Magic Lantern | Andrew Harvard Photography

It’s gonna take some comparing to tell if the first set of photos at this location HDR 3 (high dynamic range) final have been improved on.

So if you have a minute, click on HDR 3 (high dynamic range) final, view the photos and then look below to see if the last 2 months of dabbling in HDR has reaped any positives (the quality of the HDR not the shot or view).

I’m using a Canon 550D with standard 18/55mm. Just discovered Magic Lantern to get more than 3 bracketed shots at once.

I leave ISO at 200, the F-stop is set depending on what the camera auto sets on AUTO mode (I gauge then set back to AV). I focus with auto then set back to M before shooting. The stabilizer is OFF.

Photomatix is my processing friend.

Let me know what you think – I love hints and advice from any experts out there.

Tonight was supposed to be a no computer, no photos, no staying up late event with a movie.

What transpired has revealed that I have an addiction.

It was 30 minutes into the movie and I just had to have a small peep at my Canon 550D’s firmware.

According to Wikipedia:

“In electronic systems and computing, firmware is the combination of persistent memory and program code and data stored in it“.

OMG! I only had version 1.0.6 when 1.09 was available right here.

So Andy did a quick download and then install using the Canon EOS software.

But hold on! He was still missing out.

I picked up some browsing snippets about extra firmware called ML – Magic Lantern, which added many features to the Canon.

My interest lay in one feature and one feature alone:

“Are you a HDR enthusiast?

Bracketing up to 9 frames with spacing from 0.5 to 5 EV should handle even the most difficult contre-jours“.

Yippee!! 9 frames when I was presently limited to 3 at a time.

I did another quick download and then install using my camera’s memory card in an external reader (copy all downloaded files onto the card – not in any folder on the card). This discovery was the make or break for me as the user manual was somewhat vague or I got confused.

The card was then returned to the camera on “P” or “M” setting I seem to recall (follow all the other manual instructions and READ THE WARNING about ML).

I may have used the EOS software again but did have to go to MENU & FIRMWARE VERSION to click on what was now there to activate. There were also “battery removals”.

Play around; you will get it right (with some computer and camera savvy) – at your own risk! (the Canon might stop working).

Of course I had to take any set of photos of anything to ensure that my “new” toy was working.

The settings were not important other than to see if I could choose 3, 6 or 9 bracketed photos – I went for 6 inside my lounge at night.

Success! Not the photo below, but “sure as water is wet” ML pumped out 6 photos at 1.5 spacing, which I chose.

Have fun if you don’t have ML and are going to try it (if you are a pro video or photo person you should have a look).

I am no pro but want my toy to pump out more than 3 bracketed photos, which it now does thanks to ML.

Now I can go and use this new feature on some better subjects