6D HDR problem

chrysoberyl said:
AdjustedInCamera: No, AEB is not it. Am I the only one to experience this? I am glad I never deleted the RAW files shot in the HDR mode.

Can you post a link to a RAW HDR shot? I don't see how that's even possible. RAW is RAW - unprocessed, and HDR is, by definition, a processed shot from multiple pictures.
 
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You cannot save the final shot as RAW in any current model, and since they first came out (no firmware changes) the 5DIII allows you to save the RAW exposures that produce the HDR JPEG, but the 6D is crippled to save only the final JPEG.

Here's more about the HDR feature from Canon: http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2012/5d3_hdr_capabilities.shtml keeping in mind that the 6D works the same way, minus saving the RAW files.

Also, you can take some solace in knowing that Canon's top dog, the 1D X doesn't even have the HDR feature :)
 
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mackguyver said:
Also, you can take some solace in knowing that Canon's top dog, the 1D X doesn't even have the HDR feature :)

I'd also guess that the majority of 1Dx owners would prefer the control of doing it in post over in-camera. Then again, I'd like to think that 6D and 5d owners feel the same.

Wanting it in RAW makes it even more a mystery to me. If you shoot RAW then obviously you post process. If you PP, why wouldn't you want to do your HDR in post?
 
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Skirball said:
mackguyver said:
Also, you can take some solace in knowing that Canon's top dog, the 1D X doesn't even have the HDR feature :)

I'd also guess that the majority of 1Dx owners would prefer the control of doing it in post over in-camera. Then again, I'd like to think that 6D and 5d owners feel the same.

Wanting it in RAW makes it even more a mystery to me. If you shoot RAW then obviously you post process. If you PP, why wouldn't you want to do your HDR in post?
I find the 5DIII's HDR pretty interesting and certainly wouldn't mind having it on my 1D X. It's nice for a casual HDR shot and I use it here and there.

Also, having the final RAW would rock, but only if it's a high-bit file such as a 48-bit format - that would also need to be supported by PP software. I think someone (Phase One or Hasselblad perhaps?) has this feature, but I can't remember who it was or where I read it.
 
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mackguyver said:
You cannot save the final shot as RAW in any current model, and since they first came out (no firmware changes) the 5DIII allows you to save the RAW exposures that produce the HDR JPEG, but the 6D is crippled to save only the final JPEG.

Here's more about the HDR feature from Canon: http://learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2012/5d3_hdr_capabilities.shtml keeping in mind that the 6D works the same way, minus saving the RAW files.

Also, you can take some solace in knowing that Canon's top dog, the 1D X doesn't even have the HDR feature :)

I think we are all saying the same thing and I believe your discription of the HDR mode on the 6D is right although I have never used it.

I do HDR with the 6D using its AEB mode. This allows me to take multiple RAW files at different exposures (with one shutter press) that I then PP to create the final image.
 
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Skirball said:
RAW is RAW - unprocessed

Nope, "raw" from current bayer sensors simply means mosaic data. Magic Lantern's dual_iso postprocessing utility, for example, assembles 2x 14bit cr2 into 1x 16bit raw dng. You still need to feed it to a raw converter like ACR to get a usable picture.

Skirball said:
and HDR is, by definition, a processed shot from multiple pictures.

Nope, hdr simply means high dynamic range which in turn means almost nothing. You have to specify what you're talking about, in this case an assembled shot from multiple brackets - high-bitres like openexr/fp tif, or tonemapped/fused to a low-bitdepth picture.
 
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sorry I haven't read any replies....so may its been said before but

afaik the eos 6d only does HDR in jpeg, not RAW,

anyway my experience is that you don't need multiple exposures to get a wide DR, ettr and you should be ok to get most details in highlights and shadows...
 
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Ivan Muller said:
anyway my experience is that you don't need multiple exposures to get a wide DR, ettr and you should be ok to get most details in highlights and shadows...
I expose to the right for just about everything other than portraits and that works most of the time, but there are some scenes that go well beyond the sensor's exposure range. That leaves some options - split ND filters, HDR processing, polarizers (which are sometimes just enough to cut out the brightest highlights), or just living with blown highlights or crushed shadows. I find most HDR processing to be unnatural (my own included), so I tend to go with the other options.
 
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mackguyver said:
I find most HDR processing to be unnatural (my own included), so I tend to go with the other options.

Imho the smart way is to limit "hdr" to specific areas as the easiest way to prevent this "unnatural" look.

Examples can be the sun's/moon's corona, giving it a bit less blown look is easily +3-4 stops more. The other side is raising the shadows in a specific part to get more *resolution*. The latter is *not* the same as tonemapping, but unless you bracket yet get an "aliased" look as there are only few bits left to work with.
 
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Marsu42 said:
mackguyver said:
I find most HDR processing to be unnatural (my own included), so I tend to go with the other options.

Imho the smart way is to limit "hdr" to specific areas as the easiest way to prevent this "unnatural" look.

