Picking a Camera & Lens for HDR

Hello, I'm interested in purchasing a camera that will be used for general photography as well as HDR photography. At the moment I only have the Nikon D300 on my list as it has good Auto Exposure Bracketing (up to 9). I have preferred the Canon brand and would like to know if there is something that can compete with the D300 for similar money for HDR photography? I would also like to hear some ideas on the lens I would need. Most of my pictures will be outdoors of scenery and also some of people in fashion type shots, I want versatility at this early stage until I become more targeted in my style of photography. I have very little experience with DSL cameras.

Welcome to POTN...

HDR doesn't rely on one particular body or lens. It can be done (both well and poorly) with just about any gear. You really don't even have to have a dSLR but you do have to be able to set and leave a constant f/stop while adjusting the shutter speed.

The AEB is handy but not absolutely necessary as you can get nearly as many frames as you need by adjusting the exposure manually. I don't know about Noiks (I assume it's similar) but with Canon you can set your camera to change exposure levels in full stops or 1/3 stops for each "click" of the dial...

Good Luck

You do realize you can take as many different exposures as you need with any camera that allows you to manually adjust the exposure? You really only need a minimum of 3 different exposures anyway.

I highly suggest you research more into DSLR cameras & HDR photography before you go spending a ton of money.

From what I've seen, wide-angle lenses work best for HDR photography; consider the 17-40mm f/4L.

As FlyingPhotog said, HDR can be done equally well and equally poorly with almost any photographic gear. The things that make HDR easier are:

* Sturdy tripod
* Remote connection to camera via wireless or usb
* Lack of people in the area

You don't need a tripod with the 40D. Just set your bracketing, put it on high-speed continuous shooting mode, press the shutter button and let it take 3 quick shots in under a second. Of course, you need to remain relatively still, but with IS and some kind of support... I haven't taken anything worth showing, but in just playing around, this works well.

As to the original question of a Canon that compares to the D300 in bracketing ability, you need a Canon 1Dsomething for more than automatic 3 shot brackets. It's a shame that the 40D/5D doesn't offer at least a 5 shot bracket...

m-bartelt wrote in post #5993920
You don't need a tripod with the 40D. Just set your bracketing, put it on high-speed continuous shooting mode, press the shutter button and let it take 3 quick shots in under a second. Of course, you need to remain relatively still, but with IS and some kind of support... I haven't taken anything worth showing, but in just playing around, this works well.

As to the original question of a Canon that compares to the D300 in bracketing ability, you need a Canon 1Dsomething for more than automatic 3 shot brackets. It's a shame that the 40D/5D doesn't offer at least a 5 shot bracket...

I'm wondering if that is something that could changed/addressed by "firmware" updates or hacks. I mean in the end you can still shoot on manual and get as many exposures you want. Or you could simply use the Canon TC80N3 to get more shots on AEB. I know there is another remote that has the ability to take up to 15 shots with -2+2 EX values..

shavedaccord wrote in post #5995393
Canon TC80N3 to get more shots on AEB. I know there is another remote that has the ability to take up to 15 shots with -2+2 EX values..

I wasnt aware the TC80N3 or any remote could do anymore than 3, do you know this for sure, or are you just guessing?

Iv used a laptop in the past to get more 3, A remote would make life alot easier.

MattD wrote in post #5995417
I wasnt aware the TC80N3 or any remote could do anymore than 3, do you know this for sure, or are you just guessing?

Iv used a laptop in the past to get more 3, A remote would make life alot easier.

I read a website on it last night about the TC80N3 on how to set it up for HDR, I'll see if I can't find it for you. Came across it actually researching time lapse photos.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/​tc-80n3.shtml

EDIT: After re-reading it's not EXACTLY what you'd want for multiple exposure's but I'm sure it could create some very interesting shots.

shavedaccord wrote in post #5995462
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/​tc-80n3.shtml

EDIT: After re-reading it's not EXACTLY what you'd want for multiple exposure's but I'm sure it could create some very interesting shots.

Agree that you could do some interesting stuff but if the body in question will only do three frames of AEB (- 0 +) then you can only ever get three frames each time the remote cycles.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #5995543
Agree that you could do some interesting stuff but if the body in question will only do three frames of AEB (- 0 +) then you can only ever get three frames each time the remote cycles.

True

Wonder if http://www.breezesys.c​om/DSLRRemotePro/index​.htm would work. leathered to a laptop though is a hassle.

I also heard there is a firmware hack

shavedaccord wrote in post #5995583
True

Wonder if http://www.breezesys.c​om/DSLRRemotePro/index​.htm would work. leathered to a laptop though is a hassle.

I also heard there is a firmware hack

that does work, its what I use.

There are 2 major problems with it though
1- you need to carry a laptop around and setup everytime you need to take a shot
2- It takes shots pretty slowly as it has to save each image to a laptop/card fully before it can take the next shot (so no buffer), its about a second a shot on my 30D. This is not that much of a big deal, but a pain if you need to take a full 360 pano as the scene can change by the time you go from start to finish

Just take a reading of the darkest and brightest areas of the scene in AV mode then switch to manual, set your exposures manually then taking into account the values from the meter readings. You take as many exposures as you like then.:p

I took these without a tripod and using the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-f/4.5 USM.

The issue of the 40D & bracketing ...

I find just the 3 exposures are fine in almost all instances however in cases where I want 5 exposures [and you'll need a tripod for this] I have set C1 on the mode dial to take 3 exposures @ -2, 0 +2 and C2 to take 3 exposures @ -1, 0, +1 both in high speed continuous mode.

Set up the camera, flick it onto C1, fire away, flick it onto C2 and do the same.

You'll end up with 6 exposures ... -2, -1, 0, 0, +1, +2. Just delete one of the "0"'s and you're all set.

cheers,
J&D