Unified Color HDR Photostudio vs, Photomatix

[andiwm2003]

has anybody tried this HDR software? Is it better than Photomatix Pro?

I'm looking for a more natural HDR but also want to have the possibilty to go overboard and get these surrealistic pics. However I don't like the strong halo effect that is often seen in HDR pics.

Has anybody tried both programs? I know I could do it myself but it's actually quite a lot of work and needs some experience to judge those programs. That's why I hope some more pro level person has some input.

Thanks.

 

[acearchie]

I recently bought Photomatix. The interface is easy to use and it turns out pictures much better than photoshop.

For the outside pictures the results have been a dream however for the inside pics especially with people the default presets aren't very useful.

However, photomatix also has a very efficient aligning sytem able to notice movements from picture to picture and correcting this for the final image. This has proved to be very useful.

I will post some of my pictures tonight so you get an idea of what you can create.

I am pretty much a novice at HDR after only discovering AEB on the camera this week!

Maybe we could discuss how to get some nice results and compare pictures in this thread as I am keen to learn and improve!

 

[Ruahrc]

Has anybody tried both programs? I know I could do it myself but it's actually quite a lot of work and needs some experience to judge those programs. That's why I hope some more pro level person has some input.

Problem is the way you work may not be the way others work. Some people prefer to use Aperture, but I prefer Lightroom. If I asked an aperture user which they preferred, they would say Aperture, but I would ultimately find that I prefer lightroom because it fits better to the way I like to work.

I could suggest Photomatix because it may work better for me, but that does not mean it would be better for you.

Therefore, the only real way to accomplish what you seek is to try the programs yourself. I know it takes a lot of work but like many things, you get out of it what you put in. I know photomatix has a free trial so you can familiarize yourself with the software and its workflow, not sure about the other package.

Ruahrc

 

[acearchie]

I have started a thread asking for some critique on some of my HDR pics.

They have all been created using Photomatix Pro from a RAW file!

Check out the thread!

 

[Jenavive]

Hey. I only have experience with photomatix, so my opinion won't help. When I was first starting, I relied a lot on a book called "Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography" by Ferrell McCollough. He compares and contrasts a few different HDR softwares and includes photos so you understand what he means. I'm not positive whether HDR Photostudio is included (apologies) but you might want to check out that book.

Good luck!

 

[macrumormonger]

Most of the time it's great

I have photomatix pro, and I use it for all of my HDRs. Besides the image quality, I really like the interface. Photo software is usually a grab bag of super-secret menus, that's not the case with Photomatix. One drawback for this specialized software is the weak set of basic tweaks such as brightness, contrast, etc. You have to import the HDR pic to another software to make the tweaks.

Who HDRs a mall? LOL, me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dailymatador