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HDR Time Lapse tutorial

Per Erik Sviland says:

First you shoot 5 BKT shots and check in the display that you`ve got a decent tonerange througout the picture. If so you go to manual setting and use the same setting there so that the setting doesn`t change during the time lapse, which will result in flickering in the video. You should also switch over to manual focus after the autofocus is finished.

I use the interval timer on my Nikon D300 to automate the shooting. You need to program the interval between each HDR series(I usually go for 5 to 10 sek intervals depending on how fast the clouds are moving). Then you need to decide how many shots you would like to shoot. For 10 sek film in 24 fps you need...you`ve probably guessed it....240 shots!! I normally bracked 5 shots so then it`s 240x5= 1.200 shots. for 10 sek. film.

Before I do all this I have already set the camera to autobracket 5 shots.

Then you just mount your camera on a tripod, press "play" and wait for it to finish.

I use a 8 gig. memorycard. This is not enough if you want to shoot in raw or fine. I choose the highest quality setting that I can to fit the number of shots I`m going to shoot. I don`t need to shoot in fine, because I know that I`m going to use this as a film and Full HD is 1920 x 1080 pixels so the "normal" resolution is plenty.

When I come home I batch edit the HDRs in Photomatix.

I then put all the Detail Enhanced HDRs into Adobe Lightroom where I adjust levels and vibrance (Lightroom is great for editing many files at once). I export the edited files out of Lighroom and doing so changing the resolution to 1080p and changing the names (custom name with number sequence) of the files so that quick time pro will edit them.

Then I go to Quick Time Pro and open the files in a picture sequence and choose 24 fps. After the sequence is made I export the film to my hardrive.

Edit: 11.03.09
It is possible to batch edit single raw files in Photomatix.

You need to do it in two steps.

First you need to make the .hdr file. You go to "Automate" and "Single File Conversion"
Then you "tick" the "Convert RAW file into .hdr" button. Selct source folder and hit "run"

When it`s finished you go to "Automate" and "Single File Conversion" again, but this time you choose "Tone Map HDR into JPEG using Details Enhancer. remeber to adjust the settings on the Details Enhancer option. Then you select as the source folder the folder which holds the HDRs you made in step one, and hit run.

An there you have it. If I have left anything out please don`t hesitate to tell me.

Admin
Per Erik
Originally posted at 3:38PM, 24 November 2008 PDT (permalink)
Per Erik Sviland edited this topic 50 months ago.

