Adobe has released its Photoshop Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate, available immediately as a free download from Adobe Labs at labs.adobe.com. The “release candidate” label indicates that this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically to all customers.

The Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate extends raw file support to an additional 26 camera and camera back models including the Canon EOS 500D (EOS Rebel T1i), Nikon D5000, Olympus E-620 and 18 Hasselblad models. The full list of newly supported cameras and camera backs is below.

The camera raw functionality in Adobe Photoshop software provides fast and easy access to supported raw image formats produced by many leading professional and mid-range digital cameras. Working with these “digital negatives” provides photographers with greater artistic control and flexibility while maintaining the original raw files. Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw supports the same functionality for TIFF and JPEG files.

The Camera Raw team would like the community to help verify the quality of the Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate through normal usage to ensure that the application is tested on a wide variety of hardware and software configurations not available internally at Adobe. Feedback can be provided on the Adobe User to User forum (forums.adobe.com).

Pricing and Availability
The Photoshop Camera Raw 5.4 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 7, Premiere Elements 7 and Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac. Click here for more information and to download: labs.adobe.com.

Additional Supported Camera and Camera Back Models
Canon EOS 500D (EOS Rebel T1i)
Epson R-D1x
Hasselblad CF-22, CF-22MS, CF-39, CF-39MS, CFH-22, CFH-39, CFV, 503CWD, H2D-22, H2D-39, H3D-22, H3D-31, H3D-39, H3DII-22, H3DII-31, H3DII-39, H3DII-39MS, H3DII-50
Kodak EasyShare Z980
Nikon D5000
Olympus E-450
Olympus E-620
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
Sigma DP2

What is HDR?   HDR is a process for combining several images taken at different exposures into a single image that accurately represent the wide light intensity range perceived by the human eye.  The intent of HDR is to accurately represent the wide range of light and shadows found in real scenes and captured in digital photos.

For example, if you take a picture of a scene in bright sunlight (with the exposure based on bright areas) the shadows may not have any detail.  Take the same picture exposed to capture details in the shadows, and the highlights will be over exposed.  Your camera sensor is capable of only capturing a certain dynamic range (the difference between bright and dark areas).  Expensive cameras have a wider dynamic range than lesser expensive cameras.  Nikon’s D3, a professional single lens reflex (SLR) camera, has a dynamic range of approximately 12.2, whereas Nikon’s top-of-the-line point and shoot camera, the Coolpix 6000, has a dynamic range of 10.2 (based on testing by DXO labs (www.dxomark.com)).  Less expensive digital SLR cameras willl have smaller dynamic ranges.

In comparison to all these cameras, your eye has a wide dynamic range of about 24.   With current technology, even the most expensive camera will not have the visual dynamic range of the human eye.
How does a photographer overcome their equipment limitations?  One option is to pick scenes where the dynamic range is less than the camera’s sensors.  A second option is to take several images at different exposures and apply the high dynamic range tools provided in Adobe Photoshop CS4.

Photoshop CS4 includes a “Merge to HDR”  tool [File > Automate > Merge to HDR].  This feature permits the user to select several photos, which can be combined into an HDR image.  After selecting this tool, a dialog window opens for the user to select the source files for the HDR image.  Once the source images are selected, click “OK”.  Photoshop CS4 will automatically align the selected images and then process these images in to a 32-bit HDR preview image.  The preview window permits the user to make some picture adjustments before final processing.  Click “OK” and the HDR image is displayed in Photoshop CS4.

A second option is using a combination of two layer tools: Auto-Align Layers and Auto-Blend Layers.  To apply these features, first create a Photoshop document where each photo that you want to combine is a layer in the document.  Unless the photos were taken on a tripod, you will want to first apply the Auto-Align Layers [Edit > Auto-Align Layers].  This tool aligns the layers based on the content in each layer, and is a great tool for still images.  However, as expected,  don’t select slightly moving objects as your subject, like floating boats or moving trees in the wind, since the images won’t align perfectly.

Next, select the Auto-Blend Layers [Edit > Auto-Blend Layers] tool and a dialog window is displayed.  In this window select the Stack Images Blend Method followed by clicking on Seamless Tones and Colors.  Click “OK” and Photoshop will blend the layers based on the image content.  For both options, further image adjustment may be made using the entire suite of Photoshop CS4 tools available.

Both options allow greater enhancement of your photograph, however the second method offers greater creative control over individual elements.  Photoshop CS4 offers more than just pixel enhancing tools for great digital photography.

Made By:  Adobe
Price:  $699, Upgrade $199
Pros:  Powerful tool to develop high dynamic imagery
Cons:  Requires experience in advanced photography and Photoshop