K-7 HDR 1st Test

Started raining after we finished lunch so took the opportunity to try out the new HDR function in the K-7. Now before you say anything, I know it's not the best example in the world as I didn't have a tripod on me, so had to find something stable to lean on!

Worth noting that this is a JPEG only option and takes approx 5 seconds to process the image after it's taken.

1. Normal shot




2. HDR 1




3. HDR 2





Not the best example at the moment I know, but will have to do til I get a better photo op WITH a tripod! In the mean time it does give a little idea of what it can do.

And what happens when your handholding isn't great!!!

I'll reserve judgement on the HDR, not really a fan of the process anyway.

Did you have the shake reduction turned off in the hand held shots?

How is the process? Does it take a shot and processes the RAW o0r does it take 3 or 5 shots?
If its several shots, I wonder if the K-7 auto aligns the shots. If it doesn't you'll get this effect, even if it we'll stabilized.

It takes 3 shots and then tone maps them (is that the right phrase?) like photomatix would do, i.e. it doesn't make 3 photos from one raw file then do the HDR, it does take 3 seperate shots. Final output is one JPEG file (you don't get the 3 RAW files)

Just checked on the camera and it automatically turns off the Shake Reduction when you select HDR!? Seems like a glaringly obvious opportunity to actually have SR, and I can only think that there is some obvious reason that I can't think of for excluding it, so I'll be putting that in my feedback!

I think the assumption must be that is tripod mounted (or similar). I suspect there is not any alignment involved, the last two kind of suggest this to me.
I'm not a big fan of over done HDR but the examples I have seen HDR1 look pretty good to me.

Danny, do you know if the lens correction feature can be employed when shooting HDR?

Of course, tripod, turn off SR makes sense, but think we should still have the option to turn it on for handheld shots, even if SR OFF is the preferred default.

Just checked on the camera, and when HDR is on, I can still select the following:-

Highlight correction
shadow correction
Distortion correction
Digital Filters
Lateral chromatic aberration adjustment

And all of those (and auto ISO setting adjustments as well!) you can choose from one screen just by pressing the info button, very handy!

Thanks, that HDR feature is looking more and more interesting

Definately is, and fun too, no thinking involved and very easy to do!

Obviously if you are serious about HDR you would continue to shoot several bracketed shots and use the RAW files etc. But I've never got round to doing that and having the feature in the camera does give you an idea there and then if the shot would benefit from HDR / more dynamic range so you could then spend more time on it.

It's a very welcome and useful feature that a lot of people are overlooking as just a gimmick, and maybe it is as it will never be as good as a shot you will spend more time on, but as an 'in the field' tool it is very useful!

I'm getting quite interested in the HDR option now too in the K-7. I've not done much of the type of photography where you would use it, so it would be a nice new challenge for me. Most of the in-camera K-7 HDR shots I've seen on the web so far show off the feature very nicely.

The first HDR looks good but don't think I will use it.
I like to shoot in RAW and if I want to do HDR I will do it on the PC to get better results more to my likings.
It's nice it can do it but I see it more like a gimmick.

Now that you talked about option... Can you turn off dark fram actraction with long exposures.
You could do it with the K10D but you couldn't turn it off with the K20D and some members had a problem with that.

You could do both Stefan

First wait 10 seconds and get an HDR in jpg that's so so, and then also shoot 3 RAW files and progress them on the PC.
It might be intersting and more useful if you could progress those 3 RAW files into a HDR JPG afterwards by the camera.

I have used D-range in my K20D with EXIF data telling "Expanded Dynamic Range: yes" & "Shake Reduction: Enabled" at the same time.

I question that this D-range function is based on photos taken with time interval.

I would guess the RAW file is used to produce two or more JPG conversions with different sensitivity (ISO) and then merged internal in camera.

Does any documentation exist on the nature of D-range in Pentax K20D/K7?

And how is the post process of HDR in-camera working on the same units?

EDIT: I am sorry for overlooking that this thread is about K7 only.
Can the question still remain or can somebody tell me the best thread to ask it?

Niklas

Niklas... D-range and HDR are two separate functions. HDR is not available on the K20D.

OH............
I wasn't aware.
Thank you very much for enlightening me.

Niklas