	NikolaT says: Nice tut Eric i have problem exporting my movie from Quicktime , i have tried a lot of options but im not sure how to avoid problems and to get clear picture Posted 55 months ago. (permalink)
	Per Erik Sviland says: I would reccomend exporting your video in Quick Time Pro, H264 at high quality, automatic keyframing, fast compression. I had some problems if the rezolution of my shots were larger than my screen. I resize in Lightroom, but there is probably a way you can do it directly in the software, but I havn`t figured it out yet. Posted 55 months ago. (permalink)
	chad1616 says: You can resize in Quicktime pro as well - in the dialog make sure you choose EXPORT: Movie to QuickTime Movie that will un-gray the "Options..." button allowing you to choose options including size. Posted 52 months ago. (permalink)
	kebman says: This is great! OK, your approach to HDR timelapse is definitively better than the one I suggested as a comment to your Flickr vid: www.flickr.com/photos/sqbbe/2587638313/in/set-72157605010... Personally I find encoding the films for web on Adobe Media Encoder CS4 is a breeze, but otherwise QuickTime Pro is a must. Seems you need specialty equipment (timers and programming) to actually shoot this way, or do you have any cheap alternatives for a guy only sporting a Nikon D60? Also, as I don't have your kind of software (and I use Mac), isn't there an option to use PS' makro program to automate the process of merging images into HDR? Originally posted 51 months ago. (permalink) kebman edited this topic 51 months ago.
	Reelfire says: Unfortunately i own a Nikon D40 and the only way to get HDR out of it is to use a single RAW file. I recently shot a time lapse at a lake in RAW and it looks great, however i want to convert it into HDR using the file conversion in Photomatix and i can't find a option in Photomatix which will batch edit all of my single RAW images into HDR without having to do one by one. So far i have done 20 which took an hour and i have 480 to go :) Any ideas? p.s love your work, its a real insperation Posted 51 months ago. (permalink)
	Per Erik Sviland says: schooldunce. It is possible to batch edit single raw files in Photomatix. You need to do it in two steps. First you need to make the .hdr file. You go to "Automate" and "Single File Conversion" Then you "tick" the "Convert RAW file into .hdr" button. Selct source folder and hit "run" When it`s finished you go to "Automate" and "Single File Conversion" again, but this time you choose "Tone Map HDR into JPEG using Details Enhancer. remeber to adjust the settings on the Details Enhancer option. Then you select as the source folder the folder which holds the HDRs you made in step one, and hit run. Hope this helps. Admin Per Erik Originally posted 51 months ago. (permalink) Per Erik Sviland edited this topic 51 months ago.
	Dan and Chris Gutwein [deleted] says: I use Photomatix Pro for single shots and fine that I have to work fairly hard to get something I like. How is it possible to batch process so many shots with Photomatix and have them all turn out so well? ---- Also, I've had trouble with QT Pro crashing on my XP system, but I just purchased Adobe Media Encoder CS4 and haven't used it yet. Does anyone have advise for a beginner simply importing photo-sequences into it? Posted 51 months ago. (permalink)
	Matt Romack Photography says: Hey Eric, great tutorial, I have a d300 as well but I can't figure out the Interval timer inside the camera, I hit play but it doesn't run, I have an MC-36 and I know it can be used as an intervalometer as well but I've never used the function, any tips? Originally posted 48 months ago. (permalink) Matt Romack Photography edited this topic 48 months ago.
	Per Erik Sviland says: I`m not sure. It should be pretty straight forward. I`ll let you know if I find out something. Per Erik Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	Andrea Troisi [deleted] says: I've got some trouble with LR, because I'm not able to use it (it's the first time). How can I crop the images to 16/9 all in one time? It crop me only once at once even if I select all. Than I wonder if exist a way to elaborate all the images in photoshop in one time, just to add some cornice or logo or anything else.. I'll watch around. For HDR timelapse I'm on the final way, I've got some hours of work with my canon with intervalometer, I tryed many ways with photomatix (even enhancer than compressor). My only problems during shooting is the correct Manual settings to find during recording a sunset: light change so quickly that in 20 minutes all the bracketings going from being overexposed of ev +2 to be -2... Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	Andrea Troisi [deleted] says: I founded the sync settings tool in LR, that's all right now. As soon as possible I'll add my little first work. Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	Andrea Troisi [deleted] says: Another question guys: I've seen that sqbbe and other of you use to add a slow movement with also zooming option on the main frame during the timelapse. I think it's a postproduction trick (it doesn't seem to use a motorized tripod). What do you use to put together all your .mov sequence and arrange it also with introduction, music, etc. I've to decide if use pinnacle studio 12 or premiere element 7, what do you suggest me? Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	AnNamir™ c[_] says: A BIG thank you to mr.admin for this brilliant tutorial! I should try it some day :) Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	Per Erik Sviland says: Andrea I use Adobe Premier Elements to make the final edit with transitions, zooming, music and titles. Per Erik Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
	Andrea Troisi [deleted] says: Thank you Erik, I've also taken premiere elements but I have to learn more on how to work with it. I searched for some tutorials over the network but it's hard. The only one that I've founded is: magictimelapse.blogspot.com/2009/03/pans-and-zooms-with-a... I'm shooting very frequently in those days to make many HDR timelapses, from mountain to the sea. I love this fantastic world :) Posted 48 months ago. (permalink)
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