Masking for deghosting

[Corros]

This program is the best HDR program I've ever used. But I'm missing one feature: Masking for deghosting. That way I can deghost moving people etc.

It would be great if this feature could be added to the program. (And I think with the latest masking options already in the program this would be a natural addition to the program)

[Sebastian Nibisz]

It will be available in version 1.5

[Corros]

It will be available in version 1.5

Great! Great that you are so clear about things like these. I hope that version will come before Christmas!

[MikeFromAZ-USA]

It will be available in version 1.5

I was thinking about asking for the same functionality. I currently have 1.4.2 and there is no "check for updates" button in my Home version. Thus my questions -

1) How do I find out that there are updates available? Will I get an email? Does the program check every time it starts and just let me know? Do I have to check the web site to find what is available? Something else?

2) Since I have 1.4.2 will 1.5 be a free update?

Thanks. And thanks for this great software.

[Sebastian Nibisz]

1) How do I find out that there are updates available? Will I get an email? Does the program check every time it starts and just let me know? Do I have to check the web site to find what is available? Something else?

You have to check the project website.

2) Since I have 1.4.2 will 1.5 be a free update?

Version 1.5 will be free.

You download version 1.4.3. In this version added curves and parameters for vignette.

[bestremera]

When is version 1.5 coming out? I love SNS and find it provides a richer more natural final result than Photomatix. However, without effective, consistent deghosting I cannot use SNS as much as I want to. I recently blended a skyline scene but the clouds were not deghosted so I had to revert to Photomatix. Also, speeding up the processing would be a wonderful improvement. It takes 3 minutes and 22 seconds to process a simple 3 image blend : )
But you've done a wonderful job with what you have and I look forward to the version 1.5

[zwartespecht]

.... I had to revert to Photomatix. .....

Until 1.5 comes out you could try using (the trial version of) Photomatix for the merging part of ghosted images, save the HDR file, re-open and tonemap with SNS-HDR to get better end results.
Note however that the end result may differ from full SNS because the merging method most likely differs between PM and SNS.
If I am not mistaken, the trial version of Photomatix does not add a watermark in the Radiance HDR file.

Kor

[kymarto]

The latest versions of SNS with highlight control put it in the top rank of HDR programs. I personally use both SNS and Photomatix, since they give very different looks. Aside from strict deghosting, I find that Photomatix does geometric correction during merging that SNS does not do, and this is especially important when handholding wide shots. But I often want to do the tonemapping in SNS, so I usually make the radiance file in Photomatix (especially if deghosting is needed) and tonemap in SNS. This works very, very well. There is very little difference in the final SNS image whether the radiance file is made in SNS or in Photomatix.

Also I have found that in some cases, there are fewer colored artifacts in an SNS image made with a Photomatix radiance file than an SNS radiance file. Sometimes I tonemap in both programs and mask or blend the images together. I find that SNS makes very nice skies, whereas I sometimes like the microcontrast in Photomatix. Masking and merging makes a nice final image.

Finally, there is no free lunch. Photomatix has very large, very soft halos, which are often hard to correct or unappealing. SNS has super halo control, but it tends to leave a one or two pixel wide white halo at some contrast transitions, which are time-consuming to eliminate. I am finding that both programs are worthwhile to have.