Sunrise Cascades NP: Sky banding

Hi there!

I'm finally trying my hand at HDR, and have been struggling with some sky banding issues with a sunrise shot. Some things I've tried to resolve this:

1) I've tried using different HDR sets from various times during this morning, and all are giving me the same banding issues.
2) I've also tried using 16bit mode- same issue
3) Removing ghosts makes the sky turn all grey - no good
4) Using just the +2, and -2 frames looks very grey also

For each bracket set, I exposed at 0, +2, -2 EV. I was using a tripod and cable release.

For HDR merging I am using CS5's HDR PRO in 32bit mode, and editing in LR4.1. Banding is visible from HDR PRO, and shows up in LR as well.

Can any of you help with this? Should I have taken 5 frames, 1 stop apart instead? Is the dynamic range too high here?

Here is the final result from LR (note the noticeable banding in the sky):

Banding shouldn't be an issue with those. Just for gits and shiggles, try it in the photomatix light trial set to default or auto. Then process it in LR and see what you get.

Hmm ok - downloading now. Also actually my bracket was 0, +3, -3 - does that matter?
Eric

The banding is from the software processing. Photomatix can cause banding too if youre settings are not right, but its easier to control than photoshops hdr function.

Looks like Photomatix works great! Thanks for the tips!

Unfortunately this is one more piece of software I'd need to buy :/. Does anyone know how to avoid this in photoshop?

It seems that the banding is generated in CS5. For example, the following image has been processed in SNS-HDR Pro.

Thanks Pebal - any HDRPRO users have any suggestions for photoshop? Thanks!
Eric

Shoot with a tighter EV spacing to avoid the merger error in PS.

kirk

Gotcha - will try this next time. Is 2 stops apart the golden difference? I think my camera also has the option for seven 2/3-stop increments.