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Anyway, here's in the processed image in Dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7gsb9hp7p17nnh9/Backbone.jpg

Image clearly didn't post. OK I'm dumb!!!

Dropbox updated with .cr2s.

If it works: here is a CeroNoice processed image:



Not sure if there is a size or downsizing engine working here?

Alex

Here is a TIFF that exhibits the matrix-lije artifact:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2z5k0ylrh642s0z/CVBp6urTtI

Alex

Try this link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5i1by5uw86hz8nc/yZhcwsHQaF

Alex/Engardeknave

The 'issues' I have seen, having spent a weekend playing with CeroNoice, is that it only works with my 14-bit images, ie not 12-bit. BTW how do I send you bracketed images from my S95? I have a dropbox but I think I need your email address to share. I'm sorry, I'm not up to speed on dropboxes etc.

The other issue I have seen is that some images have a very fine, ie a pitch of 4 pixels, slightly dark grid imprinted on the processed image. Clearly visible.

I also always get padding warnings and exposure <= 0 warning. But as these don't appeared to interfere with the processing I ignore them!

I have also tweaked by workflow by making my .bat an .exe. This way I simply export the images from in LR and by .exe does the rest in the background, ie the user sees no command window and the CeroNoice processed image 'magically' appears in a LR watched folder. I also added in some error handling, ie checking for the right input (.cr2 or .dng) and returning an error jpeg to LR instead of a 32-bit TIFF. My .exe also returns the TIFF with the original file name plus a "_32bit" appended for identification.

I will compare images with other 32-bit merging routes asap.

Cheers

As I process my images with CeroNoice, I notice that some appear to have a 'matrix' patterning over the entire image.

If I zoom in, to where I see pixels, it seems the darker matrix/grid is every fourth pixel.

Has anyone else seen this?

Following the example of kichetof with his Dual-ISO Lightroom Plugin, I have created a (near) seamless plug-in-like workflow for CeroNoice. The only limitation is that it is Windows based: sorry Mac users.

What I have done is create a .exe file to run CeroNoice, which can be used as an external editor in LR.

To set up the workflow, simply put the required files in a processing folder, ie CeroNoice.exe etc, together with my .exe, called CeroNoice Bracketing.exe.
Set up an external editor preset in Lightroom, with the following attributes:
1.   Export original (can be .cr2 or .dng);
2.   No file naming;
3.   Post processing = open in other application (ie point to CeroNoice Bracketing)

Finally, set up a 'watched folder' in LR, where the 32-bit processed .tif will be returned. The returned file will have the image name of the lightest orginal, with _32-bit appended.

Once set up, all you do is select, from darkest to lightest, the input images, export via the CeroNoice Bracketing preset and carry on working. In a few seconds the output file will appear in the LR watch folder (which I call 32-bit Procesing, for easy identification).

All working files, ie LR exports are deleted. You can move the 32-bit Tif or simply leave in the 32-bit Processing folder.

I have found LR handles the CeroNoice created Tifs well.

I am not going to fill up this post with more details, as I often sense not all are interested in such 'specific stuff'. However, if there is enough interest I will willingly pass on my LR set up and .exe to anyone who wishes to use it, ie PM me or indicate your interest in this post.

Despite CeroNoice and validate_dng appearing to work perfectly, ie I get a32-bit tiff, I get a warning ever time that my exposure <=0 and warnings about padding.

Can someone who knows what is going on throw some light on this?

Cheers

Alex (anyone else)

I have tried to use CeroNoice with .cr2 files from my S95 and G11: but no luck, even if I convert to .dng first.

I get RAW info inject failed and no camera model error.

As I've converted the 12-bit .cr2 to .dng, I thought this might be OK. But it appears it isn't.

Bottom line: I'm guessing CeroNoice doesn't run and runs with 14-bit .cr2s? Or am I missing a trick?

Got it. I thought I was in a different league to you :-o)

Engardeknave

BTW here is some workflow scripting I did.

I find this greatly speeds up my processing from within LR.

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=11508.0

Cheers

Garry

BTW as I'm so stupid I don't know how to paste an image here, I thought some may like to look at a CeroNoice processed image on my blog

http://photography.grayheron.net/2014/04/noiseless-post-processing-fact-or.html

This post repeats the info above.

Cheers

I had another idea. This batch file counts the number of brackets automatically.

Enjoy!


