New HDR beta looks good

[walter.sk]

A friend emailed me a link to a new HDR/RAW processing program.  I looked at the website and downloaded the beta version (unfortunately, Windows only).  They have still another approach to merging to HDR, and, like HDR PhotoStudio (now HDRExpose) they appear to deal with luminance separately from color.  While all of their features are not yet implemented, I tried a couple of my own HDR sequences and found the results quite good, and the program is quite intuitive.  A major feature is that you can adjust tone mapping and color without increasing the local contrast, and the process seems very halo-resistant.
They seem to be onto something good here.

They also have a processor for 2 or more images taken with different light sources but at consistent shutter speed and aperture, that then allows individual adjustment of areas in the image illuminated by each of the light sources in terms of tonal level and color balance, independently of the other areas in the image.  Very interesting!

here is the link:

HDR beta

[donbga]

So we are in November and they are still releasing betas. Has anyone tested Oloneo? It seems to be a fantastic HDR product with an interesting RAW processor.

Don

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

So we are in November and they are still releasing betas. Has anyone tested Oloneo? It seems to be a fantastic HDR product with an interesting RAW processor.

Yes, interesting development, but it looks a lot like SNS-HDR which I've already purchased in March, so it offers me no real benefit. Oloneo PhotoEngine seems to favor the IMHO over-the-top tonemapping of HDR images, although one can use the controls to reduce the dramatic looks a bit. The biggest problem I found in PhotoEngine is black edges around high contrast edges (e.g. window frames).

Cheers,
Bart

[feppe]

So we are in November and they are still releasing betas. Has anyone tested Oloneo? It seems to be a fantastic HDR product with an interesting RAW processor.

Played around with Oloneo, and I echo Bart's assessment; it's excellent if you want to be featured here.

I'll stick with manual blending.

[RFPhotography]

Photomatix 4 was in private beta for several months before even a public beta was released and it was already a mature piece of software.  I don't think the fact that Oloneo is still in beta should be held against the developers.

I've tested it.  Was one of their first beta testers, actually.  My review of the early beta version can be found here.  It's got some interesting features.  I'm not sold on their 'Relight' function.  You definitely can generate realistic results as well as the more surreal and I wouldn't say it's skewed one way or the other.

It's really nothing like SNS-HDR.  SNS is also a very nice program but it's not HDR.  It's an automated blending program.  The images never enter the 32 bit space.  My review of it can be seen here.  Sebastian's still working on developing a deghosting algorithm.  He'd hoped to have it ready for v1.3 but not quite yet. 

[Michael West]

Played around with Oloneo, and I echo Bart's assessment; it's excellent if you want to be featured here.

I'll stick with manual blending.

Thanks for the link. Are there yet official darwin awards for tragically trendy "art"works?

i had never actually laughed at a photograph before.

repugnant but entertaining