What’s this Tone Mapping Filter I keep hearing about?

On Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:21:11 -0400, Adam wrote:

In the following tutorial :
http://www.dphotojournal.com/photoshop-tutorial-creating-a-z ombie/
The author refers to :

"Next, and this part is optional, we tonemap the image. So first off you will need to convert the image to 16-bit, the run the tonemapping filter. Play with the sliders until you get an effect you like. I use tonemapping as it gives the image a nice dirty look."

*What* tonemapping filter? I’ve looked everywhere for it.
I’m using CS4 on Windows.

Thanks!

Go to 32 bit, then back to 16 bit again and you’ll get the tone mapping options.
—
Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com

In the following tutorial :
http://www.dphotojournal.com/photoshop-tutorial-creating-a-z ombie/
The author refers to :

"Next, and this part is optional, we tonemap the image. So first off you will need to convert the image to 16-bit, the run the tonemapping filter. Play with the sliders until you get an effect you like. I use tonemapping as it gives the image a nice dirty look."

*What* tonemapping filter? I’ve looked everywhere for it.
I’m using CS4 on Windows.

Thanks!

I think this is what you’re looking for:
http://www.hdrsoft.com/

"Adam" wrote in message

In the following tutorial :
http://www.dphotojournal.com/photoshop-tutorial-creating-a-z ombie/
The author refers to :

"Next, and this part is optional, we tonemap the image. So first off you will need to convert the image to 16-bit, the run the tonemapping filter. Play with the sliders until you get an effect you like. I use tonemapping as it gives the image a nice dirty look."

*What* tonemapping filter? I’ve looked everywhere for it.
I’m using CS4 on Windows.

Thanks!

A lot of people refer to the "Shadow/Highlight" tool as a tonemapping tool. It’s not technically correct, but could that perhaps be what they’re talking about?

Alternatively, as has been pointed out, you can get some tonemapping controls by switching to 16 bit mode, but only if you’re dropping down from 32 bit mode.
I’m not a big fan of this, as I’ve never really been able to get satisfactory results with it.

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:02:59 +0100, Sam wrote:

"Adam" wrote in message

In the following tutorial :
http://www.dphotojournal.com/photoshop-tutorial-creating-a-z ombie/
The author refers to :

"Next, and this part is optional, we tonemap the image. So first off you will need to convert the image to 16-bit, the run the tonemapping filter. Play with the sliders until you get an effect you like. I use tonemapping as it gives the image a nice dirty look."

*What* tonemapping filter? I’ve looked everywhere for it.
I’m using CS4 on Windows.

Thanks!

A lot of people refer to the "Shadow/Highlight" tool as a tonemapping tool. It’s not technically correct, but could that perhaps be what they’re talking about?

Alternatively, as has been pointed out, you can get some tonemapping controls by switching to 16 bit mode, but only if you’re dropping down from 32 bit mode.
I’m not a big fan of this, as I’ve never really been able to get satisfactory results with it.

Although this will access the tone mapping feature of Photoshop, converting from 32 to 16 bit is only part of the procedure for tone mapping. Normally you would start in Bridge with a set of bracketed exposures, combine then into an HDR, and then do the tone mapping. The whole process is generally referred to as "HDR".

The results can be quite interesting if the original subject includes brightness ranges that cannot be covered in a single exposure. Photomatix and other 3rd party products seem to be easier to use than Photoshop. —
Mike Russell – http://www.curvemeister.com

"Mike Russell" wrote in message

On Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:02:59 +0100, Sam wrote:

"Adam" wrote in message

In the following tutorial :
http://www.dphotojournal.com/photoshop-tutorial-creating-a-z ombie/
The author refers to :

"Next, and this part is optional, we tonemap the image. So first off you will need to convert the image to 16-bit, the run the tonemapping filter.
Play with the sliders until you get an effect you like. I use tonemapping
as it gives the image a nice dirty look."

*What* tonemapping filter? I’ve looked everywhere for it.
I’m using CS4 on Windows.

Thanks!

A lot of people refer to the "Shadow/Highlight" tool as a tonemapping tool.
It’s not technically correct, but could that perhaps be what they’re talking
about?

Alternatively, as has been pointed out, you can get some tonemapping controls by switching to 16 bit mode, but only if you’re dropping down from
32 bit mode.
I’m not a big fan of this, as I’ve never really been able to get satisfactory results with it.

Although this will access the tone mapping feature of Photoshop, converting
from 32 to 16 bit is only part of the procedure for tone mapping. Normally
you would start in Bridge with a set of bracketed exposures, combine then into an HDR, and then do the tone mapping. The whole process is generally referred to as "HDR".

The results can be quite interesting if the original subject includes brightness ranges that cannot be covered in a single exposure. Photomatix and other 3rd party products seem to be easier to use than Photoshop.

100% agree with what you’ve just said, however in the context of the tutorial that the OP posted a link to, This is the only thing I can think is being referred to as a tonemapping tool.
I’ve kind of gone off Photomatix in recent years. Version 3 seemed to be a backwards step in my opinion.
I switched over to Dynamic Photo HDR, and I’m loving the results it gives.