Pixel 2 Camera Question

[dennis246]

Thanks, now that I know how to post a photo (yeah I'm a real novice), will post some photos in the photos thread of our trip to Italy.

 

[mustang7757]

We are in NJ -NYC (from California) visiting our daughter before heading to Europe tonight. Last night I took a bunch of photos in low to no light using HDR+ and then the exact same photo using HDR+ Enhanced.
Have to be honest, I could not tell a difference and believe me I am looking for any slight difference. The good news is both photos look great but I don't think Enhanced give any added benefit even in low to no light.
Have never posted any pictures here, I will try to post the photos.

View attachment 290545

View attachment 290546

Nice pictures, must be Jersey City or Hoboken

 

[dennis246]

Jersey City, about 50 yards from the Colgate clock. Lived in NJ for my entire life except the past 6 years. That view is one I never tire of.

 

[mustang7757]

Jersey City, about 50 yards from the Colgate clock. Lived in NJ for my entire life except the past 6 years. That view is one I never tire of.

Yeah , I'm about 20 minutes from there

 

[Fred98TJ]

Top pic has a lot of blur ( appears to be blur from camera movement ). Bottom photo is much better.
I view everything on a large tablet so it’s easy for me to see these things.

 

[TraderGary]

Agreed. I usually do the forums with a Windows 10 machine that has a 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 screen. On a small phone screen you won't see much of a difference.

 

[dennis246]

Maybe Enhanced works a bit better then, I also viewed them on a high def monitor and didn't notice a difference.

I can tell you on both photos the phone was held perfectly still. I will likely use HDR+ most of the time as the Enhanced mode has significant lag which could lead to blurry photos.

 

[TraderGary]

Maybe Enhanced works a bit better then, I also viewed them on a high def monitor and didn't notice a difference.

Depending on the image the difference can be quite subtle or sometimes quite dramatic.

I can tell you on both photos the phone was held perfectly still.

Unless you take photos using a tripod or solidly bracing on an immovable surface, hand holding includes body trembling which is always there and is part of normal human physiology. Unfortunately body trembling increases as we age.

I will likely use HDR+ most of the time as the Enhanced mode has significant lag which could lead to blurry photos.

As you might know, HDR is the process of combining multiple images taken at different apertures thus allowing for a much higher dynamic range. Actually the lag is due to the extra time required to do more processing which should result in better images since it is taking extra time to work with the best of each image taken and combining into one image. The speed of actually taking the images, including the shutter speed, is the same. The only difference is in image processing time.

 

[Fred98TJ]

Depending on the image the difference can be quite subtle or sometimes quite dramatic.


Unless you take photos using a tripod or solidly bracing on an immovable surface, hand holding includes body trembling which is always there and is part of normal human physiology. Unfortunately body trembling increases as we age.



As you might know, HDR is the process of combining multiple images taken at different apertures thus allowing for a much higher dynamic range. Actually the lag is due to the extra time required to do more processing which should result in better images since it is taking extra time to work with the best of each image taken and combining into one image. The speed of actually taking the images, including the shutter speed, is the same. The only difference is in image processing time.

Slight correction -> taken at different exposures, not “taken at different apertures”.
The cam has a fixed aperture.

 

[LeoRex]

As you might know, HDR is the process of combining multiple images taken at different apertures thus allowing for a much higher dynamic range.

Just wanted to clarify.. traditional HDR often uses what's called exposure bracketing. Three or more exposures are taken in a -1/0/+1 scheme and in post they kick parts that are either overexposed or underexposed.

HDR+ is not traditional HDR.

HDR+ uses what is called 'Lucky Imaging'. It's a technique used in astronomy to try to extract the best image possible from far too like light. The camera takes a series of quick, identical images (which in the Pixel is being captured whenever the camera is running).. same exposure, ISO, etc. It looks at the images and picks the 'best' and uses that as the base. It then goes pixel by pixel and compares that pixel across all of the exposures. This will reduce noise (which is random) while building information that can be used to fix the exposure later on. Once that is done, there may be some additional noise reduction and sharpening (HDR+ doesn't apply much of either though) and then it'll do some exposure compensation using the information gathered earlier.

Now, enhanced takes things a little bit further... Unlike the default HDR+, which utilizes the always on image stream, enhanced stops the stream. It does this so it can adjust the exposure, usually to better expose the brightest parts of the image. Then it takes more exposures than the default HDR+ mode. The time combining these two steps is the reason for that shutter delay. It'll then go and process like normal, but maybe goose the various processing parameters a bit to increase their effect.

Now, you might not always see a big difference between the two modes, it'll all depend on the conditions. But, in general, in scenes where there is a ton of dynamic range, enhanced will probably give you the best shot. But it's not necessary.

Here is a shot that would be damn near impossible with any other phone. I took this pick at dusk, and took a quick snap in default. In the full, it managed to expose both the brightly lit field and the darkened sky in the background.

Now, here's a zoom in on the pitcher

Few things.. notice that he's right at the apex of his delivery? Yeah, I'm neither that good nor that lucky. That point in a pitching delivery also has the least amount of motion, so that's what HDR+ picked as the base image. Catching that with exposure bracketing HDR would have been damn near impossible.

Sorry.. started to go full on geek...

 

[TraderGary]

Thanks Leo for the "full on geek".
I way oversimplified.
And yes, the Pixel 2 camera in no way does traditional HDR.
I understand it can be using as many as 9 separate images to work its magic.
Suffice it to say that I'm more than pleased with what the Pixel 2 camera does with HDR+.

 

[Morty2264]

Just wanted to clarify.. traditional HDR often uses what's called exposure bracketing. Three or more exposures are taken in a -1/0/+1 scheme and in post they kick parts that are either overexposed or underexposed.

HDR+ is not traditional HDR.

HDR+ uses what is called 'Lucky Imaging'. It's a technique used in astronomy to try to extract the best image possible from far too like light. The camera takes a series of quick, identical images (which in the Pixel is being captured whenever the camera is running).. same exposure, ISO, etc. It looks at the images and picks the 'best' and uses that as the base. It then goes pixel by pixel and compares that pixel across all of the exposures. This will reduce noise (which is random) while building information that can be used to fix the exposure later on. Once that is done, there may be some additional noise reduction and sharpening (HDR+ doesn't apply much of either though) and then it'll do some exposure compensation using the information gathered earlier.

Now, enhanced takes things a little bit further... Unlike the default HDR+, which utilizes the always on image stream, enhanced stops the stream. It does this so it can adjust the exposure, usually to better expose the brightest parts of the image. Then it takes more exposures than the default HDR+ mode. The time combining these two steps is the reason for that shutter delay. It'll then go and process like normal, but maybe goose the various processing parameters a bit to increase their effect.

Now, you might not always see a big difference between the two modes, it'll all depend on the conditions. But, in general, in scenes where there is a ton of dynamic range, enhanced will probably give you the best shot. But it's not necessary.

Here is a shot that would be damn near impossible with any other phone. I took this pick at dusk, and took a quick snap in default. In the full, it managed to expose both the brightly lit field and the darkened sky in the background.

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180916/d2d92b667c0475fa8582b7eb52d2af86.jpg

Now, here's a zoom in on the pitcher

//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180916/aa65f2c99f9601ee0bddb634dbb9c648.jpg

Few things.. notice that he's right at the apex of his delivery? Yeah, I'm neither that good nor that lucky. That point in a pitching delivery also has the least amount of motion, so that's what HDR+ picked as the base image. Catching that with exposure bracketing HDR would have been damn near impossible.

Sorry.. started to go full on geek...

Wow, those are fantastic shots!