XF HDR tool

[gdh]

So I'm finally taking time to read the manual on the XF HDR tool.  It says in part:
".....HDR tool will use whatever settings you have setup on your camera, and
capture a series of images where it changes the aperture in between....."

I've always read and believe that the best exposure adjustment to make for a HDR sequence intended to be merged, is shutter-speed, not aperture and that it's important to leave the same aperture throughout the sequence for critical focus/depth of field issues for starters. On the other hand moving clouds, brush, tree branches etc. can possibly come into play but have not seen that as a problem--movement can always affect a merging sequence if shutter-speed too slow.

I'd appreciate comments from more experienced HDR shooters. Otherwise I plan to continue to use the regular bracketing where I can keep shutter-speed and aperture constant unless some reasoned thoughts to the contrary

Any thoughts as to why P1 would choose to adjust only the shutter-speed rather than the aperture?

[Paul2660]

I have always preferred to vary the shutter speed, with 35mm, or MF when I bracket.  I read over the HDR bracketing, but did not really try it, as the regular bracketing offered by the XF has been what I needed. 

Might be that Phase One has a new software feature coming for C1? but still not sure what only aperture would be the only offered variable.

To me, to only use aperture as a variable, would have a possible issue with DOF, especially with MF brackets?

Paul C

[Lust4Life]

I have done HDR for many years.  When shooting I have found that I only vary the shutter speed and never the aperture.
In complete agreement with Paul's comment - I don't want any one screwing with my DOF by altering the aperture.

I have had times where I wanted to achieve a greater DOF and there I would alter aperture and process with software (Helicon Focus)
to give me a blended DOF from 3-5 shots - worked well as long as there was no wind. 

Not as good as a 4x5 with tilt, but it sure is a lot easier to haul the Hassie than
the 4x5 with multiple lens setups, etc.  Did it enjoy those times decades ago, but not for today.

Jack

[Joe Towner]

Always just adjusting the shutter speed only.  ISO is always at base, and I tend to work f/8 to f/11.

[gdh]

Well I'm glad to see the comments agree--now I wonder why Phase did it the way they did, adjusting the lens opening rather than the shutter speed ? 

Appreciate the comments.

[Wayne Fox]

The usefulness of the HDR tool is a little questionable.  Bracketing for HDR exposure is feature of the camera, with plenty of user choices including number of exposures as well as the how far to increment the exposures.

But I'm wondering if the manual is a misprint, because I just tested the HDR tool, and it varies the exposure time, not the aperture in capturing the sequence.

All the tool does over the normal bracketing method is add some metadata which can be read/used by C1.  But since C1 doesn't actually merge the files I'm not sure how useful that is. (maybe a future feature?)

The HDR tool uses whatever is in the bracket settings regarding number of exposures and variation. so you can't use it to have a "second" set of settings quickly accessible.

As an aside, I couldn't get the camera to vary the aperture during any bracket sequence ... Using TV, AF, P or manual all resulted in the camera changing exposure times, none of those modes changed the aperture to vary the exposure.  This may be different in a situation where there is a lot of light, I just had the camera sitting here in my office testing it.

[JaapD]

I think HDR is implemented correctly. When changing the exposure in order to bring up the dark areas you do NOT want to change the depth of field at the same time, therefore you do not want to do HDR by changing the aperture, only by changing the exposure time.

[Wayne Fox]

I think HDR is implemented correctly. When changing the exposure in order to bring up the dark areas you do NOT want to change the depth of field at the same time, therefore you do not want to do HDR by changing the aperture, only by changing the exposure time.

Yes, that's pretty much what everyone has said through the discussion, and as I stated the only thing that is "wrong" is the description in the manual - the XF doesn't change aperture despite what the manual says.

[gdh]

Wayne, it appears you're right.  Once I read that in the manual, I decided not to use it and went back to standard bracketing, so didn't even test it.
I knew I should not have read the manual  .

Thanks

[Doug Peterson]

Only a typo. HDR on XF does shutter speed like you'd expect.

The EXIF tag and filter in C1 seems like a minor thing, but it becomes VERY useful when you have several bracketed sequences in a folder. Same with the focus stack tool.

[Wayne Fox]

The EXIF tag and filter in C1 seems like a minor thing, but it becomes VERY useful when you have several bracketed sequences in a folder. Same with the focus stack tool.

I guess the question that comes to mind is why a “tool” for this?  Why not have the act of choosing bracketing be good enough, and add the metadata?  I can’t really see how the tool adds anything that normal bracketing couldn’t accomplish with added metadata.