Lightroom - Unable to detect HDR exposure brackets

[Merlin5]

Hi guys. I tried a panorama yesterday for the first time. It came out fine but I could only do non HDR merging.

I got this message when I began the lightroom merge:

'Unable to detect HDR exposure bracket size. Merge to non-HDR panorama instead? Merge to HDR Panorama requires a selected set of bracketed exposures, each with consistent offsets.'

I've read the requirements on the adobe site which if not met will trigger that message. As far as I can tell I followed them. I ended up with seven x 2 stop bracketed sets, each containing three images with -2, 0 and +2. So I highlighted all 21 images in one go to merge. In each bracketed set, the exposures are as follows.

f8/ISO 125/shutter speed 1/1600
f8/ISO 125/shutter speed 1/400
f8/ISO 125/shutter speed 1/100

Can you tell me what I might have done wrong where lightroom can't detect the bracket size?

Thanks.

 

[Box Brownie]

None too sure about the process on LR but......based on your description have you understood what an HDR merge is and as such how to create a panorama from such a group of merged sets???

My understanding is:-
An HDR bracket merge is for 3 or more identical images of the same scene, to create a merged exposure.

A panorama 'merge' relies on having a number of edge overlapping image scenes for the software to join and not show the joins (AFAIK not all panorama merging software can perform a horizontal & vertical merge as a combination process. I think I recall that Microsoft ICE can do it?).

 

[Merlin5]

None too sure about the process on LR but......based on your description have you understood what an HDR merge is and as such how to create a panorama from such a group of merged sets???

My understanding is:-
An HDR bracket merge is for 3 or more identical images of the same scene, to create a merged exposure.

A panorama 'merge' relies on having a number of edge overlapping image scenes for the software to join and not show the joins (AFAIK not all panorama merging software can perform a horizontal & vertical merge as a combination process. I think I recall that Microsoft ICE can do it?).

Yeah, I've done a few HDR merges with a single scene. With the panorama, I set the camera on a tripod, levelled it, took a bracketed shot, swivelled the camera a little to the right while overlapping the end of the previous position and continued like that for the next 6 bracketed shots. I did wonder if I had overlapped all the shots properly but the final image has stitched ok so I guess it did? Well, I'm going to do it all over again today or tomorrow and absolutely make sure I overlap correctly and maybe I won't get that message again.

 

[Box Brownie]

Yeah, I've done a few HDR merges with a single scene. With the panorama, I set the camera on a tripod, levelled it, took a bracketed shot, swivelled the camera a little to the right while overlapping the end of the previous position and continued like that for the next 6 bracketed shots. I did wonder if I had overlapped all the shots properly but the final image has stitched ok so I guess it did? Well, I'm going to do it all over again today or tomorrow and absolutely make sure I overlap correctly and maybe I won't get that message again.

No idea......but are you sure that LR creates an HDR panorama as you think it does. It occurs to me that maybe you have to do the HDR merging and then 'feed' the resulting HDR images into the panorama processor???

I look forward to your update and successful processing

 

[TCR4x4]

Just do the normal pano merge, with the bracketed images, is works just as well I’ve found.

This was about 25 shots, I did a pano exposed for the sky, and then another for the ground. Just used the normal pano merge with all the images and it sorted itself out.

 

[Merlin5]

No idea......but are you sure that LR creates an HDR panorama as you think it does. It occurs to me that maybe you have to do the HDR merging and then 'feed' the resulting HDR images into the panorama processor???

I look forward to your update and successful processing

Do you mean merge each bracket separately to create, in my case, 7 merged photos, and then merge those 7 photos to stitch them together? That could be worth a try.
By the way, after I looked at my finished pano, I noticed a ton of noise when zooming in. As it was later in the day, around 6pm, the darkest photo of each bracket was very dark and noisy and that had got into the final merge. So in the end, I just used the brightest photo of each bracket and binned the others. So I ended up stitching just 7 photos.

