Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u

v2016.126   Oct 30, 2015

Priority: Low

v2016.126 includes a new artifact-free HDRv2 to help you manage shadows and highlights in raw photos with high dynamic range.

See: http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-hdr.htm

Mike

To me Artifacts are the information plaques that are attached to paintings to tell you who painted that splotch with one eye that hangs in the museum.
So what is Mike talking about?

I made a very small video to do a show and tell and set us on the right track.

https://youtu.be/lTxKcqMVSvE

Fred

Fred

I like the way you say: Thank You Very Much
At the end of your video
It such be me saying: Thank You Very Much
For the time & all you do in making the videos and all the help you & Terry give in helping us all!

Thank You Very Much!!

Ya Me

Re.
Not for me I think! This is a great improvement, especially as I regularly take high contrast images with highlights and deep shadows.
I was privileged to do some beta testing on this one for Mike along with Fred and checked about 30 different images that had been difficult to process in the past. With the new Fill algorithm and HDR 2 I was able to make a much better job on them and reduce the amount of work needed in the editor with curves etc.
I would say in summary QU v2016.126: -
Improves clarity and smoothness at high contrast boundaries.
Enables greater contrast in bright areas such as cloudy skies"
Higher levels of fill are possible and HDR 2 can then easily recover the
bright areas to return them to how they should look - or possible give more drama to the shot.

On the DDI-QU website there are some comparisons that Mike has updated.
See http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-hdr.htm (http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage-u/tech-hdr.htm)
The image of the boat (at Upton Upon Seven) is one of mine from 2010 taken with my old Canon 350D.
To show the difference between v125 and v126 raw processing, here are some larger images on my Flickr site. (EDIT see the next post too: Reply #4)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/terry-m_flickrphotos/albums/72157660185692670/with/22019967963/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/terry-m_flickrphotos/albums/72157660185692670/with/22019967963/)
V125 version
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5709/22018344014_9704e16317_b.jpg)

v126 version, note the improved shadow detail in the raft by the boat and the quay steps. The sky with its nice clouds looks good too.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5785/22019967963_cb7b7c25d4_b.jpg)

Terry

I don't think the differences show very well on the images on my previous post so here are 2 more of a high contrast shot of a tree and its refection in it's autumn colours.

                                            QU v125                                                                                      QU v126 with HDR 2
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5817/22710782505_8dc3debcfb_b.jpg) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/712/22088030864_3bbeb57c34_b.jpg)

HDR 2 has given much more detail in the reflection of the tree and enabled a clearer rendition of the tree foliage particularly against the blue sky

Terry

Thank you very much, this is - for me - one of the best updates.

Took some shots yesterday of autumn colours, one of the shots did not process very well, fine detail in trees against blue sky took on an unnatural look.

A quick flick of HDR2 - fantastic all recovered.

This one alone is worth the $20 annual forum/update.

Jeff - not so grumpy

     

Here is my recovered sample. The delicate tree branches did not show well in V2015.

  Jeff

Hi Jeff,
(= .125)
Thanks for sharing that image. Yes, HDR 2 in Refine completely solves the problem of strange fringes of things like tree leaves and branches against the sky. The old version required care not to push too much; now there is no danger of that occurring at all.

I'm pleased to hear you are mellowing in your old age  ;D
Terry

The sample image would have been full screen if I could remember how to do a url link. :-[

Will look up the relevant posts and sort it out.

Jeff

Right click on the image in your internet gallery and you should see something like View Image Info. Open that and scroll down until you find a row that ends in .jpg.
Copy that row to paste into the forum post using the Insert Image icon, second from left.
Terry

Images now hosted on Wix Com, previously on Zenfolio

see if this works


http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_41d7870bfa0b4c2791f58319c92d128d.jpg (http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_41d7870bfa0b4c2791f58319c92d128d.jpg)

see if this works

Surprise, Surprise it almost did.

(http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_41d7870bfa0b4c2791f58319c92d128d.jpg)

Like it, where was that and did HDR 2 help?
Terry

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/285/19780441395_ea43a83e51_b.jpg)

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/450/19159546303_dd62c3fd87_b.jpg)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5655/22409035965_88ca3030f3_b.jpg)

Loch Rannock, last June, processed with HDRv1

I hadn't got the difficult tree one posted, it had in fact gone into the 'failure box'.  I just used it to test HDRv2 even with that it is not a memorable image.

Jeff

Further to above.

Here is the 'difficult' one reprocessed, Fred might say over processed.

I have fiddled with HDRv1. Colour Balance. Sel col. Curves. Levels and sharpening.

Still too fussy for me, but that is how the scene more or less looked from memory.

(http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_5ad12c73ca284fa9a39027967c5723c7.jpg_srb_p_819_696_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg) 

Jeff

Failure, try again

(http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_5ad12c73ca284fa9a39027967c5723c7.jpg_srb_p_600_54_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srb)

(http://static.wixstatic.com/media/22c900_5ad12c73ca284fa9a39027967c5723c7.jpg_srb_p_630_535_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srb)

Appears to be dependant on which browser is used to view the image.

If this does not work -sod it- I give up

Jeff

Thanks for sharing all the great pictures!  If you guys thought 126 was good, give 127 a try!  Terry, I'd love to see that tree/reflection shot done in 127.  I bet you'll be amazed at how much more detail you get in 127!  :)  Feel free to share your findings in the 127 thread as it'd be good to see some reviews of 127.

Mike

I was indeed!  :o  ;D
Yes, will do, images being prepared for flicker now.
Terry