Photomatix Beta Plugin for Aperture 2.1 Available

Photomatix has a beta version of an Aperture 2.1 plugin.

http://www.hdrsoft.com/download/applugin.html

The beta does not put a watermark on the final image. There's also a release candidate version which does put a watermark on it's images. Once released, the plugin will cost $79 which I feel is a good price.

I'll download this over the weekend and report back.

 

Be my guest, Roger! I can't run Hydra as it's for Intel Macs and am still running an old Powerbook. New camera this year, new Macbook Pro next year.

 

Very quick test with probably not the greatest of subjects but here goes. Here's the three images. All taken on a tripod, 1/50s, f/25 and 95mm focal length using a Nikon D70 and 18-200VR lens.

1. -2 EV


2. 0 EV


3. +2 EV


Default Photomatix settings.


I did read where the plugin seems to add noise whereas the stand alone for OS X does not. But I wasn't going to put a 17MB tiff file through Noise Ninja! Obviously, I need to read and review the tutorials to learn what all the settings do. :

 

About time that this plugin is available. Hopefully, the wait will be worth it.

Jason

 

Finally, took a little time to work with the Photomatix Plugin for Aperture 2.x. ; I still have the beta version which does not put a watermark on it. ; The link above still works. ; They have the plugin as $79.95 on the download page.

On to the example...

Here's the source files:
1. 2. 3.

Final image with some post adjustment and upper left corner cleanup.


All photos taken on a tripod with settings of ISO 200, f/22, EV +0.3 with variable shutter speeds of 5s, 8s and 15s. ; With better source files compared to the World Showcase sunset example I used previously, the plugin worked great. ; I'll be looking to create more HDR photos in the upcoming weeks when faced with tough exposure scenes.

 

Re: Photomatix Beta Plugin for Aperture 2.1 Availa

Very nice Scott. ; I like Photomatix a lot, I just need to remember to take the necessary shots to take full advantage of it.

 

Re: Photomatix Beta Plugin for Aperture 2.1 Availa

very nice

 

That's a great way to use HDR. So many HDR's I see, especially on Flickr, are so over saturated they drive me nuts. But what you did here gives a nice exposure which evens out the shot.

As a side note, I see a lot of dust spots on your photo. That's one thing that is so annoying with digital vs film. OK.... I know it was possible in film to have dust and hair on a shot, but not the way is is with digital. Cleaning a sensor can be risky and nerve racking if you do the cleaning yourself. The sensor cleaner built into the new Canon 5D Mark II works pretty well and has cut down the amount of dust spots I see now over my old 5D and 10D.

I am also curious what other Aperture Plug-Ins people use. It annoys me we need something like Noise Ninja and noise reduction software can be expensive, but I also realize it's just a part of digital photography I need to get use too. I have yet to purchase any Plug-Ins, but many do interest me. Is there alreadya thread for this topic that I missed?

 

Thank you. ; I like HDRs which increase the range of exposure of the camera and not over do the effects.

Cleaning a sensor isn't that hard to do. ; Most of the time all I need to do is use a blower but I have done the sweeps, too. I blogged about it here: http://land.allears.net/blogs/photoblog/2008/06/in_progress_cleaning_a_dslr_se_1.html

As for my shot, I noticed one spot at the upper edge which I can easily repair like I did the tree in the upper left corner. ; Something you'd have to crop out with film which is not easy to do with film as well as removing grain. ; Either way, there is added costs. ;

Film is not dead and with the ability to get digital scans when you get the film processed, you can get the advantage of both worlds.

As for plug-ins, it's nice to be able to pick and choose. ; Do you use Aperture or Lightroom? ; The only plug-ins I have for Aperture is Noise Ninja and Photomatix. ; I also use two free output plug-ins called Border FX and a Smugmug Uploader.

 

I have saved many a noisy 1600 ISO photo from my D70 with NosieNinja. ; Is Dfine any better, Roger?

 

Nik has nothing to do with Nikon does it? ; I'm just wondering if Dfine works on Canon RAW files as wells as it does on Nikon RAW files.

