Can you make your own HDR images with the Galaxy S7?

theweezel_c08014c91f

So recently I found out that my S7 taks pictures with HDR.  Looking through it's other functions such as panorama, virtual items, and such I was wondering if it is possible to use it's functionality to create the HDRI images typically used within DazStuido, Blender, and other such applications?  I think it would be great to be able to find a light I would like to use in my life and capture it in such a way that I could use it in my projects.  I realize that likely a tripod or some other way to stabilize is necessary but something is at least a little better than nothing.

Any thoughts or ideas would be useful.

nonesuch00

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

So recently I found out that my S7 taks pictures with HDR.  Looking through it's other functions such as panorama, virtual items, and such I was wondering if it is possible to use it's functionality to create the HDRI images typically used within DazStuido, Blender, and other such applications?  I think it would be great to be able to find a light I would like to use in my life and capture it in such a way that I could use it in my projects.  I realize that likely a tripod or some other way to stabilize is necessary but something is at least a little better than nothing.

Any thoughts or ideas would be useful.

The main problem is you need a tripod to steady the camera and then be able to go through and take photos at all the angles required to complete the HRDI scene. You should search on Bing & Google and see what others have tried with devices like yours.

Personally there is a waterfalls nearby were I live with a moonbow on some nights and other scenic sights I'd like to take HRDIs of and release but my camera is 10 years old. I must wait for a new camera or maybe buy a cheap tablet and adapted tripod for the tablet and try what you want to try.

theweezel_c08014c91f

nonesuch00 said:

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

So recently I found out that my S7 taks pictures with HDR.  Looking through it's other functions such as panorama, virtual items, and such I was wondering if it is possible to use it's functionality to create the HDRI images typically used within DazStuido, Blender, and other such applications?  I think it would be great to be able to find a light I would like to use in my life and capture it in such a way that I could use it in my projects.  I realize that likely a tripod or some other way to stabilize is necessary but something is at least a little better than nothing.

Any thoughts or ideas would be useful.

The main problem is you need a tripod to steady the camera and then be able to go through and take photos at all the angles required to complete the HRDI scene. You should search on Bing & Google and see what others have tried with devices like yours.

I've actually been looking and haven't found anything so far.  Honestly I was wondering if those Panorama settings or such may be able to do some of the heavy lifting.

theweezel_c08014c91f

Ok I may have found how to do it.  You have to download a mode called "Surround shot". This will take the pictures and put them together at least in the phone. Now if I can get it to work outside the phone and it uses the HDR setting that I have enabled for regular pictures then we are all set and would mean all of us with these newer phones can start making our own HDR images for our programs.  I will need to test this out and currently I am in the IT room I work in.  So unless I am planning on doing something from the IT Crowd this may not be a great location to test.  Though now I am thinking of a cross gender sexy Moss and Roy,  no that would just be wrong.

theweezel_c08014c91f

Also in case anyone is interested I just did a little testing to see where the default Perspective  camera (Daz Studio) is in a new scene relative to the world center.  Looks to be at 190 cm high, 370 cm in front, and 144 cm to the side.  On a 2D plane from above you are 4 meters away from where everything spawns in.  From the lense itself it is 5 meters to the world center.  If I get this HDR stuff working out then it will give me a great place to start from in how high to take the photos from and if I want to put a character at a specific point it should be totally possible.

nonesuch00

Thanks. I have bookmarked this thread. I will try to use my 10 year old Panasonic camera or one of my Android tablets this weekend and make an HRDI of a local tourist scenery site. I will post the success, or failure here.

theweezel_c08014c91f

 

So it looks like the test was at least somewhat succeessful.  More attempts will need to be made and a tripod to hopefully make it more steady and possibly clear.  I am unsure if the picture is in fact HDR or not.  It seems thought hat all the tech is there it may just be an issue of not using the standard app.

nonesuch00

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

 

So it looks like the test was at least somewhat succeessful.  More attempts will need to be made and a tripod to hopefully make it more steady and possibly clear.  I am unsure if the picture is in fact HDR or not.  It seems thought hat all the tech is there it may just be an issue of not using the standard app.

 

It looks pretty good for a 1st try but I think the scale in DAZ Studio render you choose was too big for your HDRI picture resolution. Most of the light seems to be coming from reflections off the grass which on bright sunny days in places is a real and a good effect but given the brightness of her surroundings and strength of the reflections from the grass the character looks to be in shadows. I will need to look at pictures to see if that is what to expect. I'd at least expect bright sun glaring down on the top of her hair, arms, shoulders and similar places to contrast with the rest of her. 

You may of already seen the tutorials I'm posting below but other might like them.

I'm pretty sure you need to make a series of images at different exposures and in a sphere as much as possible around a fixed camera position. You're camera is probably doing alot of that behind the scenes but I think you'll need a tripod of some sort too. All the HDRI environments i've gotten for free end in extension .hdr.