@echo off

title CeroNoice Processor

set brackets=0

for %%n in (*.cr2) do set /a brackets=brackets+1

echo %brackets%

set /a brackets=%brackets%+1

set counter=1

set cero=ceronoice.exe

:begin

set  cero=%cero% in-%counter%.cr2

set /a counter=%counter%+1

if %counter% EQU %brackets% (
goto continue
) else (
goto begin
)

:continue

%cero%
dng_validate.exe -3 out out.dng

rem ensure all the input and working files are deleted
del *.xmp
del *.cr2
del *.dng

exit

I have just posted a workflow, but it is awaiting moderator action.

I think there are three basic types of people who read the posting on this ML forum: the developers & coders who know what they're doing ; those who have no clue what going on; and those, like myself, who know enough but want to know more!

I have been excited about the work Alex and others have been doing with CeroNoice. I think it is an exciting tool, but, as usual with the bleeding edge stuff on this forum, it is not always easy for those like myself to follow. So 'idiots' like me end up asking 'dumb' questions and looking like fools when the experts come back at us with the 'obvious'.

Until this week, I had never written a Windows .bat script, but I sensed this is what I needed for my workflow with CeroNoice and Lightroom. Thus what follows is how I have done it and got CeroNoice running for me. To be clear, 'all' I want to do is use CeroNoice to create a 32-bit (tif) negative for me, starting with a set of bracketed .cr2 files. That is, I'm not interested in .dngs and not using LR. I want a LR workflow.

So this is my LR-based workflow: I have appended the .bat file I wrote to the end of this post (which I'm sure will have the experts cringing, ie I'm sure it could be more efficient: but it works for me).

First, set up a Folder where you will do your 'out of LR' processing, eg a folder called CeroNoice, or anything you like.

In that folder place the following executables, which you will find references to on this site: CeroNoice.exe, dcraw.exe, dng_validate.exe and exiftool.exe. Note: I'm not even sure you need all these, but there is no harm placing them in the folder. Also note (read the stuff on this site, you must have the right/latest versions, ie each piece of software needs to be compatible with the others).

Open up a .txt file, ie in NotePad, and past in the .bat text below and save this file as a .bat file, ie with a .bat extension. You can call it what you like, but make sure it is in your processing folder.

The Folder is now set up.

Now go to Lightroom (you don't have to use LR to get your .cr2 files into the processing folder, but this is how I do it.) Set up an export preset, with the following attributes:
1.   Identify the processing folder as the export location
2.   Don't identify any sub folder
3.   Select file naming as Custom Name – Sequence
4.   Enter "in", without quotes or spaces, as the custom text (key point)
5.   Select Original as the File setting format, ie the .bat file works with .cr2 files. You will need to change the .bat if you use .dngs.
6.   Save this as an export preset, eg called, say, CeroNoice

You are now ready to process .cr2 brackets.

Go to the brackets you are interested in processing, say, x of them. Select the darkest one (key step!) and holding the Ctl button down left click on the other brackets you wish to select, in a darker to lighter manner.

You will now have x images selected. Now right click on the brackets you have selected in order, and choose export...

Select the CeroNoice preset and press export. If you are doing multiple brackets, you only need select export with previous next time (unless you have used another preset in-between), BUT, only process one bracket set at a time!

Now go to the folder you set up, where you should see x .cr2 images and x .xmp files.

Now double click the .bat file.

You are now presented with one user input, ie how many brackets. Now is not the time to tell lies!

Enter the number of brackets and press enter.

The .bat file will do its stuff and create a 32-bit Tiff called out.tif. All input files will be deleted.

You can now play with the 32-bit Tiff, say, in PS-CC or ACR. But, as I said, this post is for the LR users.

Go back to LR and the library module, select import... , select the folder where the .tif is, there should only be one image there, ensure move is selected, select your 'To' folder, ie where you wish to move the 32-bit file to, and press Import.

The file will move from the processing folder, so this is ready for another bracket set, and now it will be in LR, ready for 32-bit processing!

The file will be large!

The file will be green!

However, all the LR processing tools work at the 32-bit level, including the WB.

That's it: I hope some have found this post useful?

Here is the .bat text. As I said it is far from perfect, but is functional (although I do get warnings, it appears to not matter! Maybe Alex or someone else can throw some light on these warnings?

