Dual ISO - massive dynamic range improvement (dual_iso.mo)

Started by a1ex, July 16, 2013, 06:33:50 PM

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a1ex

Time for the first real image quality improvement in ML history :)

Here's a trick that samples half of the sensor at ISO 100 and the other half at ISO 1600, for example. If you mix these two, you can get almost the entire dynamic range the sensor is capable of (around 14 stops). 5D3/7D only. Now it works on most cameras!

There are no motion artifacts; not even a difference in motion blur for the two exposures. So, it works well for fast moving subjects.



Please post your samples here -> Thread photos dual ISO

More samples on Flickr (tag: Dual-ISO)
Tutorial - Guide to using Dual ISO Mode on your Canon 5D Mark III
Open Source Brings High-End Canon 5D MK III Dynamic Range Closer to Nikon D800
Dual ISO vs Exmor: on CanonRumors, reddit, POTN and FredMiranda.

Code
- dual_iso module
- recent nightly builds should have this working on most cameras

Technical doc
- dual_iso.pdf (in-depth description of how it works)
- See also: ADTG and CMOS discussion

Warning
This code changes low-level sensor parameters. In the technical doc you can see how this method messes with the feedback loop for optical black, for example. Since the original implementation, many people have tried it (including timelapse), with very few side effects reported (e.g. more hot pixels than usual on long exposures). However, that's not a guarantee.

We don't pay for repairs. Use it at your own risk.


Usage
- Select one ISO from Canon menu, the other from Dual ISO submenu.
- Expose to the right for the lower ISO (usually ISO 100). Maybe darken 1 stop from there.
- Start at ISO 100/800.
- Try a larger gap for really extreme situations, or a smaller gap for better midtone detail (less aliasing).

Histograms, ETTR, playback tricks

- ETTR integrates with dual ISO (just enable both). It will use dual ISO only in high dynamic range scenes. Adjust the SNR limits to let the algorithm know what exactly is a "high dynamic range scene" and to fine-tune the balance between midtone/shadow noise and highlight aliasing.

- Raw zebras: weak markers appear where only one of the two ISOs is overexposed (likely to get aliasing), strong markers appear where both ISOs are overexposed (there's no more detail in these areas).  See here for examples.

- Raw histogram will use the darker exposure. Consider the brighter one as some sort of shadow recovery.
- JPEG zebras/histogram are totally unreliable.
- In photo LiveView you will see the ISO from Canon menu. In movie mode, you will see horizontal lines.
- Playback in 1x will show some sort of HDR preview. At certain zoom levels, you'll be able to see only one of the two exposures, at very low resolution.
- The dynamic range indicator from the histogram is not accurate. (solved!)

Postprocessing

- Reference converter: cr2hdr.c (Windows: cr2hdr.exe). It requires dcraw and (optional) exiftool in your executable path (they are in the zip). Drag and drop the CR2 files over cr2hdr.exe.

- For RAW video files, use the following commands in a terminal:

mlv_dump clip.mlv --dng --no-fixcp --no-stripes
cr2hdr --same-levels *.DNG


- GUI frontends:
   - Lightroom plugin (WIN/MAC)
   - BarracudaGUI (WIN)
   - Script for multiple instances of cr2hdr (WIN, VBScript)
   - Mac GUI for cr2hdr: OSX_cr2hdr_app.zip and OSX_cr2hdr.zip
   - MLV to DNG Batch Converter (WIN, video only)
   - MLP (MAC)

- To get a natural HDR look: try my automatic color grading script.

Price to pay
- Half resolution in highlights and shadows
- Aliasing and moire - of course, in highlights and shadows
- You can no longer check critical focus when zooming in

Samples

This is actually a video frame from 5D Mark III. Here's the DNG.
Bottom-left: ISO 100. Top-right: ISO 100/1600.
Credits: Luke Neumann.



The next one is a still photo from 5D Mark III. Here's the DNG and the original CR2. ISO 100/1600.






Questions? Read the pdf first. The mystery should clear up, I hope.

That's it. Looking forward to your samples.

Andy600

Colorist working with Davinci Resolve, Baselight, Nuke, After Effects & Premier Pro. Occasional Sunday afternoon DOP. Developer of Cinelog-C Colorspace Management and LUTs - www.cinelogdcp.com

driftwood

Canon 60D, Canon 5DMK3, Lexar 1000x 128GB CF, Panasonic (shhhh!) GH2s & GH3s. :-)

iaremrsir

 :o Mother of God, this is amazing! You guys never fail to impress!

platu

Wow... so clever!   And so useful!!  Thank you for your work on this and for the in depth technical docs.

ilguercio

It's all very interesting but it's a shame that you can only use the trick on the 5DIII and sort of on the 7D.
I guess that this research could easily lead into other interesting things, being able to control the sensor readout is a BIG thing.

