High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Gearing Up for HDR

In This Chapter

• Doing your research

• Checking out the various types of cameras

• Looking at lenses

• Discovering tripods

• Buying other odds and ends

HDR photography is easy to get into and fun to grow with. You don't need a whole lot to get started. In fact, the least you need is a digital camera that allows you to control the exposure and an inexpensive tripod. That's it!

And now for the fine print.

The catch is, not everything is equal. You can get started with a pretty inexpensive compact digital camera and a little tripod, but you won't have the same flexibility, nor will you be able to consistently achieve the same image quality as a more professional camera and accessories. (The consolation prize for being economical is saving from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars.)

More capable cameras can even shoot HDR without a tripod. There are a million-and-one camera and gear choices out there. If you're buying new, take the information in this chapter and use it to start off in the right direction. It's a very powerful feeling to stand in a camera shop, fully informed, knowing what you need while you test different cameras (that you have read up on beforehand).

If you already have a camera but don't shoot HDR, find out what your options are before running out to get a new model. Maybe you can use what you have and grow into HDR. You'll be better informed when ...