HDR using Red Footage

[hzero]

I created some HDR images using TIFFs that Mike Curtis posted. Take a look, the results are pretty interesting. If anyone has a sequence of TIFFs I would love to create some full motion HDR footage.

It really pulls out the details in a cool way and presents an opportunity for some creative looks. Sometimes it falls apart if it's pushed too far, but in that way it's like any other grading technique.

To see the originals go to hdforindies.com and enter red in the search box.

-ben

 

[Justin Kirchhoff]

wow, the second one looks like a painting.

 

[Tom Lowe]

I think the trouble is, that the HDR algorithm will not apply merges evenly from frame to frame. The moving HDR sequences I have seen have been truly horrible, with massive flickering. I'd love to be proven wrong, though.

 

[Michael Schrengohst]

I have run actions on a series of time-lapse image sequences.
I have tried doing that in photomatrix but get the flickering
that Tom is talking about. What we need is an HDR function in
After Effects. And what we really need is the ability
to bring an .r3d file direct into AE.

 

[dvpixl]

HDR taken too far doesn't look appealing or natural IMO.

 

[Tom Lowe]

I think AE might have such a function, but the trouble is, you cannot merge 24 frames per second with an HDR merge algorithm and hope to get steady results. It's going to be a mess.

 

[Andrew M.]

I tried HDR made of two shots from 48 fps to 24X2 merged.
I used the Photoshop though.
Photomatix algorithms are a bit artificial. They are just picture painting plugins.
Photoshop is giving you more control over the merging of the shifted objects or pan.
It will create the blur instead of flickering.

HDR is not to be used to create painting effects, this could be done with standard 12 bit or even 8 bits deep pictures.
HDR is to show what otherwise you will not see with your own eyes.
Example of this will be the perfectly blue sky by naked eye completely uniform.
You take 8 bit picture and it is perfectly uniform, then take the 32 bit picture and you will see the sculpture of the air layers that you never have seen before.

The other example, looking through the large window out in to the blasting noon sun.
8 bit will just show what you see with your own eyes, just blasting sun through the window.
Well try to take 32 bit picture, you will see the reflection of the desk lamp that you forgotten to switch off in this window.

What you see above it is just claver manipulation of the contrast and saturation to make the visual effect of the painting. Hardly anything to do with HDR.

 

[dino g]

dvpixl, i love your post as it compares to your avatar...funny stuff.

 

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

I think AE might have such a function, but the trouble is, you cannot merge 24 frames per second with an HDR merge algorithm and hope to get steady results. It's going to be a mess.

I think that the best way to shoot an HDR movie would not be by running it through some algorithm but by carefully shooting multiple passes and combining them frame by frame manually much like they accomplished the scanner darkly look.

 

[Álex Montoya]

By HDR you mean tone mapped.

 

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

quite frankly I don't give a damn.

 

[Dj Joofa]

quite frankly I don't give a damn.

I thought the original line spoken by Butler in Gone With The Wind was "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

 

[A. Bastaki]

i know how to make a 32 bit hdr image.. basically get in to photoshop and put a bunch of 16 bit raw images of different exposures and turn it into one 32 bit hdr image... though how can that work with people walking around. how can you take multiple exposures with red... instantly... or am i missing something?
________
Transcontinental

 

[Álex Montoya]

quite frankly I don't give a damn.

I don't know if you were talking to me but I sure wasn't replying you, who used the term correctly.

I was correcting the original poster.

 

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

I don't know if you were talking to me but I sure wasn't replying you, who used the term correctly.

I was correcting the original poster.

it's a good thing we cleared that up, still I feel my almost reference had some humor to it.

 

[Petr Dvorak]

ouch, it doesnt look good

 

[Craig W. Bickerstaff]

I thought it had a really interesting quality to it, the people and the environment looking very peaceful against a sky which looks kind of chaotic.

 

[purefilm]

The way it is done in the still photograph world is either shoot 3 different exposures in camera and compile them in the photoshop, or take one Raw image and create multiple exposures in the photoshop Raw correction software, then compile the images with the HDR tool in Photoshop.

So it would be possible to take a flexible RAW images from red and render out multiple exposures in Redcine - outputing as Tiffs, and then compile the data in your HDR software. finally compile those images in after effects.

 

[Andrew M.]

i know how to make a 32 bit hdr image.. basically get in to photoshop and put a bunch of 16 bit raw images of different exposures and turn it into one 32 bit hdr image... though how can that work with people walking around. how can you take multiple exposures with red... instantly... or am i missing something?

There are two ways to do HDR movie on RED at this moment.
One real time, the other film laps.
For real time you shoot in 48fps and you take it in to AE
All odd frames you push 2-4 stops down and all even frames you move 2-4 stops up.
You have to work in 16 bit color.
Then you make a script for motion transform of each odd and even frame.
To make it even smoother you add motion blur in time transform effects.

Second way (for now only) is using the time laps.
I asked Graeme to push for user shutter settings, separate for odd frames and separate for even. This will let you select different shutter angle (exposure) for even frames and different for odd. Graeme, did you push for it or I am barking at the wrong tree?

In time laps you set RED to shoot every one second or more and you have to just change aperture by hand 2-4 stops. Up for even frames and down for odd frames on and on again.

You can use Birger Canon mount and laptop to program aperture and trigger the RED to do it even faster fully automatic (never tried it) but from what I did read about Birger mount RS232 control, you can probably change aperture 4 times per second easy.

Then again, back to the AE and merge two frames in to one and you get 24fps out of it.
As I said, merging in Photoshop will give you better results, you don’t have to do it by hand, you can create script after you do few frames by hand and you know the settings for the particular clip. Next clip you have to do few frames by hand and then again in to the script.

 

[Andrew M.]

HDR on RED

HDR on RED

HDR on RED.

Yes it is possible and very doable, however we need simple feature in the shutter menu that will allow us to set different shutter speed for odd frames and different for the even frames.

I know I know, critics of this feature point out that different shutter speed for one frame and different for the other frame will create unpleasant effect.

With all the transform and motion blur control in AE it is no brainer.
After merger of two frames there is no noticeable flickering.

Leave it to the creativity of very skill full people here.

WE NEED DUAL SHUTTER SETTINGS ON RED FOR HDR


Andrew