Canon EOS 6D, 60D, 50D.
Sigma 70-200 EX OS HSM, Sigma 70-200 Apo EX HSM, Samyang 14 2.8, Samyang 35 1.4, Samyang 85 1.4.
Proud supporter of Magic Lantern.

critycal


D.L. Watson

See my portfolio of work at www.dlwatson.net

Danne

This is too crazy. Who could ever imagine. The mother of all updates, with raw video to. E x c e l l e n t!

Stedda

5D Mark III -- 7D   SOLD -- EOS M 22mm 18-55mm STM -- Fuji X-T1 18-55 F2.8-F4 & 35 F1.4
Canon Glass   100L F2.8 IS -- 70-200L F4 -- 135L F2 -- 85 F1.8 -- 17-40L --  40 F2.8 -- 35 F2 IS  Sigma Glass  120-300 F2.8 OS -- 50 F1.4 -- 85 F1.4  Tamron Glass   24-70 2.8 VC   600EX-RT X3

anchoricex

Please, for everyones sake people, don't come in here and ask "when can we expect this for <insert canon model here>"

The 5dmkiii is a highly capable camera and with it's hardware it makes sense that many of these new developments are coming forward on this platform. I, myself, moved on from my 550d to the 5dmkiii because of the future course of Magic Lantern developments.

This is an insane development to come in the midst of all the raw development. So much new stuff to go forward with, I'd imagine it's going to be quite some time before a stable release is on the horizon

johnha

Incredible work. The white paper was illuminating. Thank you A1ex!

jaybirch

Words fail me.... Amazing.

Look forward to testing this out


ilguercio

The way i understand it is that no further moire or aliasing is introduced in raw while recording vs stills.
This is amazing.
Canon EOS 6D, 60D, 50D.
Sigma 70-200 EX OS HSM, Sigma 70-200 Apo EX HSM, Samyang 14 2.8, Samyang 35 1.4, Samyang 85 1.4.
Proud supporter of Magic Lantern.

discocalculi

Awesome! Should buy myself some new cameras instead of lenses. Looks promising.

Stedda

Quote from: anchoricex on July 16, 2013, 07:43:48 PM
Please, for everyones sake people, don't come in here and ask "when can we expect this for <insert canon model here>"

Amen, just reading the PDF should answer that question. Other cameras aren't sold with the same level of hardware as the higher end cameras.
5D Mark III -- 7D   SOLD -- EOS M 22mm 18-55mm STM -- Fuji X-T1 18-55 F2.8-F4 & 35 F1.4
Canon Glass   100L F2.8 IS -- 70-200L F4 -- 135L F2 -- 85 F1.8 -- 17-40L --  40 F2.8 -- 35 F2 IS  Sigma Glass  120-300 F2.8 OS -- 50 F1.4 -- 85 F1.4  Tamron Glass   24-70 2.8 VC   600EX-RT X3

Kabuto1138

Amazing, I had to read this 3 times so I can make sure what I was reading was what think it is.  Holly crap.  Is official, 5dIII is a mini Alexa.

BTW Alex, I can't access the PDF you posted in Dropbox.  It gives me an error.

Frank209

Error (509)
This account's public links are generating too much traffic and have been temporarily disabled!



This just means that we all love you A1ex!

jc

sounds an amazing feature!!! so useful for HDR stills with motion in them .. and for video might be even more amazing
I can't however get any of the links to work? they say :

Error (509)
This account's public links are generating too much traffic and have been temporarily disabled!

Could the files be hosted elsewhere please?

James

wintix


duncanidaho25

5D2 |  VAF-5d2b | Komputerbay 64GB 1000x  | 14, 24, 35, 85 Samyang Lens Set  | 50, 180 Nikon | Marshall V-LCD51 | DigiFinder | 528s LED Amaran lights

Rick M

Awesome work; I don't have a 5DIII, so wont' be able to enjoy the cool stuff like this, but it's definitely a sign of progress that you guys are getting deeper into how the sensors are working and what not.

Random question that has to do with the sensor workings: On lower end models, would it be possible to reduce moire/anti-aliasing by modifying the sensor read outs or something similar? I know the 5DIII is typically moire/anti-aliasing free, but I'm not quite sure how or why that is. I know there's also the VAF filters available for lower end cameras, but still, with this type of manipulation I'm curious if there would be a way to reduce this common problem on lower end models.

Thanks for the awesome work you guys do and any time it takes to answer my question (which might be really foolish).

IliasG

Magical !!!!!!

Although the bad side effects (low resolution moire aliasing) are serious defects.

Just thinking loudly ..
What if you try with alternating ISO line by line and use no interpolation just scale the not-burned hiISO pixels by low/hi (zero point should be the Black level). Then a good highlight recovery algo can make the job it knows best ...
This could decrease the DR expansion a bit (1 stop ??) but I think denoise algos can make a good job there also .. I am thinking of denoise at raw level like those at the "RAW" tab of RawTherapee

Line by line interlacing will give the opportunity to use hi ISO on the weak line depending on the WB (red for daylight, blue for tungsten) ..   

haemma