HDR and Panorama in ON1 Raw 2018

There has been a lot of talk about substitute software to replace Adobe post processing software. My preference for post processing software is ON1.  I am using Adobe Photoshop less as ON1 updates its software. For 2018 ON1 has added HDR merging and panoramic stitching amongst other features like cataloging your images such as what Adobe Lightroom does.

High dynamic range or HDR is a technique to reproduce a greater dynamic range of luminosity than what is possible with standard digital imaging. ON1 software automatically aligns your images and removes ghosting from motion between exposures.  Panorama stitching is the process of combining two or more images to form one cohesive image.  ON1 goes one step further to embed panoramic metadata for Facebook panning so you can show 180 degree views!

The reason I make panorama images is to simulate a medium format (or larger) camera.  Instead of holding the camera horizontally to make one long narrow image, I hold my Nikon full frame vertically and stich two or three frames to produce a nice sized image. My Nikon creates 6,016 w x 4,016 h pixel images.  By holding the camera vertically and taking three consecutive shots I can stitch them together to make a possible single 12,048w x 6,016h pixel image if I use a tripod and keep the horizon level and the ends of the scene just meet that would be impossible to achieve.  I hand held my camera for the shot above so the alignment of the three images created a cropped size.  Yes! I hand held my camera to take all the images required including the HDR frames.

To take the picture above with a 50 mm lens, I set my camera for aperture priority at f/11 and a three frame bracket of -.07ev, 0ev, and +7ev at an ISO of 400.  I had to compensate for the shade and didn’t want too low of a shutter speed for the higher ISO.  I also set the camera for continuous shooting so I can get three rapid shots.  I shot the first three frames for the right most image, then moved the camera for the center three shots, then moved the camera for the last three shots on the left.

                                         -0.7 ev 1/30 sec                                 0 ev 1/50 sec

                                                                 +0.7 ev 1/20 Sec

In ON1 Browse, I select the three images I want, then from “File” select “Create HDR”

The dialog has sliders for the Tone & color tab and HDR tabs that you can adjust the image to where you want it.  I just saved the image with the default settings.  After I stitch the images together I’ll process the final image later.

                 

The overlap is quite evident here which will cause this image to smaller in width.

 Add 1, 2, and 3 at the start of the title in each HDR images to help with your ordering then from the drop down “File” menu select “Merge to Panorama...”   Then the “Create Panorama” dialog shows.  You can now set “Edges” to crop, wrap to fill, or do nothing for edges; select “Open in browse, develop, or effects; and select “Add Panoramic Metadata.”

I set mine to “Crop” and “Open in Develop” for final processing.

Above is another panorama image using three frames which resulted in a 10200 w x 6600 h pixel image or 34” x 22” at 300 ppi. The image above needs to be cropped to show less lawn.

Above is another HDR example of the camera hand held in three frames 0.7ev, ISO 1000, 50mm, f/4.5.

ON1 Raw 2018 simplifies the tasks of creating HDR and/or panoramic images.  It also allows me to do landscapes, stills, and other slow moving scenes without the need of an expensive medium format camera.