90d too dark in HDR

[Jlames]

I’m really having issues with the 90d In-camera HDR. My subject is an interior room in afternoon light with large windows for natural light. Using a manual lens, I’m setting up for AV assuming if I set the ISO to 100 and the f-stop to 8, I’ll only need to be concerned with shutter speed. Using spot metering, I note that the dark is coming in at 0”8 and the bright is at 1/5, I’ve set up for both 3 and 5-shots at +-2ev and the resulting hdr image in both shots come out well-exposed for the highlights but too dark in the remaining areas. Am I doing something wrong or is the hdr function known for this?

Sent from my iPad

[Jlames]

We4ll, that might be the problem. As you can see, I'm imn HRD and no tick marks

[jrhoffman75]

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@Jlames wrote:

We4ll, that might be the problem. As you can see, I'm imn HRD and no tick marks

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For cameras without the HDR built-in feature the tick marks are necessary to show the photographer what the settings are. In yoiur case you arer directkly setting a +/- EV so the camera may not be showing the tick marks.

[Jlames]

Well, then I'm back to square-one as they say, whomebver "they" are! Let me take a pic and post. It's a typical So Cal sunny day here so the resulting HDR shot should be "great". Back in a minute.

[Jlames]

And here we are!

[Jlames]

AS you can see, the camera is capturing the bright spots well but nothing else.

[jrhoffman75]

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@Jlames wrote:

And here we are!

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Did you try what I suggested above? Spot meter on the railing area outside. Then spot meter on the kitchen cabinet below the water bottle. What is the exposure difference in f/stops? That will need to be the bracket range you select. 

All the HDR tool does is combine three images with three different exposures.

[Jlames]

So now we're back to spot metering! In following the Canon video directions fo0r full HDR, it's supposed to be set the HDR to the number of stops under and over in the red dropdown menu (+-2),  point the camera and take the picture. If I'm spot metering, I'm doing the work that the camera is supposed to or ami I missing something? I'm jusat not getting it.

[jrhoffman75]

You’re not getting it.

You set +-2 stops. How do you know that is a sufficient bracket range?

If you follow my advice, lets say the spot meter on the fence says f/16. Then meter the kitchen cabinets and its f/2. That is a 5 stop range. Switch to HDR mode and select +-3.

That is how HDR works. You need to know much range you need.

For your camera you could alternatively select +-2, +-3 and +-4 and see what you get.

If you then still not getting anywhere give Canon a call at 1-800-OK-CANON.

[Jlames]

OK; makes sense. But if it's a 5-stop range and thew HDR onbly allows me a choice of 1, 2 or 3, where do I get the other 2 stops?

[Jlames]

And how do I know how many stops are between say 1/4 and 1/60?