Basic exposure 51
loosing EXIF headers), or 24- and 48-bit TIFF using batch
processing. A trial version of the program is available, so
you can try it yourself along with a freeware program called
easyHDR BASIC that has fewer features and the simplest
and most basic HDR-generation and tone-mapping functions.
But it’s free!
For a list of other free HDR programs visit WebHDR (http://
luminance.londonmet.ac.uk/webhdr/software.shtml). The site
lists only software—for Linux, Mac OS, and Windows
platforms—that is available free of charge and fully func-
tional. This list may include some free versions of commercial
software, but they are included only if the results are not
hobbled by watermarks or other limitations, and if the software
does not expire after the trial period. The functionality of
any free version might differ from the full commercial version,
such as easyHDR BASIC, but must still be supported and
under development.
HDR fi les from scanned fi lm
You can even create HDR images from slides and negatives that
are found in your existing fi lm library. Normal scanning software
saves images only as 24-bit fi les, discarding the extra informa-
tion created by the scanner, but LaserSoft Imaging SilverFast
6.5 (www.silverfast.com) lets you produce 48-bit fi les, retaining
all of the information that’s in the original piece of fi lm. Silver-
Fast 6.5 can produce different scan exposures, thus increasing
the dynamic range and allowing subtle nuances in shadow and
highlight areas. This Multi-Exposure function (you can think
of it as bracketing with your scanner) allows fi lm to be scanned
several times, but with different exposure intensities. I use
SilverFast scanning software with a CanoScan 8600F, but
the software is hardware specifi c, so check the company’s
Web site (www.silverfast.com/product/en.html) for a list of
scanners that are covered by the product. You can even down-
load and try Mac OS or Windows demo versions of SilverFast
6.5 for free.
After scanning the fi lm using no corrections, you can pass
the resulting TIFF fi le to SilverFast HDR, a complementary
program that lets you read and process 48-bit RAW fi les
without being connected to a scanner. Unlike Photoshop, which
limits the amount of image-editing and image-enhancement
tools when working with HDR images, all of the normal
SilverFast tools are available. They include Defi ning Output
Size & Resolution, Auto-Adjust Highlight/Shadow, Three Part
