Messages

What an incredible visual  and sound experience. Never knew the festival existed.
Nice job on the filming, fun to see ML in action in a major production piece. If it (ML) is good enough for Disney... should be good enough for everyone.

Looks great. What lens did you use? Website says 18mm FL? No way unless you were on the Space Lab.

How is adjusting the exposure slider in Lightroom (or whichever program you use) easier than selecting the best of 3 photos? 1/2 EV would be more than adequate for the scenario you described, and personally for just that increment, I still wouldn't capture bracketed shots as a single RAW file captures much more dynamic range.

Malcom, are you asking the question or setting the stage for discussion by posing the question? Seems confusing to me.
I'm guessing the later because of your defense of 1/2 stops. In either case I would challenge whether 'easier' is the goal.
Quicker or better might be more like it, but again either way I'm with you, one RAW file will support way more than 1/3 stop.
Anyway, why limit one self to picking a photo out of 3 or more with 1/3 diffs, when you can adjust in much smaller increments anyway.
We will still take the time to adjust in a controlled environment, like a calibrated monitor and consistently lit room.

'Thanks for the reply. I do shoot RAW. Of course, I'll have to see how this goes but the idea is to get as close to the correct exposure as possible without adjustments. Also saves time in the field avoiding the need to chimp.

I can't imagine having an image come so close to correct I won't adjust somehow anyway. That is the beauty and advantage of RAW.
If you were just shooting JPG then I'd want to be much closer and have concern. Also, not seeing any time saved in the field compared to what you still might need to do later.

What is chimp?

So rfk...
Your posts read as if you shoot brackets all the time in hopes of snagging the great shot.
Obviously you are entitled to your own methodology but I have to disagree here and would not want to leverage the method because...

• -This will indisputably will tax your shutter count needlessly.
• -Too many factors beyond 1/3 stop can change a captured scene.
• -This certainly adds more time to download and review because of the frame count.
• -Drive space is cheap but now you have to spend time deleting too. Unless you like to fill up a drive with 24mb+- files for fun.
• -Are you using TTL metering to get close?
• -It only takes seconds to tweak exposure in something like Lightroom at any increment you want up to +-4 full stops. (I would now suggest if you missed by more than 2 full stops or less some practice is needed.)
• -In post you have a controlled environment (or should) to view our results. I don't trust the little screen on the back of the camera any further than to see if I missed badly for some reason. Certainly not for a final shot. How could you in daylight and ever changing conditions if outside.

All in all, I'd be more concerned about getting "The shot" because of more drastic scene changes not 1/3 exposures. And if I did leverage this practice I'd be trying to capture at full stop increments because I do trust the software and file type to adequately cover for me and not waste time in the field.  Practice and experience will get you there with more confidence too.
JMHO, good luck with that.

All I seem to have access to are 1/2 stop increments. I do not use HDR but I do use bracketing for exposure insurance and 1/3 stops can make or break getting the perfect exposure - for me.

If you shoot in RAW adjusting for exposure in post should be no problem for the difference between 1/2 and 1/3 stops.

I had a chance to play with ML shooting video the other day. The video is simple and nothing incredibly creative but interesting effect.  Notice how anything that was glossy retained a smoother effect; glass on windows, guitar varnish.

Used ML on 550D w/all movie defaults except 'Cartoon' Image Effects, and had audio gain boost on right and left channel w/ext cheapo mic.

The artist Leon Littlebird, is playing my vintage 1964 Silvertone guitar, sound is pretty good, no post tweaks. Click image to play...

I like it. What was your range of EV?  I expect a broader range of exposure with only three frames might bring out more detail in the shadows. Nice comp on the falls.

Great dramatic Colorado scenery. Very nice image. Those clouds are just fantastic.

Thanks K! Dark skies with clouds often produce great HDR fruit.

Cool effects. Please elaborate on your process. I get the long exposure part but what else...
Was ML involved in the HDR part, tripod and hand held remote flash, how many shots processed @ ?ev levels,
We are all curious, thanks.

Can't wait for a good storm to roll through. Nice work.

I say go for it if you have a spare camera laying around. They guy raised over $14K in just 17 days. Brilliant!

Great job on the video!
I've been wondering about shutter life too. 100,000 clicks in a T2i per Canon.
Anyone have any real life experience here? How long does a shutter really last?

Spectacular! Real cool, especially the Borealis.

Looking forward to trying out 'SinCity'.
Thanks!

I really appreciate your development efforts and support.
Do you ever get any sleep?

I think I need to tr this tool. Looks very interesting.

I pressed it and one week later a friend of mine broke a leg.

Sucks to be him/her.
Are you still a friend?

