Photographic Multishot Techniques

High Dynamic Range, Super-Resolution,
Extended Depth of Field, Stitching

Juergen and Rainer Gulbins

Rainer Gulbins,

Editor: Gerhard Rossbach
Layout and Type: Juergen Gulbins
Translator: Gerhard Schneibel
Copyeditor: Jeremy Cloot
Cover Design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de
Cover Photo: Helmut Kraus
Printer: Courier Corporation
Printed in the USA

ISBN-13: 978-1-933952-38-3
1st Edition (2nd Printing, April 2010) 2009 by Juergen Gulbins and Rainer Gulbins

Rocky Nook Inc.
26 West Mission Street Ste 3
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
www.rockynook.com

First published under the title
Multoshot-Techniken in der digitalen Fotografie
Copyright 2008 dpunkt.verlag GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gulbins, Jrgen.
[Multishot-Techniken in der digitalen Fotografie. English]
Photographic multishot techniques : super-resolution, extended depth of field, stitching, high dynamic
range imaging, and other image enhancement techniques / Juergen and Rainer Gulbins. 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-933952-38-3 (alk. paper)
1. High dynamic range imaging. 2. Imaging systemsImage quality. I. Gulbins, Rainer. II. Title.
TR594.G85 2009
771dc22

2008053325

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This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Contents

1 Introduction

Digital cameras first became widely available in 2002. Since then, technical advances have not only rapidly increased image sensor resolution, but have also brought great improvements to camera technology in general. The problem of image noise has been addressed, dynamic range has been increased, and cameras are constantly being equipped with ever-faster image processors. Faster processors have simplified the use of bracketing techniques, which allow the photographer to automatically shoot sequences of shots with varied exposure settings.

Parallel to these developments, image processing software has also been improving rapidly. RAW conversion is now a simple process, and can be combined with many automatic and manual image correction functions. Modern digital lens correction functions also achieve high-quality results. Combined with appropriate shooting techniques, such technical advancements make previously unimaginable image processing possible. One of the most powerful new options available to the digital photographer is the ability to create a high-quality image by combining multiple shots. This book addresses the use of the following multishot techniques: