Konica Hexanon AR 3.5/28 7-element EE version

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Actually that's not the idea, I'm trying to be realistic, more like the way the human eye sees a scene than a traditional photograph depicts it, not easy but I am slowly getting there, I have a new series shot yesterday to post, some of those look very realistic, I will post them as soon as I finish processing them, it takes a long time to assemble an image from 40 exposures - stitching 8 5-shot HDR images.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Here is yesterday's series with the Hexanon 3.5/28, think these are a bit more realistic looking.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

So many great pictures! Congrats! Some of them require more saturation in my opinion, but most of them just stunning!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes, there is room for tweaking, for sure, but after 24hrs of work putting them together (nearly all are stitched from many exposures) I have had enough and need an early night! I will play with ACDSee and see what improvements I can make.

There is still a series shot with my Tokina 17mm of the same subjects to finish processing...

I need a faster PC!

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Holy cow, you've nailed the HDR technique alright!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers Graham, it took a lot of work to get it right and I think I've about worn my eyes and PC out doing so!

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

It would be easy, but wrong, to judge those pictures in the same way that we would judge a picture showing the same view but taken in one shot. It would be interesting to see some comparison 'single' shots Ian, I think it would make your efforts that much more appreciated. I'm not being critical, I think they're very very good, but the difference, without that comparison, is kinda hard to judge.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

That's a good point David. Sadly I've deleted all the RAW files but when I shoot another series I will do as you suggest. To my eyes, the difference is massive. You have to remember this series was shot on a horrid, dull gray day with intermittent rain, there was no blue in the sky to the naked eye, single shots looked dull, flat, not good. If you look at the panorama facing out to sea with the fishing boats, that shot is not HDR, it's very flat and the sky is just flat gray, but I did this deliberately as I wanted a stark, minimalist look. As you probably know, Cumbria in November is dull, wet and windy, HDR would seem to allow better photography in such circumstances and for me, that is a great thing as 6 months of the year can be horrid up here.

I did keep this example from the Seathwaite series. First is a single 10 second exposure with an ND8 filter, second is a 6 shot HDR with same ND8 filter (cheap 3ukp Chinese plastic one).

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

Yes, you can see the difference, the first shot on its own would be ok, maybe not worthy of hanging on the wall but it's ok. The second has detail and vibrance, the detail on the wet rocks in the shade is all there. It's a big difference. It's interesting to see that comparison.

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

You're just getting better and better Ian!

Regarding the 7-element version: could we specify serial number range perhaps? Mine is 7182720. All metal.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words.

I will check my serial number for you.

Got car stuck in the mud which spoilt today's shoot, but I did manage these, first two not HDR, third one is HDR, just for comparison's sake.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

The two woodland shots - I wouldn't know that 3 was HDR, which for me is a good thing. I looked at them for a long time, flicking up and down. Initially I preferred 2, the colours on the fallen leaves looked a bit more natural. But it's the sun streaming through that's the difference. In 3 it's way better ( top left ) and because that looks better, the fallen leaves look more natural in 3 for that light. If that makes sense ? Idea

You're on a winner Ian.
Very Happy

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Cheers David. I too, liked #2 first, but after looking at them preferred #3. I think those two show why I like HDR - it enables you to conquer tricky lighting situations and if done right, doesn't need to be unrealistic. Human vision I think, looks more like 3 than 2, and I like the idea of makng scenes that look as they would if you were stood there, that is why I us minimum aperture too, so everything is in focus, same as it is to the naked eye.

revers · Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 11:48 pm Post subject:

The long shots look very good but not the short ones.

Edit: I see I was pages behind, my comment is based on the original few pics.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

That NEX is serving you quite well, Ian. Some of those shots are outstanding. Wow, and it only seems a few short months ago you couldn't get anything in focus but a lonely pidgeon on a chimney. Wink

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3669 Location: Calgary

I'm close to pulling the trigger on a NEX 5N, I really want the 7 but I don't think I can wait that long till it's available.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Another example of how HDR helps in bad light. I went to the top of Kirby Fell, it was very dark indeed and misty, this shot gives a good impression of the level of light:

HDR of the same scene isn't very realistic but at least it's half decent compared to the single exposure, I used an ND8 filter to blur the water:

BTW, anyone else think there is some 3D 'pop' to this image?

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Photomatix.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

1 minute in Photoshop Elements 6, I know you said that your HDR wasn't very realistic, I agree. Mine might be crap as well ?
But sometimes the quick fix - most of what I did was 'auto levels' 'auto colour correction' - does the job. My point is, that particular picture was taken on a grey day, and no amount of trickery will disguise that. It can help, it can even save an important picture, but it shouldn't be a substitute for allowing a picture to look natural. If you can use HDR and achieve that, then go for it. I believe that you're looking for the natural look, and your pictures deserve that.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I take your point, I could have tweaked the single exposure, I deliberately didn't to illustrate what the scene looked like in terms of available light. In the case of that shot I wasn't going for realistic, I was trying an artistic effect with the blurred water thorugh use of an ND8 filter.

Here's the rest of today's set, found a rather attractive river with many rapids/waterfalls.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

very well done Ian!