Really nice shot, Dave!  I would have no hope of making even a 5 shot capture of subject matter like this, even if ML did use high-speed shooting.  My envisioned scenario is more like this: 

- I'm out with my camera and no tripod and find a nice architectural shot that is in heavy shade and bright light. 
- I can brace against a lamp post or bench; not as steady as a tripod, but OK.

Thanks Paul! I like the perspective you captured, the wide-angle really accentuates that. A little grittiness with noise could go good with those subjects. I love architecture too but have not put much attention to it yet.  Out here where I am I get more ancient ruins than industrial buildings.

Have you thought using a bean bag to steady the camera? Fits easy in a small backpack and not too heavy. I use a Crown Royal whiskey bag full coffee beans. Put them in a plastic bag inside the CR bag. Cheap and effective, plus if camping the coffee is close at hand.

Paul, in your golf shot did you capture the ball in the other shots as well?

I also noticed that ML's 3x was slower than Canon's 3x bracketing. I did try 9x and found that the camera went out of range anyway unless you use ISO shifting. Usually 5x is ample for me.

For handheld bracketing you really need a steady hand even at only 3 shots irrespective of shutter exposure keeping in mind scene changes even slightly will ruin the end result. Photomatix does well to remove ghosting but still........

Where ML is great for me is HDR timelapse bracketing 3x exposure shift at 1.5. The intervelometer is a real beauty for me.

You got Paul the OP and I confused.
To answer you question this was a single shot capturing the ball in motion, no other shots of the scene taken. You missed that in the dialog above.

Stunning!

Thankyou!

What are the 5 pictures for?

HDR is a post processing technique where you merge multiple exposures of the same shot in order to capture all detail in the scene and still look pleasingly exposed.
5 was my choice in this example. you can use any number you wish depending in the results you wish to achieve.
If you study HDR you'll understand. You see how the detail and color was enhanced compared with the first example, a single shot before merging.

Is there any way to implement font size choice for these menus and LV display?

I realize it will change what can be seen on a single screen (next page prompt or scrolling ok with me), but as we humans age the harder it gets to see the ML tiny font display on an already dim LV display. I've increased the brightness for daylight viewing, it helps little.

Thanks!

Forgive me, reading backwards in the thread it looks like most of my post could get accommodated.
I still didn't notice where LV might get a font choice. Is this possible?

I'm south of Evergreen.

Is there any way to implement font size choice for these menus and LV display?

I realize it will change what can be seen on a single screen (next page prompt or scrolling ok with me), but as we humans age the harder it gets to see the ML tiny font display on an already dim LV display. I've increased the brightness for daylight viewing, it helps little.

Thanks!

[Good Luck!]

The reason high speed is important is for the following reasons:
1. I have a higher chance of keeping the camera steady and pointed in the same exact location if I only have to hold it for approximately half the time.
2. The scene changes less from the first to the last shot.  Very important for shot with moving people or blowing trees!

Paul,
I expected this is what you where after but confirmation of goals helps narrow down the path to success. I've learned both of your reasons are challenges to HDR processing. So how to over come them? Here is what I do now. Basically one could say, "The stove is hot, don't touch", but that is not in our nature as it blocks our ambition to achieve better.

Your item #1; If I have to hand-hold the cam, keep the shutter speed as high as possible while maintaining image quality. Motion blur would be your enemy here. Then in processing alignment of the frames can be achieved so hopefully and movement you had shooting will be compensated. Photomatix does this well as an option, I can't comment on others.

Your item #2; I expect even with high FPS you will have trouble with moving objects.  I've thought of complex ways to tackle this but have not gone there yet. My easiest solution was to synthesize multiple exposures in Lightroom from a single frame by exporting with different EV steps, then process with your tool of choice. Example below. A pretty good result capturing extreme motion.

Although this involves no leverage of ML, I'm sure there are other ways to accommodate moving objects for HDR with ML.
Would like to hear from other users how they do it.



Other hand-held examples here:
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1957.0

Good Luck!
Dave

It is amazing how many variations, styles and effects we can all come up with.
Interesting work - Vertigo!

[Isn't that fun?]

Here is a series of versions as a result of ML2.3 - HDR - Auto - 5exp - 1EV. Hand-held, I was in a hurry. I'll be back with my sturdiest tripod.
Taken 6-AUG-2012, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, North America, high alpine environment near tree-line, knarly twisted wind blown trees known as "Krummholz".
Gallery with larger examples here:
http://www.hdroamer.com/GeoTerra/Rocky-Mountain-National-Park/24650716_2SJ9XW

This shot had best histogram of 5 (4th darkest) ISO100- F11- 1/200sec, straight out of the cam with only lens correction applied before HDR processing all 5 with Photomatix.


A fairly natural HDR version



Version 3 with a bit of HDR fantasy and weather added.



Isn't that fun?