Emilie Meyer
Creating HDR panos in Photomatrix Pro5 is a process that involves shooting each of the panorama's angles of view at different exposures and then stitching them together. Photomatrix Pro5 is considered one of the best in its field, offering many preset options and enhancing single images with outstanding results. The process begins by capturing bracketed photos with a camera that supports HDR, such as the Canon x3i. Each angle of the panorama is photographed at different exposures, for example, three exposures at 0, -2, and +2 EV. These exposures remain consistent across all angles of the panorama. Once the photos are taken, they are stitched together using panorama software, creating a seamless 360-degree view. Photomatrix Pro5 offers two main workflows for this process: Stitch-then-HDR and HDR-then-Stitch. The former involves stitching a panorama for each exposure level and then merging them in Photomatrix, while the latter processes bracketed images in Photomatrix before stitching.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software | Photomatrix Pro |
| Process | Shoot each angle of the panorama at different exposures, such as three exposures at 0, -2, +2 EV |
| File Format | Radiance (.hdr extension) or OpenEXR (.exr extension) |
| Tone Mapping | Two options: one that enhances details and another that takes a global approach |
| Saving Files | Save files as JPG by doing "tone mapping" first; if not done, saving options are limited to HDR, EXR, or TIF |
| User Experience | Easy to use and install, with helpful instructions |
| Image Quality | Mixed feedback, with some noting grainy results with default settings |
| Image Style | One-click presets and a large range of settings to create the style you want |
| Image Editing | Can be integrated with other photo editing software like Lightroom and Photoshop |
| Image Output | Create 32-bit HDR image files |
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What You'll Learn
Shoot each angle of the panorama at different exposures
To create HDR panos in Photomatix Pro 5, you will need to shoot each angle of the panorama at different exposures. This technique is called exposure bracketing, and it allows you to capture the entire dynamic range of a scene, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights.
The number of exposures you need will depend on the specific scene you are shooting. Each scene has a different contrast and dynamic range, so you will need to adjust your camera settings accordingly. For example, you might choose to shoot three exposures at 0, -2, and +2 EV for each angle of your panorama. These exposures should remain the same for all the angles of your panorama.
When shooting with different exposures, it is recommended to use Aperture Priority mode on your camera. This way, only the shutter time will vary, and the aperture and depth of field will remain constant. This will ensure that your bracketed shots are consistent and can be merged together effectively.
Once you have captured your bracketed shots for each angle, you can then merge them in Photomatix Pro 5. The software allows you to load bracketed photos and provides preprocessing options to align your source images and remove ghosts caused by moving objects. After merging, you can then apply tone mapping to create your HDR panorama.
By shooting each angle of the panorama at different exposures and using Photomatix Pro 5's bracketing and tone mapping features, you can effectively capture and process high-dynamic-range scenes to create stunning HDR panos.
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Use Photomatix to create 32-bit HDR image files
High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography is a technique used to capture a scene as it would be perceived by the human eye. Photomatix is a popular software for creating HDR images, and it offers a few different ways to create 32-bit HDR image files. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
First, it is important to note that Photomatix Pro offers a feature called "Merge to HDR Pro" which allows for 32-bit tone mapping. This method produces realistic HDR images without the grungy tone-mapped look that can sometimes occur with Photomatix. To use this feature, you will need Photoshop CC with ACR.
Now, let's go through the process of creating 32-bit HDR image files using Photomatix:
- Open Photomatix Pro and import your source images.
- Select the "Merge to HDR Pro" option to combine your bracketed photos into a 32-bit HDR format. This format preserves all the information from the merged photos.
- By default, Photomatix does not save the 32-bit HDR image file to disk after merging. Instead, it allows you to directly edit the HDR image and then save the edited file.
- If you prefer to save the unedited merged HDR image in 32-bit format, you have two options:
> View the merged image before moving on to the Adjust & Preview step. Select the "Show the 32-bit HDR image after merging" option if you are using Photomatix Pro in Landscape or Real Estate mode, or select "Display the 32-bit HDR image" in Photogrammetry mode.
> Close the window that automatically opens for adjusting Tone Mapping/Fusion settings after the merge. Then, go to File > Save As... to save the 32-bit HDR image.
- You can also save the 32-bit HDR image in Radiance file format before tone mapping. This allows you to reuse the Radiance file for tone mapping in Photomatix Pro, and Photomatix will generate the corresponding ICC profile.
- If you are using Lightroom and Photomatix Pro together, you can integrate Lightroom's RAW conversion with Photomatix via the "Export to Photomatix Pro Plugin for Lightroom".
- When converting RAW files to TIFF or JPEG before loading them into Photomatix, remember to disable sharpening and set Black to zero. Also, uncheck all tonal and exposure-related automatic settings if you are primarily interested in HDR/Tone Mapping.
By following these steps, you can create and save 32-bit HDR image files using Photomatix Pro.
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Open the 32-bit HDR image in Photomatix Pro for tone mapping
To open a 32-bit HDR image in Photomatix Pro for tone mapping, you must first create the image in Photomatix. To do this, download your images onto your computer and open Photomatix Pro. Click "Load Bracketed Photos" and select the images you want to merge to create an HDR image. You can load as many images of different exposures as you want.
