How to use bracketing exposures

Father Guido Sarducci wrote:
> In message news:DIednURt9rsXWwPUnZ2dnUVZ8h6WnZ2d@posted.plusnet, bugbear
> said:
>
>> Don Stauffer wrote:
>>
>>> Bracketing does not necessarily use camera automation. One brackets
>>> even on a tripod. But, I have also used camera automated bracketing
>>> even on tripod. Lazy form of bracketing as opposed to doing it
>>> manually.
>> When taking bracketed shots for HDR, automatic bracketing
>> reduces the chance of nudgeing the camera/tripod
>> hard enough to mis align the shots.
>
> Here's how I roll HDRs on a tripod-mounted D700:
>
> 1. Set camera for raw image capture. (I will batch process later on so
> that post-processing is uniform).
> 2. Set camera for Aperture priority AE.
> 3. Set camera to manual focus.
> 4. Setup bracketing for 5 exposures, 1 stop apart.
> 5. Set camera to Mirror Lock Up.
> 6. Attach Phottix programmable cable release.
> 7. Program Phottix to fire shutter 10 times (5 for MLU, 5 to take
> picture), 4 seconds apart (so that vibration subsides after MLU.
>

CHDK is cheaper, and I don't get mirror vibration
on a non SLR (Canon A630)

SLRs have other advantages , of course.

BugBear

carp wrote:
> Tripod and several shots would be perfect for still life/studio
> compositions; what about when everything is in motion and there is no
> opportunity to use a tripod? Is it then that bracketing comes into its
> own?
>
>
> On 19 Feb, 14:50, Don Stauffer wrote:
>> carp wrote:
>> > I often take shots with a (technical term please wide range of tone
>> > - black to white; parts of my picture are burned out or underexposed.
>>
>> > My Canon 10D allows bracketing, so that when the shot fires, I will
>> > also have exposures 3 stops up and down from where I set the exposure.
>>
>> > My problems/questions are:
>>
>> > 1) Which bracketing option setting should I use on the camera?
>> > 2) Once I have the several images in Photoshop, (lets say three: one a
>> > little over, another underexposed and the third ok in most parts) how
>> > do I go about cherry picking the best parts of each image and then
>> > combining them into a single, perfectly exposed 4th image?
>> > 3) Do you use this bracketing technique much? Now with larger memory
>> > sticks it is a lot more feasible.
>>
>> There is a difference between bracketing and HDR photography. It sounds
>> like you are trying to combine the two.
>>
>> Bracketing makes small changes in exposure, assuming you are somewhere
>> near the right exposure to start with. You do not combine the images,
>> you merely select the best to work further with. It is used for normal
>> scenes where camera can capture the entire range, but you just need to
>> optimize the exposure.
>>
>> With HDR you make several shots ON A TRIPOD with a wider range of
>> exposures than in bracketing. Software then combines the shots, and
>> cranks down the contrast of the result so it will all print. PS, PSP
>> have such subprograms, or you can find standalone software to do HDR. It
>> is used for scenes with a VERY wide dynamic range, beyond capability of
>> the camera to capture.
>
I found that the PaintShopPro HDR feature is the best (and easiest) of
all. My Canon 20D, handheld,provides the sequence of 3 shots needed. The
program easily realigns the pictures automatically, and does a wonderful
job of combining the best features of each. The program is MUCH cheaper
than Photoshop and has a very short learning curve. Also, there are a
load of tutorials available on line.