dnmilikan wrote:Rick, No, Photomatix does allow one to use a single image...however it isn't true HDR when that happens. But a single raw image does have some applications especially where movement is a consideration. Thanks for the heads up on the noise software, I really like Noise Ninja however. On examination, the problem that I have with Lucis Art is that it renders in 8bit RGB and grayscale only (at least by their documentation) so that is a non starter for me. Photomatix has 16 bit output capability and supports raw input.
Yep, 8bit is all you get. I'm not sure I really find it a limitation though since the internet is 8bit. If I'm editing for Print then I try to stay in 16 but Lucis alters the image enough that I'm not really sure you're losing anything.
HDR is a really tricky area and when done correctly, it's super. Lucis is sort of the poor mans HDR (although the tool is quite expensive). I have never successfully put together multiple images to make a HDR image. Weird given all the editing I do. I just find Lucis so versatile. You can go ape with it, or be very subtle. I happen to float both ways depnding on what I'm trying to do.
For the Noise program, what I really didn't like about the other programs is that they want profiles or settings. Noiseware has about 6 settings, for Landscape, Portrait, Nightscape, Full. But you can go in and adjust each individual color with just a slider as to how much noise reduction you want. This was incredibly powerful when editing some concert shots where you had the colored lights. Look at the following. I wanted all the noise removed, remember, I was shooting at 1600, but normal noise reduction just took all the texture out of his face. So I cranked back Red to something like 30% and it was perfect. Cut, print. Took about 10 seconds. THAT's why I like Noiseware. Intuitive, flexible and fast. It's also why there are many programs because everybody likes different things. Glad we're both happy.