I’ve mentioned my new camera a couple of times – it’s the Panasonic Lumix TZ9, with a nice high ISO range (for a small camera) that’s great for indoor pix at gigs.
One other feature it has is the ability to take bracketed images so you can generate HDR (High Dynamic Range) images. I’ve always wanted a go at that, and I’d planned to get a decent dSLR at some point so I could experiment further.
Now, let’s not beat about the bush here. Proper dSLRs have dynamic range settings from 3eV upwards, and that allows for some stunning images. The TZ9 only has a 1eV range, and at £150 it is hardly trying to compete with the big boys.
One thing I have discovered is that you definitely need to use a tripod, as the three individual photos are taken over about 1.5 seconds. While I was out his evening I stole a quick chance to get some pictures when I noticed the sun behind a pupil’s neighbour’s house.
These are three bracketed images taken at +1eV, 0eV, and -1eV. I took these at ISO 400, f/6.3, and 1/30 sec exposure. The sun was partially obscured by clouds just to the right of that house on the right – I was trying to get a situation where you’d normally get under-exposure in the foreground, or over-exposure of the background.
This is the HDR image I produced from these:
This is just a first try, but I was impressed by the detail of the foreground and those trees in the background, as well as on the house brickwork – even though the sun is just over there.
I need to play with this some more when I get a chance.