In 32-bit color space you have very limited options in Photoshop. The vast majority of features aren’t available. There is nothing wrong that is just how it is. Either use the limited tools available or convert the image to 16-bit or 8-bit. HDR technology is still in its infancy. Photoshop with each version has expanded what you can access in 32-bit mode. But, it is still a work in progress. Part of the consideration is that a 32-bit image is nearly twice the size in memory as a 16-bit image and four times the size of an 8-bit. With most computer systems being limited in the amount of memory available, at least for right now Adobe can allow you to add layers and stuff that are going to eat up RAM. You are using most of the RAM now just for opening and basic editing of the 32-bit image as it is.
Once we get in to full 64-bit OSes, lots of memory and real 64-bit applications things in this area should really change.
BTW the book you mention, cutting and pasting various parts of images to make one is not a true HDR. A true HDR is one thing and one thing only and that is a single image made up of several images with different exposures. Now this may sound like cutting and pasting but it isn’t. The end results look very different. The fact that so many companies and user’s choose to call everything under the sun that evens out exposure in an image an HDR image doesn’t make it so. Taking a single RAW file and adjusting the exposure to create 4 or 5 different images with what the user considers different exposure and then using them to create a single image isn’t a real HDR image either. The software from the single oridginal file already saw the data that was there even if the user couldn’t see it. So creating several images from one is not going to show the software anything that wasn’t there to begin with.
Robert
Hi, Robert –
Thank you for your response. I did a bit of checking last night, and determined that it indeed was not the file format, unfortunately. I did check Photoshop’s Help, though, and it says that there are multiple features (filters, layers, adjustment layers, image options, etc.) available in PS. There are other help topics regarding HDR that are very specifically described as being in the Extended version only. At the very least, the info in the Help file is misleading. I did discover that I can use some workarounds for some commands, although the bad part is that they’re destructive edits because of not having layers available, and then switch to 16-bit for most of the others. The results I came up with just ‘playing around’ were amazing – much better than anything I had ever managed before when I had almost no idea of how to make use of CS3’s tonemapping tools, and the like.
I’m aware of the difference between HDR and just blending various RAW versions of one exposure. I am talking about true HDR and 32-bit files. The book I’m reading is by someone who’s a CG designer in Hollywood – so he probably has all the RAM in the world at his disposal! But, the techniques he talks about for compositing are for 32-bit images – you can get a much more realistic composite using the best of several 32-bit images than you can using the best of several 16- or 8-bit images. Of course – he has the RAM to do it, but ordinary mortals can still dream!
Sorry I totally skipped the Extended version part of your question. Yes, there are more editing options in the extended PSCS3. Though in my opinion not enough to warrant the extra cost. However, if there are other things in extended that you need as well then go for it. Personally I find the HDRsoft produces to work pretty well. They have new version 3 in beta as I type this that has a much nicer interface and some new features. If you do to their site and look you can download the beta to play with. It is for Windows only I believe. I have been playing with it and it does crash on me, but when it doesn’t crash I like what I see.
I wish someone (listen up Adobe) would do a stellar implementation of HDR. I would love to have all of the features of Photoshop with a 32-bit image. But, as I said until we have access to more memory I don’t think that will happen.
Best of luck to you,
Robert
