HDR with the D5100

1Vue

I have a Nikon D5100 with a tripod and I do real estate photography. Since I'm going to work with natural light, I will have to work with an HDR program.

My camera is set at continuous mode, Aperture priority (-+2), IS0 400 and shooting late in the daytime. In pressing the shutter button, it does take non stop photos, but the photos are all the same f/stop with no exposure changes.

Shouldn't it automatically change the exposures for HDR processing? It's true, I'm a beginner but is there something that I'm not catching? Maybe all the settings are not right?

Moose

@1Vue - In order to take a series of auto bracketed shots in continuous mode, you'll have to fully press (and hold) the shutter button for all three shots. As you might imagine, this can cause some camera shake. It's best to use a remote when utilizing this particular feature.

As for the ISO, I recommend shooting at 100. With the D5100 mounted to a tripod and shooting a motionless subject/scene, there's no need to increase the ISO to 400. This will keep image noise down.

Regarding the exposure changes, are you positive AE Bracketing is enabled? You might want to check page 88 of the user's manual, just to be sure.

In aperture priority, your f/stop should remain the same while the shutter speed varies.

Happy shooting! :)

Travman13

I agree with Moose, sounds like you do not have AE Bracketing on and you will need to hold down the shutter release.
My HDR method will produce 3 bracketed images at 1 stop each, resulting in 9 images for more details when post processing in Photomatix.
1. Set the camera for single burst and on Aperture Priority
2. Set AEB to to AE2.0
3. ISO at 100
4. Make sure camera is on a tripod
5. I'm using the wireless remote so I have the camera set to 2 second remote delay
5. Set exposure compensation to +3.0
6. Take three images
7. Set exposure comp to 0.0
8. Take three images
9. Set exposure comp to -3.0
10 Take last three images
11. Run them through your post process software then tonemap.

Traveller

As a matter of interest, is continuos shooting mode available when using the self timer? That would overcome the need for a remote.

bruto

On the D3200, and I think on the others as well, you can set the self timer to take anything between one and 9 shots each time. The option is in the menu, not the shooting mode button. There is about a two second delay between shots.

Since the D3200 does not bracket, I don't know whether this option will also operate bracketing.

Skyangel

The D5100 has an in camera HDR option.

bruto

I believe all Nikons that do HDR will do it only on a pair of images, and the camera must be set to JPG, not Raw. I haven't sneaked my wife's D7100 out to see how it performs.