@echo off

title CeroNoice Processor

set brackets=1
set /p brackets=How many brackets to process?
set /a brackets=%brackets%+1

set counter=1

set cero=ceronoice.exe

:begin

set  cero=%cero% in-%counter%.cr2

set /a counter=%counter%+1

if %counter% EQU %brackets% (
goto continue
) else (
goto begin
)

:continue

%cero%
dng_validate.exe -3 out out.dng

rem ensure all the input and working files are deleted
del *.xmp
del *.cr2
del *.dng

exit

Alex

Thank you!! I simply could not find that reference.

Looks much better now!!! Will carry on experimenting.

BTW I still get exposure <=0 warning and padding messages.

Once again: thanks for your patience with me.

Alex

The brackets are in order of increasing exposure, from lightest to darkest. I can't see any reference to order.

Here is the script:
CeroNoice.exe 1.cr2 2.cr2
dng_validate.exe -3 out out.dng
exiftool.exe -tagsfromfile 1.cr2 out.dng
pause

BTW I still get error messages about exposure time <=0 and padding.

Realtime feedback here: so don't moan at all my posts :-o).

1. lots of lag in LR (64 bit) in processing 32 bit Tif. In fact I had to click on and off images to force updates. Could 'just' be size of Tif, ie about 250Mb.
2. No problems in Ps-CC (64 bit)
3. Tif starts with green tint, easily removed via WB tool
4. Real problem is that the tif is very noisy in the shadow regions, despite one of the brackets being taken for those zones

These are early observations, but the noise still being there worries me. I seems that the noise is being carried over from some of the images that are taken for the highlights.

Alex

Just to reassure you I am not one to 'just' jump in. I read and re-read this thread and others to find a solution, but, because of my poor coding skills I was flummoxed, ie I didn't understand the error messages.

I also honestly thought I had 1.4 running. I checked after reading your last post and, yes, I had 1.3 running.

1.4 running now and conversion to 32 Tiff works fine.

The Tiff initially has a strong green tint, but I can remove this in post.

Thanks for you response: I'm up and running!

Garry

Have taken a step back, but have more insight after injecting a pause in my .bat file and seeing I have an error:

Warning: The exposure time is <=0
DNGBackwardversion is ... too high

The two exposures I am using are 1/10 and 1/80. I tried the script with .cr2 and .dng. Both failed.

The script is:
CeroNoice.exe 1.dng 2.dng
dng_validate.exe -3 out out.dng
exiftool.exe -tagsfromfile 1.dng out.dng
pause

Any help welcomed.

Ok, I'm making progress!!

I've educated myself on .bat files and run this two image test:

CeroNoice.exe 1.cr2 2.cr2
dng_validate.exe -3 out out.dng
exiftool.exe -tagsfromfile 1.cr2 out.tif

Seems to run OK, ie no error messages, but it doesn't look right to me, eg how do you get from out.dng to out.tiff.

All I get is an 16 bit out.dng, ie no 32 bit out.tiff.

Can someone point out where I'm going wrong?

Sorry to be a pain, however, I know this forum is full of helpful people.

Once again, many thanks.

I understand the workflow, however, I am still stumbling.

The reason is my stupidity as I'm not familiar with using the command line etc.

The remaining question, with the three .exes in a folder with the input .cr2s, I notice you have .dngs, how should I call up the command line process or put the commands in file.

I don't wish to waste your time anymore, you have been very helpful.

I guess I won't further this route, because of my lack of Win knowledge.

As I say, thanks for your responses.

Enderdeknave

Thanks.

Downloaded and extracted dng_validate and placed in a folder with CeroNoice.exe etc.

As I said in another post, I can generate a dng OK, ie I get an out.dng, but I'm afraid I simply don't know how to progress with the command line instructions for dng_validate.

I hope some kind person can talk me through a simple workflow ro get to a +/- 10Ev Tiff (32bit) for Lightroom post processing.

Cheers

Garry

Trying to get a CeroNoice workflow going on my 64bit set up. Usually I see +/-10 Ev in LR.

Placed dcraw in that folder.

Put CeroNoice.exe in a folder.

Exported two .cr2 brackets for evaluation to that folder.

Moved the two .cr2s onto CeroNoice, which created an .DNG.

Now the problem: the dng opens OK in LR, but is only a +/- 5Ev image file.

I think I need to run another step: with dng_validate.exe maybe, ie to convert to 32bit TIFF. But I can't find dng_validate.exe.

Could someone point me in the right direction regarding dng_validate and the completion of the workflow to 32bit processing in LR.

Cheers