The newest camera may very well have all the SW on board required to process the images into a HDRI .hdr format (there are several variants of formats internally though I think) but if not the Google Nik Collection is free and has HDR effects but that is not the same thing as an HDRI image HDR Environment.

Here is an introduction:

1. http://adaptivesamples.com/2016/03/16/make-your-own-hdri/

2. Try in Gimp

http://www.howtogeek.com/65493/learn-how-to-make-hdr-images-in-photoshop-or-gimp-with-a-simple-trick/

http://gimpscripts.com/tag/environment-map/

3. Two different YouTube Tutorials

(in Blender)

4. Blender Nation

http://www.blendernation.com/2014/11/30/create-your-own-360-panorama-environment-maps/

5. List of HRDI SW utilities most of which cost money.

http://www.hdrlabs.com/tools/links.html

WendyLuvsCatz

you can also use any series of photos or mp4 video taken in a circulating 360 view and Microsoft ICE to stich a panoarama

for HDR a second set with alternate camera settings and something like Picturenaut may work.

the not HDR panoramic stiched image will still do image based lighting though

nonesuch00

Thanks. I will try MS Ice & my tablet video for a few quick HDRI estimates.

prixat

The 'HDR mode' in cameras and phones is what photographers think of as HDRI.

In HDR mode the camera automatically takes a series of photos, combines them to a single image, tonemaps it into a JPG and discards the combined image.

Unfortunately the discarded "combined" image is the one we need in 3D.

nonesuch00

prixat said:

The 'HDR mode' in cameras and phones is what photographers think of as HDRI.

In HDR mode the camera automatically takes a series of photos, combines them to a single image, tonemaps it into a JPG and discards the combined image.

Unfortunately the discarded "combined" image is the one we need in 3D.

Maybe that can be turned off.

fastbike1

If you are trying to make an HDR image for lighting, you really need a large range of exposure to be useful. The typical 5 stop range that many photographers and cameras use for HDR images is inadequate for really good lighting. The concept is simple, the execution, not so much.

nonesuch00

fastbike1 said:

If you are trying to make an HDR image for lighting, you really need a large range of exposure to be useful. The typical 5 stop range that many photographers and cameras use for HDR images is inadequate for really good lighting. The concept is simple, the execution, not so much.

How many stops would you recommend? I've read 8 stops? And I've also read of others trying to use more than 8 stops but then having to delete those extra stops because DAZ Studio could not handle it. Or maybe it was because DAZ Studio can't handle more than 5 stops. I forget the thread that was mentioned in by MechD that she had to do that. 

theweezel_c08014c91f

All this is really good information.  Unfortunatly does go well beyond the idea that we already have a perfectly easy and viable device to do what we need in our pocket.  Actually scratch that it more provides insight that we need an app that will treat the HDR capabilities we have in our pockets correctly and create an image that is useful in 3d applications.  All the pieces are here they just need to be put together right.

nonesuch00

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

All this is really good information.  Unfortunatly does go well beyond the idea that we already have a perfectly easy and viable device to do what we need in our pocket.  Actually scratch that it more provides insight that we need an app that will treat the HDR capabilities we have in our pockets correctly and create an image that is useful in 3d applications.  All the pieces are here they just need to be put together right.

Well I was eventually planning on buying a Sony a6000 but for regular photography. Maybe I should review the specs and see it it has the SW on board to create a good .hdr file. Not that that's going to cause me to rush out & buy one tomorrow. I will look a my old tripod and camera and manually try to make one as the SW is available but it takes a little work. Mostly as a learning exercise and to create nice backgrounds although after having an free HRDI from the Pixar Studio that is said the be a good example (it does make dramatic lighting) fail to properly light the water shader in a fishbowl I am curious if I make an HDRI will it light the water in a fishbowl (using the iRay water shader supplied with DAZ Studio, I think as part of the Genesis 3 Essentials).

theweezel_c08014c91f

nonesuch00 said:

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

All this is really good information.  Unfortunatly does go well beyond the idea that we already have a perfectly easy and viable device to do what we need in our pocket.  Actually scratch that it more provides insight that we need an app that will treat the HDR capabilities we have in our pockets correctly and create an image that is useful in 3d applications.  All the pieces are here they just need to be put together right.

Well I was eventually planning on buying a Sony a6000 but for regular photography. Maybe I should review the specs and see it it has the SW on board to create a good .hdr file. Not that that's going to cause me to rush out & buy one tomorrow. I will look a my old tripod and camera and manually try to make one as the SW is available but it takes a little work. Mostly as a learning exercise and to create nice backgrounds although after having an free HRDI from the Pixar Studio that is said the be a good example (it does make dramatic lighting) fail to properly light the water shader in a fishbowl I am curious if I make an HDRI will it light the water in a fishbowl (using the iRay water shader supplied with DAZ Studio, I think as part of the Genesis 3 Essentials).

