D-Cinelike vs HDR

[FabledFew]

Hey there pilots.

I was curious if the HDR mode is actually giving you more dynamic range, or if it's just a contrasty and saturated profile. I did some tests, to try and get D-Cinelike to match the HDR footage, and well, the results are below:

I think the main limiting factor is the fact that the footage is 8bit, and you can't really take the grade too far. The "S" curve is the maximum limit, take your curves further and you'll start to see banding. However, it is good to know the drone is capable of getting even more dynamic range if needed, albeit at 30fps.

What do you guys use? Do you shoot in D-Cinelike and grade it later? Do you use HDR at all? I'd be curious to know your ways.

Best,

Mohammad

 

[GadgetGuy]

Hey there pilots.

I was curious if the HDR mode is actually giving you more dynamic range, or if it's just a contrasty and saturated profile. I did some tests, to try and get D-Cinelike to match the HDR footage, and well, the results are below:

I think the main limiting factor is the fact that the footage is 8bit, and you can't really take the grade too far. The "S" curve is the maximum limit, take your curves further and you'll start to see banding. However, it is good to know the drone is capable of getting even more dynamic range if needed, albeit at 30fps.

What do you guys use? Do you shoot in D-Cinelike and grade it later? Do you use HDR at all? I'd be curious to know your ways.

Best,

Mohammad

It really isn't more dynamic range. It overexposes the sky highlights to bring up the shadows. At least that is what dronefilmguide.com concluded.

 

[Ice_2k]

I avoid HDR for two reasons:
- the lack of manual mode and the constant way it keeps adjusting the exposure
- the fact that whenever there is something slightly dark in the shot somewhere, it drops the shutter speed all the way down to 1/30, causing a massive amount of motion blur. This goes for all automatic modes but not having any other options makes it especially bad for HDR.

Because of these, I always shoot in D-Cinelike in manual mode.

 

[FabledFew]

It really isn't more dynamic range. It overexposes the sky highlights to bring up the shadows. At least that is what dronefilmguide.com concluded.

I tried exposing the D-Cinelike mode as close to the HDR mode as possible, and HDR still had more highlight information, and kept the shadows brighter. It might not be true dynamic range, but I had a hard time getting D-Cinelike to look like the HDR footage.

 

[FabledFew]

I avoid HDR for two reasons:
- the lack of manual mode and the constant way it keeps adjusting the exposure
- the fact that whenever there is something slightly dark in the shot somewhere, it drops the shutter speed all the way down to 1/30, causing a massive amount of motion blur. This goes for all automatic modes but not having any other options makes it especially bad for HDR.

Because of these, I always shoot in D-Cinelike in manual mode.

I noticed this, too. For these shots, I had to let the drone sit there and figure out its exposure before I started to shoot. It's definitely not good for every scenario.

 

[Ice_2k]

It really isn't more dynamic range. It overexposes the sky highlights to bring up the shadows. At least that is what dronefilmguide.com concluded.

It looks to me like it’s using two different exposures, probably taking advantage of the quad bayer sensor. I have some sample footage where it’s adjusting the exposure for the shadows, darkening them up while the sky remains perfectly unchanged.

Check at about 0:25

 

[GadgetGuy]

It looks to me like it’s using two different exposures, probably taking advantage of the quad bayer sensor. I have some sample footage where it’s adjusting the exposure for the shadows, darkening them up while the sky remains perfectly unchanged.

Check at about 0:25

I agree. Two exposures are combined, and you have no access to either of the originals and no control over the final merging of them. It either looks too painterly, or too contrasty, and you lose 4K@60fps in the process!

 

[Category 5]

It's actually using the quad pixel bayer to make multiple exposures in real time. It's a unique ability of the sensor, and not just a software trick.

Exposure control would be great for ure.

Film poets has a LUT to get rid of the oversaturated highlights, which makes it look much less cartoonish.

IMO, HDR mode is a killer feature of this drone, and one of my favorite modes.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

I find that HDR gets noisy in the shadows, not my favorite mode...it gets really bad in less than bright sunny conditions.

 

[rcourtney671]

I shoot in 4K, 30fps, HDR and like the image quality I get in the recreational flying I do. ?

 

[DCNoFlyZone87]

The 8-bit color comments got me thinking. Is the 8-bit color due to onboard processing or is it a sensor limitation?

I wonder if RAW photos can have 10-bit or better color depth. Not sure if the RAW data/metadata defines color depth or if that's only done when processing the RAW photos. Would be great if someone an educate me.

 

[tiwag]

The 8-bit color comments got me thinking. Is the 8-bit color due to onboard processing or is it a sensor limitation?

I wonder if RAW photos can have 10-bit or better color depth. Not sure if the RAW data/metadata defines color depth or if that's only done when processing the RAW photos. Would be great if someone an educate me.

Its limited by the camera sensor

 

[boblui]

It's actually using the quad pixel bayer to make multiple exposures in real time. It's a unique ability of the sensor, and not just a software trick.

I agree. After seeing many sample footages of the Air 2, I am convinced that in HDR mode, up to 4 exposures are taken in the same frame but for D-cinelike, it's only one exposure so the dynamic range of HDR is physically higher. I would suggest the OP to try shooting with the sun in the scene. The difference will be more pronounced.

 

[itsneedtokno]

Nobody is mentioning the fact that shutter speed is not controllable.

I filmed a house for a friend in HDR and the jittering was insane.

4k60 1/120 for me

 

[Ice_2k]

Nobody is mentioning the fact that shutter speed is not controllable.

I filmed a house for a friend in HDR and the jittering was insane.

4k60 1/120 for me

I actually mentioned that in post #3 It’s the biggest issue in my opinion

 

[JM.REYES]

After trying in different situations, shaded areas, lots of sun, darkness, etc ... I prefer HDR although it is true that noise is more appreciated, but nothing exaggerated for my taste.

 

[adcimagery]

I find the "pumping" of shadows from dark to light in HDR to be a bit distracting, especially for a more static shot.