Merge to HDR oddities

[Johan Elzenga]

I wonder if anyone else noticed the following 'Merge to HDR' oddities:

1. If you use 'Merge to HDR' (or 'Merge to Panorama'), Lightroom will generate XMP-files for all the source images, even if you have not checked that option in the Lightroom preferences.
2. If you use 'Auto Tone', Lightroom will set five sliders. However, only one of those sliders has anything to do with an attempt to automatically adjust the image: the 'Exposure' slider. The four other sliders, 'Highlights', 'Shadows', 'Whites' and 'Blacks' are always set to the same value (-100,+70,+15,-15). As a result, 'Auto Tone' doesn't usually give a very good result.

 

[Jim Wilde]

I knew about the XMP-generation, and I think that I probably did know the explanation, but if so I've forgotten. No doubt Victoria has a better memory than me.

Regarding the auto-tone, I assume you mean on the resulting DNG? If so, I don't see what you're seeing. I get 4 sliders moving (Exp., Contrast, Whites, Blacks), but not by a consistent amount. That's with Merge to Pano, haven't tried HDR.

 

[Jimmsp]

I wonder if anyone else noticed the following 'Merge to HDR' oddities:

1. If you use 'Merge to HDR' (or 'Merge to Panorama'), Lightroom will generate XMP-files for all the source images, even if you have not checked that option in the Lightroom preferences.
2. If you use 'Auto Tone', Lightroom will set five sliders. However, only one of those sliders has anything to do with an attempt to automatically adjust the image: the 'Exposure' slider. The four other sliders, 'Highlights', 'Shadows', 'Whites' and 'Blacks' are always set to the same value (-100,+70,+15,-15). As a result, 'Auto Tone' doesn't usually give a very good result.

I have not noticed the XMP files; though I admit I have never looked.

Re Autotone in HDR - Yes, I have noticed what you have said. As a result, I have stopped using it. However, I am not real happy with the way LR generates a HDR file. I'm not convinced yet that they "have the math" right. It seems like I always push the Highlights and Shadows to the extremes (near -100, +100) to get anything that looks half decent. If I have any good scenes shot for HDR, I'll always take it to Photomatix. There I can get very good realistic output and still have a lot of room in LR to fine tune the tiff.
I have told myself that I want to generate a good test scene for HDR - but I have yet to set it up and shoot it.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I knew about the XMP-generation, and I think that I probably did know the explanation, but if so I've forgotten. No doubt Victoria has a better memory than me.

Regarding the auto-tone, I assume you mean on the resulting DNG? If so, I don't see what you're seeing. I get 4 sliders moving (Exp., Contrast, Whites, Blacks), but not by a consistent amount. That's with Merge to Pano, haven't tried HDR.

Merge to HDR has an Auto Tone option right in the Merge dialog. Merge to Panorama doesn't have an Auto Tone option. Of course you can use Auto Tone in the Develop module on the merged DNG (and probably get a lousy result as usual with Auto Tone), but that is not what I referred to.

 

[clee01l]

I think Adobe has pulled HDR and Panorama code Components from Photoshop/Photoshop Elements (why would any one write new code?) When That code is called, ACR is also called and the Photomerge process works on the original RAW file. Foe this reason you need LR adjustments in the XMP Also the LR PhotoMerge is not as robust as the same components in PS so parameters are hard coded rather than build a user interface in LR to allow the user choices.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Of course, now that I've read your post correctly, yes I can confirm the same settings when doing Merge to HDR with auto-tone selected.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I have not noticed the XMP files; though I admit I have never looked.

Re Autotone in HDR - Yes, I have noticed what you have said. As a result, I have stopped using it. However, I am not real happy with the way LR generates a HDR file. I'm not convinced yet that they "have the math" right. It seems like I always push the Highlights and Shadows to the extremes (near -100, +100) to get anything that looks half decent. If I have any good scenes shot for HDR, I'll always take it to Photomatix. There I can get very good realistic output and still have a lot of room in LR to fine tune the tiff.
I have told myself that I want to generate a good test scene for HDR - but I have yet to set it up and shoot it.

It's logical that you need an extreme setting for shadows and highlights. After all, you're dealing with an HDR image, so an image with extreme contrast. The Higlights and Shadows settings themselves are not so odd (but increasing Whites and decreasing Blacks definitely is odd for an HDR file), but it's odd to claim you do an automatic correction if in reality 80% of the settings is fixed. I can get very nice results with Lightrooms HDR function, though.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

I think Adobe has pulled HDR and Panorama code Components from Photoshop/Photoshop Elements (why would any one write new code?) When That code is called, ACR is also called and the Photomerge process works on the original RAW file. Foe this reason you need LR adjustments in the XMP Also the LR PhotoMerge is not as robust as the same components in PS so parameters are hard coded rather than build a user interface in LR to allow the user choices.

Yes, that may indeed be the explanation.