FYI: Dfine 2.0 is $79.95 For a limited time http://www.niksoftware.com/dfine/usa/entry.php

 

Dust on film is usually on the film and then caught as it is printed. Most labs are pretty good about catching that in my experience. Short of scratching the negative or positive, you never worried to much about the camera being damaged when cleaned.

I have yet to clean my sensor on the 5D Mark II. I did clean my 10D and 5D with a SensorKlear by Lenspen which was recommend by my local reputable Camera Shop. The reason I find it nerve racking is that is the heart of the camera, you mess your sensor up and you might as well buy a new camera.

The fact that my 5D died after a lens cleaning, which may have been a total fluke, is one reason I am understandable nervous about lens cleanings. ; Considering I had preformed the cleaning many times and was very experienced, I tend to think it just crapped out. But its always in the back of my mind.

I don't think film is dead either, but its barely breathing to the average consumer. Kodak stopping the production on Kodachrome is significant I think. Call me old school, but Kodachrome 25 was unmatched. Also Kodachrome had a great life after exposed. Years later Kodachrome still looks good and is known not to fade much if at all.

I use Aperture 2.1.4 and have toyed with many different plug-ins only as trials. I have been leery of the noise reduction software because even in some of the examples the companies use as results are not that great. I have tried Toonit!, FlcikrExport, Silver Efex Pro, Noise Ninja, Hydra HDR and DFT Light. As I mentioned earlier I have yet to purchase. I may purchase the FlickrExport just for work flow convenience. I use the flickrUploadr for Mac which is great, but it's a two step process; export and upload.

 

I read your sensor cleaning blog and I must say, YIKES! The one thing I would NOT do is use a cleaning solution. I know they sell these kits, but again YIKES! I used to sell cameras. OK it was back in the stone-age when Nikon F1, Canon F-1, & Olympus OM2's were kings fighting it out for dominance. Even back then we sold lens cleaning kits with solutions. We did because many consumers wanted them. We recommended not using them unless something would not come off with a soft lens cleaning cloth.

Most people made a bigger mess than they had when they came in. I see lens cleaning similarly. After talking to several different shops and reading online about cleaning sensors, I was at least sure about one thing, NO LIQUIDS! I hope this method works well for you, but I would NEVER recommend it. ; I found this quote which is correct but does not change my mind.

These are both reason enough to careful who we tell to clean their sensors and how. It's risky. Even if you won't damage the sensor per se, you could still void the warranty and make the problems worse by smearing the glass or scratching it. Who wants to be the one they are pointing too when they screw their expensive camera and void their warranty.

A few years ago while Tim and I were both a WDW, we disused how to minimize dust to begin with. Its a new and painful issue for many transitioning from film to digital.
Tips:
* TURN CAMERA OFF BEFORE CHANGING LENS (the most important I think)
* DON'T CHANGE LENS IN A WINDY ENVIRONMENT IF POSSIBLE TO AVOID
* KEEP THE CAMERA FACING DOWN WHEN CHANGING LENS
* HAVE THE NEXT LENS AVAILABLE AND READY TO GO
* DON'T LEAVE THE CAMERA OPEN WITHOUT A LENS OR CAP FOR LONG PERIODS

When Tim and I were discussing this I am not sure if he was familiar with my level of experience or not, but these tips are all good to remind the experienced person as well as the novice. All the of tips apply to film as well except turning the camera off. That was one tip I had to remind myself a few times because I never worried about that with my film bodied camera.

I think this site had a balanced approach to the subject of sensor cleaning and balanced it with pros and cons of many different methods. http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/digital-slr-sensor-cleaning/

 

That's a god point, but in the Analog (like that, not film but analog, lol) days, the film was also advancing and not statically sitting there waiting for dust to attach. When it was rewound a small brush in the canister removed anything that may have attached it self to the film. Also the dust has to get in there in the first place. The easiest way in is when changing lens. Then the shutter can throw the dust around.

If I go a long period with out changing a lens, I get less FAR LESS DUST issues than when I change it more often. The lens you are attaching probably has dust on it. The sensor also attracts dust, Electrolytically! Film is not a natural dust magnet like a sensor is.