X2D Bracketing and HDR

[boojum]

The difference is that JPEGs do not represent the original image but are the camera computer's interpretation of the original image. It is as if a computer would play a song instead of a human.
Nonetheless, sometimes cameras can do a better job than humans.

The JPG is the MP3 of the visual world.  They can be very good.  And MP3's have fooled "golden ears" more than once so I know better than to dismiss MP3's and will maintain a similar respect for JPG's.  While a modified JPG degrades just as does an MP3, unaltered they can be good, very good.  But let's not fight those wars again.  For those instances when I have to use a RAW file I will work with 3FR.  It is what it is.  Cheers

[tenmangu81]

Understand that I am quite beyond my depth here as an old LibArts major ("Do you want fries with that?")  A quick scan through Wikipedia indicates that PNG is lossless and has greater bit depth.  But, Flickr does not allow PNG files.  I suppose I could set up a website if I ever get enough good images.  I'll ponder that.  Thanks for the gentle prod.

If you want to post only, JPEG is the most appropriate solution, as most of the websites and forums accept sRGB JPEG's only. But there is a difference between letting the camera transform the RAW it has taken into a JPEG, or making the conversion by yourself, in order to obtain the result YOU want, not the camera. But I agree that some cameras (Fuji for instance) or smartphones do a great job today. I don't know anything about the quality of X1D or X2D JPEG's.

[Andy Miller Photo UK]

The X2D-100C is currently missing the in-camera Focus-Bracketing function we had on the X1Dii-50C AND until a firmware update is provided one cannot use the Automated Focus Sequence Function in Phocus 3.7 either. BUT, this does not mean one "cannot" bracket images and create very detailed images using Focus Stacks with an X2D -- it is of course a little less precise and that does not help. AND yes - there are other things I hope H provide for the X2D include the update to Phocus Mobile that would allow us to tether to an iPad and iPhone when in the field
As a test I shot the following from close range and used between 40 and 70 images and brought them together using Helicon Focus Pro (option B or C)

In camera processing of 100mp 16-bit RAW images would require a vast amount of memory and processing -- so NOT thanks like video I would not be a fan of adding either of these.   

[boojum]

Lovely work and a lot of processing required to get the effect.  I was looking for a more humble in-camera 3 to 5 image processing effort.  That and aspect ratio choices along with your laundry list would be nice.  Like, how about 4 x 6, 5 x 6, 6 x 6, and Xpan 24 x 65?  As it is the X2D is a great camera.  Aspect ratio options cannot be that difficult to implement as it would just require not using areas of the sensor.  HDR bracketing would be a bit more difficult but they have done it before and I bet that the coder or coders are still there to do it again.  I am looking forward to the next firmware release.