Hmmmmm, -D40 capable of HDR?

Greywoulf

New member
Anyone tried the Image Overlay option in the D40's Retouch Menu? :confused:

Strikes me that if I take a pic of a scene underexposed, keep the camera absolutely still, and then take another of this same scene overexposed, I could then merge the two right in the camera via the Image Overlay option and maybe get an HDR type additional photo? I think you can also adjust the transparency of each of the input photos too...

You could also probably take some shots of people, move the camera a tiny bit with each, and then overlay the pics in a transparent manner to create ghost trails..? -Another good reason for me to buy a tripod, right? -Gotta try some of this cool stuff! ;)

(Hooray 'lil D40!)
 
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Browncoat

Senior Member
Since the D40 doesn't have bracketing mode, here's a "hack" that should give you the results you're looking for:

First, it's important to realize that DSLRs do not have a wide dynamic range like our eyes do. Not even the most expensive ones. If there are a lot of different lighting going on in a scene, the camera tends to pick a happy medium. This overexposes some parts, and underexposes others. Take this photo for example:

dsc-1626.jpg

Details near the top of the tower are nearly completely washed out, while you can barely see anything at all on the ground because of the harsh shadows. Somewhere in the middle section is a properly exposed photograph. HDR software allows us to combine 3, 5, or even 7 different exposures of the same scene in order to maximize detail and tonal range in one single photograph. I think if you try to do this in-camera, you're not going to be happy with the results.

Since the D40 does not have bracketing mode, you are absolutely going to need a tripod to do this manually...and I would recommend firing the shutter remotely or at the very least, use the timer so that you are not actually touching the camera.

Take your first shot, then dial down the exposure compensation 3 clicks to the left and take another. Then dial 6 clicks to the right, and take a final shot. This will give you three different exposures:

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You can do more if you want, but I would think the more you fuss with it, the more likely you are to bump or shift the camera. Generally, the more dynamic (wide) the tonal range is in your scene, the more exposures you should take. The above example photo is pretty extreme and would probably need 5 or even 7 exposures.

Once you have your three exposures, you can combine them with your HDR software of choice.
 

Greywoulf

New member
Thank you, and I do know about the method you're describing...

But while the D40 does not have bracketing, it does have an in-camera Image Overlay option, and that's what I'm talking about here, It also has a method where you can make one of the images more 'transparent than the other when you overlay them? I haven't tried any of this yet, so now I'm just guessing and assuming, but I will try it soon and post the results, okay? :)

Also rather than use the exposure compensation adjustments (which I think would be difficult to manage on the D40 without moving it?) I think I would rather just shoot in manual and adjust the F stops up and down one (or several?) clicks... I can certainly check the LED's images as I go along, to get the over-and-under results I want, no? :cool:

The images to be overlaid are selected in the D40 after they're taken, just like you would do with computer PP. However it strikes me as fun to try and get an HDR type image out of this camera even before any PP work is required on the computer..... :D

-Will it turn out okay? Who knows? -But I'm gonna find out....
(And I definitely gotta get me a sturdy tripod first to do it!)
 
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