Wow! what a difference.
Here is my Autumn tree reflection image processed with v127 alongside the v126 version
                      V126                                                                                              v127


To convince you of the difference see below screen shots from the QU comparator, v126 on the left, v127 on the right.
NB. these are conversions from the raw images without any other than raw refine.




... and if you ever need convincing about the virtues of shooting in raw, here is the camera jpeg version.


O yes, the actual scene was as dramatic as the raw version shows!

Terry

Hi Jeff,
Yes we are, we can all learn from each other.
I've checked with Firefox and Chrome, no difference. I suspect you are picking up the thumbnail image on your web site rather than the original. You need to click the thumb to open it and then right click to find the Image Info ....jpg row to copy.

Watch this space, a video may be on the way.

Terry

Hi Jeff,
You are generally right there but it does depend on the image and how much Fill has been applied so there's a bit of a learning curve to get used to the new and improved characteristics.
Have you image with some clouds and/or fine detail against a sky with some colour or detail.You'll find that interesting to refine?
I have an image with a stone church building in the middle distance where the improved detail in the stone block walls is very good. Maybe you have something similar?
Terry

Jeff,

I think it is time to break down the meaning of HDR.
Highlight Detail Recovery.
In your sample images above, there seemed to be no lost highlights to recover. In fact you flattened the existing highlights and sort of spoiled the image.
If an image has a blocked shadow area or a darkened shadow area that would benefit from being lightened somewhat, and you add FILL light to accomplish this, and in doing so, the light/bright parts of the image lose detail, you move the HDR slider to recover what you lost.

Again, Highlight Detail (lost and found)

See attached quickie samples to illustrate the principle.

Mind you, I didn't spend a lot of time tweaking a tick more fill, a tick less fill, and a tick more or less HDR.
Just want you to grasp the principle.
It is used when you need to recover some lost detail due to a need to add FILL to brighten an area.

094  shows the original raw from the thumbnail showing the need to lighten the foreground to see the ground.
095 shows the area in the foreground lighter, but the loss of detail in the sky is obvious.
097 shows HDR recovering the detail that was lost due to the need to fix the foreground.

I got the drama of the sky back and still was able to keep the  lighter foreground.

Hope some of this helps.
Fred

Thanks for the video Fred. It inspired me to make one too on an afternoon too damp to clear autumn leaves in the garden.
Here is mine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkNhUd1nAFQ
It's a longer video using 3 different images, each requiring a slightly different approach.

Please Note: I used a magenta rectangle in 2 of the images and a blue one in the other to initially recover some highlights. This will not always be necessary so always try without a recovery rectangle first and resort to that if recovery required cannot be achieved using the HDR slider. Remember to use the shift key to check for over exposed areas, as in my video.

I hope some of you find this helpful.
Terry

Fred

I am not nit picking but do you not agree that I have recovered some highlights in the two areas marked.

eg. I can just see the bulb/lamp through the street lamp glass

Now going to look for more images to fiddle and look at videos.
 


Jeff

here is another of my older images which get better results with HDRv2

The cloud went into 255,255,255. Basing exposure on that area and tweaking fill and HDR gives a quite pleasing image with just a very small spot of 255's left unrecoverable.



Jeff