Is Photomattix worth it?

While I am not a big fan of the crazy HDR images I would love to be able to blend images and am investigating HDR options. Many people seem to like the Photomattix HDR software. I was wondering what my comunity here thinks of it and their advice.

Thanks.

RichieV

I have the Pro version and don't use it. I just blend in CS4 using the Luminous Landscape method. It gives me more control and I like the results better.

I also own Photomatix Pro and almost never use it. Of the HDR software out there right now, I think Photomatix is clearly the best.

But I prefer to do my blending in Photoshop, using layers and masks. While this is less automated, it produces the best results.... unless you're going for the "HDR Look". Which I don't.

Just out of curiosty Momo, do you have a link to that technique?

Is it the Mark Segal article?

I have the latest version and use it fairly often. If used properly (without overprocessing) you can get some very good results.

I'm another one in the camp of those who bought Photomatix, got frustrated by its success to failure ratio (it worked great on some images, but horribly on many others) and finally just learned to use layers and masks in photoshop to get the results I wanted. The layers and masks route can involve more work on certain types of images, but the control you get is far superior. That said, I haven't used Photomatix in a couple of years now and newer versions may have improved things.

I also have Photomatix but find it rarely gives me the results I'm looking for. I usually use the Luminous Landscape technique.

You should also look into Enfuse or Enfuse Lightroom Plugin. I think it works better than Photomatix and gives more natural looking blends.

+1 on "own it, but never use it". I've done maybe 3 HDR images. Way too many variables and deviations introduced by the process, I found. Wasn't worth it to me. I was especially bothered by how HDR processing modifies the natural tones - usually introducing warm hues that were a pain to remedy. I see this often in HDR photographs posted online.

BUT ... I will often use the Tone Mapping plugin for what is essentially a single image, "psuedo hdr" effect. I don't like the traditional hdr look, but I do like the way these tools modify tone (especially in opening up shadow areas) quickly and easily. This technique is significantly faster than other methods of evening out tones - like luminosity masks, etc. Doesn't work 100% of the time, but it's a fast "one step" method that I've enjoyed using for a few years. The only part of Photomatix I still use.

I too prefer manual blends using two exposures ... I never find the need for more. Manual PS blending sounds daunting, but a little practice shows you how easy this type of blending can be - if not fun. You can use a very simple approach, and increase in complexity as your PS skills grow. You ought to hit Nat up for a quick blending session, to see how easy it is.

Another vote for bought it, used it with little success and never use it now. I don't have the most recent version which I've read is quite a bit better from the version I bought over a year ago. I am interested in the Exposure Fusion function that was recently introduced.

I just recently started doing manual blends and it really is a great technique. More time consuming but ultimately you have much more control and I think the results are better.

You might check the Digital Imaging forum as there is an excellent thread on various techniques for blending images.

Wow, I'm kind of surprised. I have it, and love it. I think the trick is to really understand the different blending methods it offers, and use the one that works best for each image. I think most people probably use the default "Details Enhancer" mode, which is probably the worst option, and can really give you that "HDR-look". I've been very happy with the other methods they offer, which give more natural results. But really, it depends on the image.

I'll second Phillip's suggestion of Enfuse. I'm still a TuFuse person, but Enfuse uses pretty much the same algorithms. I much prefer the output of these two programs to what I've seen from Photomatix.

Each of these two tools has its advantages. Enfuse allows full alpha channel masks, and has an LR plugin; TuFuse only offers on/off transparency masking, and has no plugin, but allows fine control over the HDR curve. For those not into command lines, TuFuse Pro is a standalone $35 GUI version, or if you use PTAssembler, you can integrate the free version in to that (not sure if you can or need to integrate the Pro version...).

As an example of adjusting the HDR curve, my post of Little Wild Horse Canyon HDR from last year required a change in the blending curve; the default rendering washed out the sky, and simple adjustments left the canyon in shadow. It is, undoubtedly, an image I could never have obtained without either a LOT of layer blending work or the TuFuse tool.

Richie, I don't know if you use Lightroom, but if you do, give LREnfuse a look. It's cheap, easy to use, and my results are often more natural looking than what I get from Photomatix. Having said that, I like and use Photomatix, but it doesn't always work. It depends on the image and I have yet to figure when it will or won't work. I just try it and see what results I get. Maybe Brett Deacon will chime in. His HDR work (with Photomatix) is outstanding.

Richie, if you would like to try out Photomatix for a while I may be able to help you with that. I have found that it is really neat but I don't use it often enough to justify the cost. However if I ever go and shoot a car show I am sure it will be worth purchasing. Some of the most amazing photos of cars I have seen are HDR photos.

Edit: Just fixing stupid.

Some of the most amazing photos of cars I have seen are car photos.

I'm sure that was a typo, but that is pretty funny. =) As for the subject, I have to agree with some others on here. I have Photomatix Pro and I hardly use it anymore. Once you get comfortable with working with layers in Photoshop, you will want to use it for everything. I just love the added control in PS.