Once you have merged your images, you can choose to save the 32-bit HDR image by going to File > Save As... Alternatively, you can close the window that lets you adjust the Tone Mapping settings and automatically save the 32-bit HDR image. To return to editing the HDR image, click 'Tone Map / Fuse'.
Now that you have a 32-bit HDR image, you can open it in Photomatix Pro for tone mapping. Click "Tone Map/Fuse" to start tone mapping your HDR image. Make sure "Tone Mapping" is selected, as "Fusion Exposure" is a different technique that is not HDR. You can then select a "Method" to edit your HDR image, such as "Details Enhancer" to bring out the details and create a surreal effect.
If you are primarily interested in HDR/Tone Mapping, uncheck all tonal and exposure-related automatic settings and set them to zero. This includes the Exposure setting, as well as settings for Contrast and Shadow. You can also use automatic deghosting to let Photomatix decide where the ghosts are and choose which bracketed image to use to fix the ghosting.
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Use the Stitch-then-HDR workflow to stitch a panorama for each exposure level
To create HDR panos in Photomatrix Pro5, you can use the Stitch-then-HDR workflow. This involves first stitching a panorama for each exposure level and then combining these into an HDR panorama.
To do this, you will need to start by taking several images of the same subject, varying the exposure. This is called 'bracketing'. For example, you could take eight different images from different camera angles, with three exposures for each position.
Next, you will need to combine all the exposures for each camera angle. You can do this by selecting all the exposures for a given camera angle and then choosing the Photo Merge/HDR option. You should turn off auto-alignment if you used a tripod, as this may cause misalignment.
After you have combined all the exposures for each camera angle, you will have several HDR images. Now, you will need to combine these into a single HDR panorama. To do this, select all the HDR images and choose the Photo Merge/Panorama option. You can try the Spherical or Cylindrical projections.
Finally, you can edit your HDR panorama in your choice of image editor, such as Lightroom or Photoshop.
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Save the HDR image as a JPEG by doing tone mapping
To create HDR panos in Photomatix Pro 5, you will need to shoot each angle of view of the panorama at different exposures. These exposures should remain the same for all angles of view. If your panorama software supports 32-bit HDR stitching, you can use Photomatix to create 32-bit HDR image files in Radiance (.hdr extension) or OpenEXR (.exr extension) format. These files can then be loaded into your panorama software for stitching.
Once the 32-bit HDR panorama has been stitched, you can open it in Photomatix Pro for tone mapping. There are two main workflows for integrating Photomatix into your panorama workflow: Stitch-then-HDR and HDR-then-Stitch.
The Stitch-then-HDR workflow involves stitching a panorama for each exposure level and then merging those panoramas in Photomatix. For example, if you shot your panorama frames at -2, 0, and +2EV, you would stitch the -2 EV photos, the 0 EV photos, and the +2 EV photos separately and then merge the resulting panoramas in Photomatix.
The HDR-then-Stitch workflow involves processing your bracketed images in Photomatix and then stitching the tone-mapped or combined images. This approach avoids multiple stitches per pano and is therefore advantageous if your pano is composed of a limited number of views. However, it may not work well with certain dynamic range increase techniques, such as the Details Enhancer method.
Once you have completed the tone mapping process and are satisfied with your HDR image, you can save it as a JPEG file. To do this, simply select "File" and then "Save As..." from the menu bar. You will then be able to choose the location where you want to save the file and specify the file format as JPEG.
It is important to note that Photomatix Pro offers different tone mapping methods, including Details Enhancer, Contrast Optimizer, and Tone Balancer (local mapping methods) and Tone Compressor (a global mapping method). These methods can be used to enhance details, adjust tonality, and create smooth transitions in your HDR image. When saving your HDR image as a JPEG, you may want to experiment with different tone mapping methods to achieve the desired effect.
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Frequently asked questions
Photomatrix Pro5 is an HDR photography software that allows users to create HDR photos in the style they want with one-click presets and a large range of settings.
To create HDR panos in Photomatrix Pro5, you will need to shoot each one of the panorama's angles of view at different exposures. For example, three exposures at 0, -2, +2 EV. Then, you can use Photomatix to create 32-bit HDR image files in Radiance (.hdr extension) or OpenEXR (.exr extension) format. Finally, load the files in your panorama software for stitching.
There are two possibilities for integrating Photomatix into your panorama workflow: Stitch-then-HDR and HDR-then-Stitch. With Stitch-then-HDR, you will stitch a panorama for each exposure level and then merge those panoramas in Photomatix. For HDR-then-Stitch, you will process your bracketed images in Photomatix and then stitch the tone-mapped or combined images.
It is important to keep the same exposures for all of the angles of view of your panorama. Additionally, ensure that your panorama software supports 32-bit HDR stitching or use alternative workflows like Stitch-then-HDR or HDR-then-Stitch.
To save an HDR image as a JPEG, you must first do ""tone mapping"" on the image. Once you have tone-mapped the image, you should be able to save it as a JPEG, TIF, or BMP.
