How can I shoot HDR brackets faster on a Nikon D7000?
Asked 1/21/2012
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I'm trying HDR photography with a Nikon D7000, but my current setup leaves about a 1-second gap between bracketed exposures, so a 3-shot HDR sequence takes several seconds. That makes it hard to use except in very still scenes, especially if mirror lock-up is enabled.
Is there a faster way to shoot a 3-frame HDR bracket on the D7000? If not, what camera feature would I be missing compared with setups used for action-style HDR examples?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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What I do on my D90 is use the normal self timer, which you can set up to take multiple shots.
- set shooting mode to high burst (about 4 fps)
- set self timer on, with short delay (2 seconds)
- set self timer to take 3 shots
- set bracketing for 3 shots
- press shutter, camera delays three seconds, then takes 3 quick shots, under 1 second
I don't use mirror up. That seems to be the limiting feature when using the interval timer technique in the article you referenced.
I would use mirror up for very close macro shots to eliminate any movement. I wouldn't bother with landscapes, as I don't feel it really makes any noticeable difference. I've read opinions both ways. It's probably best practice, but I think a lot of people feel it doesn't make enough difference to bother.
If you need quick shots (moving clouds say) then I'd do away with mirror lockup if that's indeed the limiting factor. If you can afford 1 second intervals, then go ahead and use mirror lockup. I'd say do some tests and see if you can tell the difference though.
Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4191
14y ago
0
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Yes — the slow part is likely your shooting method, especially mirror lock-up or interval-style triggering, not HDR bracketing itself.
A faster approach is to use auto exposure bracketing together with continuous/burst drive. On similar Nikon bodies, users report setting:
- 3-shot bracketing
- high-speed continuous drive
- optionally the self-timer set to fire multiple shots
That lets the camera capture the full 3-frame bracket in well under a second instead of spacing them out.
Mirror lock-up is usually what makes the sequence too slow. It can help in specialized cases like macro, but for most HDR scenes it’s often not worth the delay.
For "action HDR" examples, some images are also composites: the HDR is built from the background, then the moving subject is taken from a single correctly exposed frame and blended in. So not every action-looking HDR was necessarily captured as a perfect fast 3-frame HDR of the moving subject itself.
In short: use bracketing plus continuous shooting, avoid mirror lock-up if speed matters, and for moving subjects consider blending a single exposure into the HDR scene.
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