3 AEB Sucks
Yup. 3 AEB Sucks and I’m reminded about this fact because I just got my Canon 5D mark II last week.
The Canon 5D mark II is crippled with only 3AEB (I love the camera, but hate the 3AEB). I’m pushing 13,000 commercially produced HDRs as I type this and I have owned and shot with half a dozen Canon’s and a few Nikons. 3AEB just sucks (period). Sure you can twirl a dial to a custom function on say a xxD, 5D, 7D series body, but that means you get two separate exposure series that in post presents problems for certain softwares if you are looking to batch merge, etc. It just sucks.
I think a lot of people think I’m a canon hater. Let me clarify. I hate 3 AEB, not canon. The reason some think I hate canon is because I pick on them for holding back the extended AEB mode for only their $5000-$8000 cameras. Nikon has 9AEB on models as early as $1699 bodies.
Also, I pick on canon in a round about way on the wide end of their lens selection. The Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II is a great lens. I love using it. In fact for close range portraits in tight spaces it is a gorgeous lens to use wide open because it is SO SOFT wide open as you move away from the center (oh I can see the hate mail in my inbox now, but this is true).
The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G goes wider, is far sharper wide open and deals with glare like a champ. Rumors have been floated about patents that canon is working on a Canon 14-24mm f/2.8L and if this turns out to be true then I am THRILLED! I will buy that lens no doubt because their latest and greatest offerings have been wicked sharp… so I’m sure if that new WA lens is real it will be a beauty.
Back to AEB though. 2010 looks to be the year that finally gives HDR shooters what they want and need. Extended options. Hell, it is just a feature. The camera already knows how to do all this it is simply a firmware issue. Look how fast Canon was able to “fix” the firmware for the 5D mark II when the outrage about no full manual control of video was cried from rooftops. There are less HDR shooters on that rooftop so our cries are not heard. But this year Nikon and Canon will hear a trumpet…
… because finally this year the limiting AEB range current DSLR models have will be completely shattered. 2009 we saw AEB limits of a camera extended dramatically by the Promote Control and 2010 will be the year that Canon and Nikon get their wake up call. In camera AEB will go so far beyond 9AEB that using the D3 or 1D mark III will seem limiting to the professional HDR shooter.
(to be continued)
Posted by Michael James on Feb 1 2010 in Camera Companies, HDR Tags: Canon, DSLR, HDR, HDR Capture, Nikon
February 11th, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Could you clarify what you mean by 3AEB and 9AEB? Do you mean that the camera needs to make more than three shots (normal, underexpose, overexpose) but instead a much larger number of shots through the exposure range?
February 13th, 2010 at 8:13 AM
AEB = Automatic Exposure Bracket
And 3 AEB is shorthand for three shots taken 1 under exposed, one middle exposure, one over exposed. Very high contrast scenes can be problematic for cameras that only have the ability to bracket 3 shots. You can of course do all this manually, but the AEB feature simplifies the process and also makes it so you don’t have to touch the camera while the sequence is taken. (Beneficial for dozens of reasons). 3 AEB is often insufficient for real estate photography or architectural photography if you have to shoot in sunny daylight conditions.
9 AEB allows you to take larger brackets that capture a wider dynamic range. It also allows you to tighten up the EV steps from say 2EV per shot to 1EV per shot and this is beneficial for both reducing noise and taming saturation issues in post.