Just do the normal pano merge, with the bracketed images, is works just as well I’ve found.

This was about 25 shots, I did a pano exposed for the sky, and then another for the ground. Just used the normal pano merge with all the images and it sorted itself out.

Beautiful panorama! I did another tonight, actually a nightime pano of the same scene as yesterday. I didn't do bracketing this time, I just did one shot of each section at f8, iso 100 with a 30 second exposure each time. I'm about to start processing them, not sure if they'll be any good but I hope they come out ok! I'll upload if successful.

 

[Merlin5]

OK guys, I've got two panoromas of the same scene, late daytime, and night time. The thing is, there's curvature. I've googled this and apparently it happens if the camera is tilted up or down too much, could that be what's happened here? The lens I used is a 16mm wide angle lens but on aps-c, so actually 24mm.

I levelled the camera horizontally on the tripod with the built in level and locked it down. When I look at each separate image in sequence though, I've noticed the angle tilts upwards to the right increasingly from the first to last image. I've no idea why that happened. In lightroom I can choose spherical or perpendicular. I settled on spherical. When I chose perpendicular, it straightened the horizon better, but the buildings to the right were sloping to the right. Any idea how to improve this?


Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr


Night Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr

This is what the night time pano looks like unedited in perpendicular.

 

[Box Brownie]

Three thoughts

1)
The edge curvature is an artifact of using a standard tripod head i.e. because you are rotating the head around a single point compared to using a nodal rail to compensate for the perspective shift when not using a rail?

2)
If the spirit level is on the head rather than the tripod, as you rotate the head it will shift out of level? NB I am trying to visualise this potential of this surmise/situation myself

3)
If you use the 'level tool' in software you can correct the curve......though some edge/vertical distortion might remain?

 

[rob-nikon]

OK guys, I've got two panoromas of the same scene, late daytime, and night time. The thing is, there's curvature. I've googled this and apparently it happens if the camera is tilted up or down too much, could that be what's happened here? The lens I used is a 16mm wide angle lens but on aps-c, so actually 24mm.

I levelled the camera horizontally on the tripod with the built in level and locked it down. When I look at each separate image in sequence though, I've noticed the angle tilts upwards to the right increasingly from the first to last image. I've no idea why that happened. In lightroom I can choose spherical or perpendicular. I settled on spherical. When I chose perpendicular, it straightened the horizon better, but the buildings to the right were sloping to the right. Any idea how to improve this?


Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr


Night Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr

This is what the night time pano looks like unedited in perpendicular.

Was your camera perfectly level too?

If the camera was pointing slightly downwards/upwards I'd expect that to introduce a curve to the horizon. I don't so many panoramas myself but I have heard a nodal rail is a good idea to use as it gets the lens centred over the tripod pivot point (don't quote me on whether thats right or not).

Are you taking the images in portrait. I gather thats the better orientation to maximise pixels.

 

[Merlin5]

Thanks Box Brownie and Rob. Yes I believe you're both on to something. I'm guessing my tripod wasn't level. There aren't any spirit levels on the tripod or ballhead, I just used the built in electronic level on the camera which I thought would be enough, but clearly it's not. The tripod legs were fully extended but might not have been on perfectly level ground. So seems I'll need to buy a spirit level I can attach to the tripod. Do you know of a good accurate one I should buy to fit a Manfrotto Befree GT? Would I need a spirit level on the ballhead as well or should the built in camera level be good enough?

Rob, I shot in landscape mode. Yes I've since read that portrait is better for more top to bottom depth but I don't know if that would help the levelling?

 

[rob-nikon]

Thanks Box Brownie and Rob. Yes I believe you're both on to something. I'm guessing my tripod wasn't level. There aren't any spirit levels on the tripod or ballhead, I just used the built in electronic level on the camera which I thought would be enough, but clearly it's not. The tripod legs were fully extended but might not have been on perfectly level ground. So seems I'll need to buy a spirit level I can attach to the tripod. Do you know of a good accurate one I should buy to fit a Manfrotto Befree GT? Would I need a spirit level on the ballhead as well or should the built in camera level be good enough?

Rob, I shot in landscape mode. Yes I've since read that portrait is better for more top to bottom depth but I don't know if that would help the levelling?

The in built electronic level in the camera should be good enough if it’s showing it’s perfectly level in all planes. You shouldn’t need a bubble level. I have a pano clamp that sits between the camera and the tripod head. It means once I have the camera level I’m only turning across the horizontal plane. I use a uniqball head for its levelling functionality. It makes getting everything level much easier.

Taking the photos in portrait instead of landscape shouldn’t make any difference to the levelling.

Another point could be your trying to use a 24mm lens. I usually use a 70-200 lens from taking panos. I’m not sure if that could be exaggerate the perspective and cause more curvature.

There are a few guides on the internet.

How to Shoot Panoramic Images | Wex Photo Video

Find out how to photograph and edit panoramas to best effect with Kirk Norbury's guide.

www.wexphotovideo.com

 

[Box Brownie]

Yup!

Using the cameras own "level" system has only leveled for the one single positioning.

But as I say above, depends on what part of the support you are making level

 

[Merlin5]

Well guys, seems I need to buy a levelling ring with bubble built in like this guy uses. Also, he shows what he uses at 1:21.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXfRJi_3G_k&t=0m13s


He shows what obviously had happened with my panorama. He uses the same built in virtual horizon level as on my camera, and before levelling the legs he pans and shows the horizon tilting. So now I just need to find one to fit my tripod.

 

[Merlin5]

I just set my tripod up in the garden and now I see what I didn't see yesterday when I pan, it tilts as it rotates even though the camera is levelled on the ballhead. I think I might go for this panning clamp,

Neewer Panoramic Tripod Head 360 Degree Bottom Rotation: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Neewer Panoramic Tripod Head 360 Degree Bottom Rotation Aluminum Alloy Pan Head with Panorama Scale QR Plate Bubble Level for Tripod Monopod Slider DSLR Cameras Max Load Up to 22 LBS at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

Apparently it means I don't have to level the legs. Not sure if I can clamp it to the RC2 clamp on my tripod though.

 

[Lensflare]

Save yourself some pennies, buy a hot shoe mounted spirit level. I still have mine that came in the Hasselblad XPAN kit I had when I shot film. It works in any plane too! I bet you could buy one for about £5.

 

[Merlin5]

Save yourself some pennies, buy a hot shoe mounted spirit level. I still have mine that came in the Hasselblad XPAN kit I had when I shot film. It works in any plane too! I bet you could buy one for about £5.

I forgot about those things! I already ordered the panning clamp yesterday though. But I'll buy a hot shoe level as well, it'll be useful for carrying less weight and bulk when I don't need panning.

What might be nice about the panning clamp is it will probably be more fluid than rotating the ballhead, and it has numbering on it which could be useful for exact incremental turns during panning.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

OK guys, I've got two panoromas of the same scene, late daytime, and night time. The thing is, there's curvature. I've googled this and apparently it happens if the camera is tilted up or down too much, could that be what's happened here? The lens I used is a 16mm wide angle lens but on aps-c, so actually 24mm.

I levelled the camera horizontally on the tripod with the built in level and locked it down. When I look at each separate image in sequence though, I've noticed the angle tilts upwards to the right increasingly from the first to last image. I've no idea why that happened. In lightroom I can choose spherical or perpendicular. I settled on spherical. When I chose perpendicular, it straightened the horizon better, but the buildings to the right were sloping to the right. Any idea how to improve this?


Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr


Night Panorama by Merlin 5, on Flickr

This is what the night time pano looks like unedited in perpendicular.

Go into photoshop and distort the hell out of them till they look about normal. Both LR and PS panorama merges frequently end up with all kinds of distortions, but at least it gets the edge overlap right every time.

If you want perfect get the bunch of tilt and shifts and ideally a subject matter to suit