Examples can be the sun's/moon's corona, giving it a bit less blown look is easily +3-4 stops more. The other side is raising the shadows in a specific part to get more *resolution*. The latter is *not* the same as tonemapping, but unless you bracket yet get an "aliased" look as there are only few bits left to work with.
Good points, Marsu, and I tend to be a little lazy with my PP unless I'm doing paid work. Probably not a good attitude...but my time for photography and editing has been very limited over the last year or so :(
 
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There have been comments about RAW HDR shots - that was not the case. Before, I would scroll down to HDR, select it, adjust the bracketing, and begin shooting in RAW. I would post-process then combine the images in DPP. Now, when shooting in RAW, HDR is greyed out.

I suspect that all 6D's are capable of this, but after some of the early units, Canon decided to remove this feature.

AdjustedInCamera and later, Canon, explained how I can do what I did before with AEB. Not that I shoot very much in RAW (it can look unnatural if overused), but I dislike loosing features from my camera. And I dislike Canon's denials.

John
 
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chrysoberyl said:
There have been comments about RAW HDR shots - that was not the case. Before, I would scroll down to HDR, select it, adjust the bracketing, and begin shooting in RAW. I would post-process then combine the images in DPP. Now, when shooting in RAW, HDR is greyed out.

I suspect that all 6D's are capable of this, but after some of the early units, Canon decided to remove this feature.

AdjustedInCamera and later, Canon, explained how I can do what I did before with AEB. Not that I shoot very much in RAW (it can look unnatural if overused), but I dislike loosing features from my camera. And I dislike Canon's denials.

John
As I have asked before: Can you tell us the before and after firmware versions?
 
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DominoDude: I never claimed to produce RAW HDR images in-camera. Please re-read: I would post-process then combine the images in DPP.

Frankly, I think it was an elegant way to do what AEB does, while limiting the number of shots to three, thus making it simple to process in DPP.

In any case, I am pleased that I can again take three bracketed shots with one shutter activation. I am less pleased with Canon’s response.
 
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chrysoberyl said:
DominoDude: I never claimed to produce RAW HDR images in-camera. Please re-read: I would post-process then combine the images in DPP.

Frankly, I think it was an elegant way to do what AEB does, while limiting the number of shots to three, thus making it simple to process in DPP.

In any case, I am pleased that I can again take three bracketed shots with one shutter activation. I am less pleased with Canon’s response.

I preordered my 6D. I have always been able to take bracketed shots with one shutter activation in both AEB and the HDR scene mode. The HDR scene mode will do it independent of any other settings. The AEB mode requires you to select the appropriate drive mode separately. If you select single shot, you will have to trigger the shutter for each frame. If you select continuous shooting, you need only press the shutter once for the camera to shoot the entire sequence. It has always operated this way. Perhaps you didn't make the connection to the drive mode.
 
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chrysoberyl, I think you have confused the heck out of everyone here by using the word HDR in your post title and making us think you are talking about the in-camera HDR processing. I think what you are actually talking about is the "Number of bracketed shots" setting. It's in the Exposure menu and if it's like the 5DIII, you can set it to take 2, 3, 5, or 7 shots.
 
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mackguyver: Yeah, you're right - I should have said taking RAW shots after selecting the HDR mode, but noting that the bracketed shots had to be processed into HDR in DPP.

DominoDude: Sorry for the confusion.

dcm: Please confirm that you shoot RAW while in HDR mode, then combine the RAW shots into the HDR version in post-processing.
 
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chrysoberyl said:
mackguyver: Yeah, you're right - I should have said taking RAW shots after selecting the HDR mode, but noting that the bracketed shots had to be processed into HDR in DPP.

DominoDude: Sorry for the confusion.

dcm: Please confirm that you shoot RAW while in HDR mode, then combine the RAW shots into the HDR version in post-processing.

I always shoot in RAW or RAW+JPG mode.

My first HDR was done with a T2i. No builtin camera mode for in camera HDR and the Canon software did not do HDR. I shot RAW in Av with AEB and processed in Photomatix Pro. You can also preprocess the images in the Canon software for lens, etc. corrections and save as TIF or JPG before loading into Photomatix Pro.

I use the same approach with the 6D - shoot RAW in Av with AEB and process in Photomatix Pro. I have tried the HDR Backlight Control in scene mode on the 6D, but it only produces a single merged jpg image and that isn't generally what I am looking for so I don't use it. Maybe if I played with it more I might find something to like about it.

There is no RAW support in the HDR Backlight scene mode that I tried. I don't remember trying the HDR mode in camera menu 4 which appears to be the method you use. I haven't tried using any HDR features of the Canon software (ImageBrowser or DPP), didn't know there were any but I already have other software for this purpose.

If I find some time I might look at HDR mode in camera menu 4 but I think it will lack the flexibility of post processing if it produces an in camera jpg as documented. I could only speak to the current version, not any changes that might have been made since the original firmware.
 
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