This is a Photomatix exposure blend of 5 images and it looks natural enough. Paul is absolutely right---a lot depends on the image itself. In Photomatix you have the options to "Generate HDR image" or do "Exposure Blending". I almost always use the "Exposure Blending" as I feel it gives better looking photos.

When using "Generate HDR" I find the following works well:
Align Source Images > By Matching Features (I've found that if ANYTHING has moved between frames you're pretty much screwed!)
Reduce Chromatic Aberrations, Reduce Noise > Off (Better done in PS)
Reduce Ghosting > off (again if things moved between frames--forget it)
Go Directly to Tone Mapping > On
Export in Colorspace > set to the color profile of your images --if using Lightroom, set to ProPhoto)
Click "Export"
In the Tone Mapping window use the "Details Enhancer" instead of "Tone Compressor"
Light Smoothing > High (Note...if you want those cartoonish HDR images--set this to low)
Strength > depends on photo. Strength sets overall contrast so use it to taste.
Adjust other sliders to taste.
Click "Process"

When Using Exposure Blending:
Align images by > Matching Features
Export in Colorspace > Whatever colorspace you are using (ProPhoto for Lightroom)
When your blended photo comes up click on Highlights & Shadows > Adjust
Adjust sliders to taste
The "Accentuation" slider (should probably be called "Strength") seems to open up shadows with higher values
The "Blending Point" slider sets the blending point to lighter with higher values and darker with lower values.
The "Shadows" slider again opens up shadows
Adjust other sliders to taste
Then click "Process"

These are the typical settings I use in Photomatix. I try both "Generate HDR" and "Exposure Blending" to see which gives the better results. Many times neither gives acceptable results and its off to the Luminous Landscape technique or Enfuse. YMMV

Enjoy!

I had never heard of the luminous landscape tutorial until now, so i checked it out. Ive never used Photomatix (and CS4 is miserable of course) but ive never felt the need when i get fine results with manual blends. I first learned blending through Jesse Speer's tutorial 5 or 6 years ago (who in turn informed me about NPN!) and since then I use dozens of techniques, mostly learned through trial and error, because every situation is unique. I use luminosity masks frequently (see TK's website for the tutorial) because you can gain very precise control over your results. The Luminous tutorial's main example is just a poor man's luminosity mask--and it doesnt even explain how or why it works. I'm sure it works fine for most cases, and that's great, but i prefer as much range of control as i can get--which is why ill never make one piece of HDR software my sole method.

I bought Photomatrix a couple months ago and and have been pleased with the results on most images. Sometimes the warm tones get rendered inaccurately but with work I have been able to correct it. There have been a couple times the software hasn't been able to produce a usable image even after a lot of work, but I am happy I have the software. I did copy the link to the CS4 blending techniques and try that for comparison.

Phillip, your linked photo is the poster child for PERFECT use of HDR. Excellent work! Hadn't seen it before.

Hey Stan, can you shoot me the link for that luminosity masks tutorial please? I am not sure who TK is, but I am very interested in checking that out.

I agree with Phillip about the Exposure Blend mode in Photomatix. I've generally had my best results with this option. It is not a true "HDR" image, but more similar to the exposure blending in Photoshop. It doesn't mess with the colors of the image like Details Enhancer and Tone Compression tend to do. I have also found that Details Enhancer and Tone Compressor really emphasize things like noise and dust specks, which Exposure Blend doesn't seem to do.

HERE are 3 versions of the same image, processed in Photomatix. These images show the best results I could get with Details Enhancer, Tone Compressor and Exposure Blending in Photomatix.

Also, I should note that these were created from a single RAW file. My GND broke on this trip, so I was trying to shoot without it. I decided to create 3 exposures from a single RAW file. If I had it to do again, I would shoot multiple exposures.

Thanks Jesse!

I'm not Stan, but I also use Tony Kuyper's Luminosity Mask Curve Adjustment actions.
I use these all of the time to adjust tonal differences in my work. They aren't really meant to replace what can be achieved using a bracketed set of images that are combined and optimized with HDR software or blending using PS layer masks, but work well in tweaking tones in single images.
Are you familiar with PS actions?
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I agree with Jesse that Phil's image from the Redwoods is one of the best uses of HDR software (and of course his photography skills) that I've ever had the pleasure to see.

I use photomatix Pro in combination with the LR plug-in for almost all my images.

I've had the pro version for several years and still use it now and then (that's assuming I actually have time to process photos :( ). I find it works for some photos, as others have said, but I usually fall back to luminosity masks and manual blends. Still, I'll usually try it first in PM to save some time.
One technique that has come in handy with PM is to get the HDR processed as close to what you want as possible, then bring it in to PS with your original exposures as layers and blend in a little of the originals to reduce any HDR effects.
As far as HDR goes, I like PM much more than CS4's HDR.

For those interested, check out "Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography" by Ferrell McCollough. He has had some of the best HDR tutorials on the web and the book is pretty good. I haven't made it through the book (keep getting sidetracked), but I did learn a thing or two about Photomatix that I didn't know before. I'm looking forward to trying it again soon.

Phillip, that is a KILLER HDR image!