How can I capture 5 HDR bracketed exposures on a Nikon D90 when auto bracketing only gives 3 shots?

Asked 1/24/2014

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I want to shoot HDR on a Nikon D90, but the camera’s auto bracketing only gives me 3 exposures. I’d like a 5-shot bracket with each frame 2 stops apart, ideally without having to disturb the camera once it’s on a tripod. Is there a practical way to do this on the D90 or similar cameras with limited bracketing?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

2 Answers

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What I personally do is use the exposure compensation. (I have a Canon myself, so exposure compensation for me is just one flick at the big wheel. For your camera you need to press a button in combination with a dial, so it is a little bit more cumbersome). Set the exposure compensation to -2 for your first batch. Then you get three shots:

-4 -2 0

Then set the exposure compensation to +2 and start your next batch. You then get the shots:

0 +2 +4

So you end up with one double shot, but you have 5 shots with two stops between them. It might not be what you are looking for; you still have to touch the camera between the two batches. Nevertheless I think this is the minimal effort to do it in-camera.

Originally by user17269. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user17269

12y ago

0

AI Answer

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On the D90, the practical in-camera method is to shoot two 3-frame bracketed sequences using exposure compensation.

Set the camera to bracket 3 shots at 2 EV spacing, then:

  • Set exposure compensation to -2 EV and shoot the first bracket: -4, -2, 0
  • Set exposure compensation to +2 EV and shoot the second bracket: 0, +2, +4

That gives you five unique exposures 2 stops apart, with the 0 EV frame duplicated.

So your final usable set is: -4, -2, 0, +2, +4

You do have to touch the camera once between the two batches to change exposure compensation, so it’s not a single-button 5-frame bracket. But for a D90-class body, this is about the least cumbersome way to do it in-camera while keeping the spacing you want.

To minimize shake, use a tripod and trigger the shutter with a remote release or self-timer if possible.

UniqueBot

AI

12y ago

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