Well I am all for more amateur HDRI sources out there.  I figure a lot of us have or can get the tech easily to do it so if there is an easy way to put it together then we could make our own HDR rather than having to look to purchase very expensive good HDR or downloaded rather poor free HDR.

Tobor

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

Also in case anyone is interested I just did a little testing to see where the default Perspective  camera (Daz Studio) is in a new scene relative to the world center. 

As a quick note: There is no Perspective "camera." It's a "view," and lacks many of the normal camera controls, so it doesn't behave like one. It's not uncommon for people to try to use it as a camera, and become frustrated when they end up not being able to do things with it. You can create a real camera from the base Perspective view settings, or a custom Default camera that is loaded each time you create a new scene.

For the thread in general: if you want to make HDRs, and are on a budget, any half-way decent DSLR with exposure controls will make them. You can rent the specialized tripods for doing panoramos from several online outfits. Try to find one that comes with the compositing software. It will combine the individual exposuresinto HDRs, and will stitch the panos into the appropriate output format.

As for how many stops, that depends on the camera and the settings. If you shoot in RAW format, and those files have 12-14 bits, you may only need 3 or 4 bracketed frames. 

nonesuch00

Tobor said:

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

Also in case anyone is interested I just did a little testing to see where the default Perspective  camera (Daz Studio) is in a new scene relative to the world center. 

As a quick note: There is no Perspective "camera." It's a "view," and lacks many of the normal camera controls, so it doesn't behave like one. It's not uncommon for people to try to use it as a camera, and become frustrated when they end up not being able to do things with it. You can create a real camera from the base Perspective view settings, or a custom Default camera that is loaded each time you create a new scene.

For the thread in general: if you want to make HDRs, and are on a budget, any half-way decent DSLR with exposure controls will make them. You can rent the specialized tripods for doing panoramos from several online outfits. Try to find one that comes with the compositing software. It will combine the individual exposuresinto HDRs, and will stitch the panos into the appropriate output format.

As for how many stops, that depends on the camera and the settings. If you shoot in RAW format, and those files have 12-14 bits, you may only need 3 or 4 bracketed frames. 

Thanks

fastbike1

Perhaps I was too subtle.  I don't think you have a device in your pocket that provides the capabilities you need for believable HDR lighting. A quick scan of the more recommended HDR lighting sites should eliminate the notion of easy. Look at Greg Zaal's work. For starters, your device needs to give precise exposure control.

For Nonesuch00: 8 stops would be the minimum. Studio handles those HDRIs. 12 to 24 ev are much better ( Greg Zaal, HDRIHaven).

theweezel_c08014c91f said:

All this is really good information.  Unfortunatly does go well beyond the idea that we already have a perfectly easy and viable device to do what we need in our pocket.  Actually scratch that it more provides insight that we need an app that will treat the HDR capabilities we have in our pockets correctly and create an image that is useful in 3d applications.  All the pieces are here they just need to be put together right.

 

Fishtales

Autopano Pro can stitch images into 360º panoramas at 32 bit. I have done ones using 38 images :)

http://store.kolor.com/autopano-pro-4-x.html?___store=eng&___from_store=default

This is a free version of the original.

http://matthewalunbrown.com/autostitch/autostitch.html

Tobor

Justy to reiterate, more and more modern cameras are not 1frame = 1EV.  A Canon 1D/II has an 18EV dynamic range already. when output in RAW, so dependeing on the work, a single frame may be enough. There's nearly always some motion between frames, so if the hardware handles it, the fewer the shots the better.

Whether a Samsung phone or tablet can take an HDR image is only about 1/5 of the issue. The quality of the sensor and the quality of the lens largely dictates the quality of the image. You may get an image with decentdynamic range, but the picture may not be nearly as good as from even a $200 DSLR. This is most obvious if the image has to be blown up. Many of those real estate photos are produced at under 1000px on a side. A good HDRi is 8000px by 4000px, and you need the sharpness if you want to use it as a backdrop image, as well as for lighting.

 

nonesuch00

It's 10 years old now but this is what I have that actually fits a tripod:

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-FZ8K-Digital-Optical-Stabilized/dp/B000MWVMRG

I have it in raw mode not & know that it's good at stabiling images because I've used it to take pictures of hummingbirds in flight, not just at the feeder.

• 7.2 Megapixels, up to 3072 x 2304 resolution, 848 x 480 at 30 fps
• 12x Optical, 4x Digital Zoom
• Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens - 11 elements in 8 groups (3 Aspherical lenses / 3 Aspherical surfaces)

I think technically that is 3K, if there were such a thing.

And most of the HRDi I want to try and make are of various waterfalls in area so that moving waters and mists makes a problem right off the bat for trying to make a good HRDi but I will try.