior shooting. of course, ultimately, a tilt-shift lens.

 

[arrfep]

true. i could probably just do a 3 shot bracket. i looked at a lot of high end RE photography and read about it, rooms with a window view they seem to use HDR as well as some flash. in many cases in urban nice listings, that's a primary feature. ill have to practice as usual.

right now my biggest leads are with realtors in urban areas, where rooms are pretty small per se. often enough i am right in the door way shooting, i'd have nowhere to put multiple flashes without them getting into the shot unless i put them on little floor stands right in front of the camera.

i could get the wider 7-14mm lens aka 14-28mm FF vs the 9-18 aka 18-36mm FF that i have now, so i can be further into a room but be wider - but i've used it, i find that at 14mm it's too wide and distortion is hard to overcome. i find that 17-18mm FF is the sweet spot between the widest you want to go and distortion to get good verticals in architectural/interior shooting. of course, ultimately, a tilt-shift lens.

Yeah, HDR would probably still be necessary, but to a lesser extent.

This is one of the few circumstances that a diffuser cap like a Fong Dong might actually be of use. Anything that mimics a bare-bulb flash, really, and throws light in essentially a 360° pattern. With rooms that small, a powerful single flash with the right light modifier can throw enough light that you'd only need to pop it once. Something cheap and old that you can use on manual. Larger rooms would of course be a different story.

I agree with your lens assessment. You could go wider and then fix distortion in post, but you usually end up losing most of that extra FOV when you warp and crop the final image.

 

[MrSquished]

had 4 bookings this week. including a couple places with nice views. still no flash, but using the radial filter tool in LR5 to add a bit more light to certain areas, like the ceiling

http://www.simplyathos.com/photos/i-NnSskwg/0/XL/i-NnSskwg-XL.jpg

 

[glen]

So, what mm lens do you think would be the sweet spot for a crop sensor?

 

[fralexandr]

nice pictures pixel
i like the colors, and those properties look nice , it looks like it's at least several stories above ground?

i personally like the 11-13mm range for aps-c on indoor shots.
there's a 8-16mm sigma ultrawide non-fisheye (i think it's for crop sensors) if you're interested in super wide (8 is 25% wider than 10 ).
it'd be nice if there were some common 10-12mm primes for cheap

though sticking with the same make as the camera body might help with in body distortion correction, if you don't like Photoshop.

 

[cantholdanymore]

Dude I like your pictures, but I think you're over emphasizing the exteriors. I understand that your clients may want to advertize the view but from a buyer point of view I would like a little more light in the interiors

 

[Aharami]

i disagree. his pictures make the rooms look open and airy, with light pouring in through the windows. And tbh, the views are what sells properties like these. Nice pictures.

 

[MrSquished]

thanks! i shoot everything with an MFT camera and a 9-18mm lens, so 18-36mm FF equivalent. i used to have a panny 7-14mm, so 14-28mm equiv. while the lens was sharper, it was too flare prone. also, at 14mm FF the distortion was just too much. i am with you, the 11-13mm APS-C is pretty much exactly what i am using on MFT. 18mm FF is about as wide as i want distortion wise, while still getting a lot.

i know what you are saying Can'tHold which is why I am using the radial filter to lighten inside a bit, but the views are just as important for this type of listing. in this one the client loved it. saving up for a metz 58 to experiment but $$ is tight. hope to get one in June.

just shot a place now and took a larger range of exposures. going to try something else in LR5 with HDR tonemapping see if i can try something else out.

this was another place from this week. views were not as important so a bit different. do you like these better?

i loved this room below, so i did a little bit of an artistic touch up to it for dramatic effect for my portfolio

 

[cantholdanymore]

I like what you did in the first one leaving the lights on, and the third one you can feel the light entering through the window. Looking at your pictures I think my problem is that I don't like dark interiors (hate those maroon bed covers).
I've being considering the 9-18mm for a few months now, and your images are convincing me to go ahead a get it