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Exposure bracketing

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
This feature - Exposure Stacking available in Oly 5 Mk II - is very pleasant and I love it.
This shot was done merging 5 photos and re-adjusted in LR at taste. Other way it would be a very difficult photo to do as the light available was very poor.
i-VjBJQt2-XL.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Excellent result!

It’s the very close objects that will move between shots, were you close or is this with a longer focal length. Still the alignment for the details on the golden hair seems perfect!

Does the stacking and alignment occur in the camera? Can it be done handheld?

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
The shots are raw and everything is done in LR automatically. (control+H)
The adjustments are automatic in LR but customisable, of course...
I introduced some adjustments at will
I like this. It returns amazing images.
Bellow, a simple one. Doors and monk

i-jvnCvRK-XL.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hand shots !!!

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Antonio,

I like this as a series, all together, as it’s comntemplative. We get the idea of reflection over a long period of time with moments of doubt, reflection of self and then enlightenment!

Remarkably simple yet paradoxically deep and complex!

This is both impulsive on your part and scholarly!

What does Luisa say?

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I’ve heard of Focus Stacking and Focus Bracketing as well as Exposure Bracketing with Olympus cameras Antonio - but not Exposure Stacking per say.

I remember playing with HDR (bracketed exposures processed in PS) years ago with my Nikon D200. It would allow 5 exposure variations both plus and minus I believe - a max of 9 stops. I did a set of shots that exposed for my brighter office area, and into a dark hallway. I remember being surprised that this technique resulted in noticeably less noise in the deepest shadow areas. That seemed like a bonus to me.

I haven’t really played with it since. Especially with my Olympus cameras having a dedicated HDR button or setting on it, I’m someone who would normally try it out. That setting does do the combining in camera. Although separate bracketing of a wider range of exposures as you have done would provide more variation for combining in post, depending on the needs. You have me intrigued Antonio.

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Antonio Correia

Well-known member
@ Asher
Luisa likes this work but she is far more creative than I am.
I became a picky guy !
Some of her shots "Revisited Burma"

@ Robert
Exposure braketing is not available neither in all Olys nor in all Panas. You will have to search if your cameras do it.
Settings bellow and a quick merge in LR (select all baked shots, then Control H)

i-8XLHNw9-X2.jpg


i-5FZp2Kn-XL.jpg

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Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Thanks Antonio. I believe that all Olympus cameras have Exposure Bracketing. Certainly my E-PL3, E-M10 and E-M1, all have it. And it appears that Panasonic cameras do as well. https://www.hdrsoft.com/resources/aeb.html

I am wondering if you are confused by the term that you used for this post - Exposure Stacking - which isn’t a feature of Olympus cameras. There is Focus Stacking and Focus Blending which is only available on certain cameras - like my E-M1 mark I. But it could be that I am confused.

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Antonio Correia

Well-known member
There is many Focus something indeed.
I do not see the use of ISO bracketing. Do you ?
It is true that I have never googled about it...

The Exposure Bracketing worked perfectly on the monk's shot. It is true that he was posing...

This image is not perfect but it is great !

i-v7q6ML5-XL.jpg


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Robert Watcher

Well-known member
As for the need for ISO Bracketing —— I guess that would be useful with situations in which it is desirable to maintain the same shutter speed and f-stop through the series of bracketed images. The same reasoning to use Auto ISO with Manual Exposure settings. The aperture and shutter speed stay the same and the variation in exposure is a result of the different ISO settings.

If I remember correctly, that is basically what I did with my Nikon D200 years ago. I wasn’t using Auto Exposure Bracketing, I just changed the ISO for each shot. I think that is why I was surprised at how clean the noise was in the darker areas that were exposed at high ISO, when all the shots were combined.


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Robert Watcher

Well-known member
BTW - Focus Stacking and Bracketing are an amazing feature that is just in specific Olympus cameras - and it only works with a few specific lenses. With the firmware upgrade for my E-M1 mark I, I have that ability. But i’ve Never tried the feature because I don’t own any of the required lenses. I have on a couple of occasions done something similar by focusing Manually through a series of shots from the same perspective. That can be done with any lens.


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ISO bracketing in Fuji cameras is just multiple interpretations of the same RAW file, so you have to wonder what the point is. It would seem to make more sense to create virtual copies in Lightroom to combine as HDR or manually in Photoshop for the rare occasions when this is required. Many HDR programs offer single-image HDR in any case. Also, I presume most non-Canon sensors these days are pretty much ISO-invariant anyway so it's not going to have much effect.

(I currently have over 500 stacks to process when I get to it, mainly exposure but some focus, from my last trip).
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
Todays sensors are much better than they were ten years ago.But introducing auto anything will still effect the signal to noise ratio. It is easy to shoot a low ISO and expose for highlights and lift shadows with today's technology. Furthermore people pay more attention to the brightness than they do shadows when looking and pictures. But bracketing is still a good idea for the assurance of not over exposing something. Highlight weighted metering built into some cameras works wonders.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Off-topic a tad, but related to Murray’s XT use!

BTW, Murray, when using flash, indoors, in dim light, does the Fuji XT allow you to see the subject by brightening the LCD?

Or do you just rely on the AF being accurate?

Asher
 
Asher, I haven't used a flash in over thirty years. The low light sensitivity of the X-T2 is fine but the low light AF, especially for moving subjects, is not nearly as good as my Nikon D3s, though it holds focus well once it's got it. The X-T3 is supposed to be a lot better but I haven't tried one yet.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
The GXF could have greater AF sensitivity in very low light! The scene has to be underexposed with available light when using studio flash but one has to still see the scene in the studio!

I deal with that by increasing the gain on the LCD!

The new 100 MP GFX with have this solved!

Asher
 
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