Multiple exposure in camera - why?

[derrick_morin3]

<p>I recently purchased a new DSLR that has a multiple exposure feature, allowing multiple exposure images to be made in-camera. I have tested the feature and it works well enough. I just can't think of a scenario in which I would opt to use the feature instead of combining images later in Photoshop. If I combine them in the camera, I give up a gret deal of flexibility in post. Additionaly, I lose the option to use any of the images on thier own. I have plenty of experience with photo editing and have no problem combining images to get the result I want. So my question is: has anyone found the in-camera multiple exposure feature to be useful? If so, how? It seems like a neat feature, but I just don't see it being useful to me.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

[pge]

<p>My last two DSLR's have had a bank of image editing options. I don't see a reason for any of them. The marketing department must have inspired them.</p>

[phule]

<p>[[so my question is: has anyone found the in-camera multiple exposure feature to be useful?]]</p>

<p>The same could be said for any feature that one does not normally use. For example, I have zero interest in shooting JPG. Why would a camera include JPG when I shoot RAW 100% of the time? (The question is not serious, of course)</p>

<p>It's a toolbox. You take out the tools you need to get the job done. If one particular tool is not needed, no one is forcing you to use it. </p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Hi Derrick,</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I just can't think of a scenario in which I would opt to use the feature instead of combining images later in Photoshop.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>1) Some people do not have Photoshop. Some people did not have darkrooms when they shot film.</p>

<p>2) Some people do not want to to take the time to post process or learn how to post process. In film days, some people did not want to to develop and print their own pictures.</p>

<p>Why is it on most DSLR cameras? It is probably just a carry over from film days and may well disappear.</p>

[Robin Smith]

<blockquote>

<p> It seems like a neat feature</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's the point! It is quick - no need to fuss in Photoshop etc. Not everything one takes is a masterpiece that requires many hours of careful editing.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"It's a toolbox. You take out the tools you need to get the job done. If one particular tool is not needed, no one is forcing you to use it."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This.</p>

<p>I don't have much use for the Nikon 1 motion snapshot feature - although I might if Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl" was one of the song selections. But it doesn't spoil my happytime just because the feature exists on my V1.</p>

[derrick_morin3]

<p>Thanks for all the wonderful responses.<br>

I understand <em>why</em> it's there. I also understand that I am under no obligation to use a feature if I don't want to. I just want to know if someone has found an application for this particular feature that I haven't thought of. So my question, again, is: has anyone found the in-camera multiple exposure feature to be useful? If so, how?</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

[keith reeder]

<p>Derrick, if this is (also) the "in-camera HDR" function which comes with the likes of the Canon 5D Mk III, no less a luminary than Art Morris is making <a href="http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2013/09/07/special-handling-required/">use of it</a>, and seems to appreciate it for what it is.</p>

<p>Looks like <a href="http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1163471">fun</a>...</p>

[derrick_morin3]

<p>Thank you, Keith. I have the 6D. Like the 5D Mk III, it has in-camera modes for multiple exposure as well as HDR (jpeg HDR only for the 6D.) I haven't played with the HDR feature yet, but after viewing that article I certainly will - looks like fun! Thanks again.</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Derrick, I can't think of a technical application for in-camera multiple exposures that is better than doing it in post, but for artistic effects I can see how it might encourage a photographer to think creatively on the fly, or pre-plan, rather than as an afterthought. </p>

<p>The in-camera multiple exposure only performs an additive function thereby limiting its usefulness. In software, you have the flexibility to sum, average, brightest pixel only, median, or any number of blending methods for greater flexibility. </p>

<p>Of course using it also allows you to check the [No] box under that [Manipulated?] thing in image details which is supposedly more heroic. </p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I haven't tried a dSLR with in-camera multiple exposure effects, but the Ricoh GRD4 had some nifty effects for <a href="/photo/15865912">multiple exposures</a> and <a href="/photo/15866094">star trails</a> that were really easy to use (but JPEG only). Those would make great selling point features for, at least, entry level dSLRs. </p>

<p>And as camera processing power and storage capacity increase, some serious photographers might even like having those features on high end dSLRs, with individual raw files maintained for backup in case the in-camera effect isn't quite what they wanted. In-camera effects and apps have already overtaken special effects that used to be exclusively the domain of computer based editing software and special purpose utilities.</p>

[gdw]

<p>(first paragraph deleted for the sake of diplomacy)<br>

I personally enjoyed using the multiple exposure. The camera took a meter reading and did all the math calculations splitting into the number of exposures you set. That was convenient. I have several posted to my portfolios.</p>

[kim_johnson1]

I use to use that feature on my film camera (Canon 10s), to photograph eclipses. Wish it was on my digital.

[john_h.1]

<p>Sometimes the spontaneity of doing something on the spot results in more creativity than occurs in indulging in post production.</p>

[Member69643]

<p>Ghosting.</p>

<p>Imagine you want, on a single frame, the movement of a dancer. You could take multiple exposures and combine them later in post but you'd likely not have as smooth a ghosting transition than doing it all on one image.</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>Derek, good question. I use ME on my film bodies as well as on my dSLR. Here's one reason why I still use ME on my dSLR.</p>

<p>I cannot come up with a (consistent) way to blend two (or more) single shots in PS and have the result closely mimic a ME shot from my film bodies. In many (but not all) situations, the ME shots from my dSLR are close to the ME shots from my film bodies. So under certain shooting conditions, I would capture single shots with my dSLR with the intent to blend them in PS, followed by a ME shot. I would then be able to decide during editing.</p>

<p>Under certain situations, I simply cannot use a dSLR's ME for the result I want, like I can with a film body's ME. And have to capture single shots and blend them in PS. See my next post.</p>

[robert_k1]

<blockquote>

<p>I use to use that feature on my film camera (Canon 10s), to photograph eclipses. Wish it was on my digital.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>A dSLR's ME is quite different from a film body's ME. Here's my comment from another thread.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>... some cameras (film or digital) offer a multiple exposure feature. However, there are a few differences between how a film camera and a digital camera works in ME.</p>

<p>When you use a digital camera's multiple exposure, here's how it's done by you and by the camera. You pick and set an exposure value, the number of exposures (N), and release the shutter N times. The camera would *divide* the exposure value by N for each shutter release, *add* the N shots and save as one frame. On my Nikon D200, once you are in the ME mode, one shot must be taken less than 30 seconds after the previous one. If not, ME would be disabled automatically, returning you to the single shot mode. This means you cannot take one of the N shots, walk 15 minutes, and take another one.<br /><br /> On a film camera the exposure of each N shot is completely under your control and can be changed shot by shot, and is not automatically *divided* like on a digital camera. Once in the ME mode, it will stay there until N shots are taken or when you manually reset it. This means you can set one exposure and take one of the N shots, walk 15 minutes (or wait a day), set a different exposure and take another shot, etc. My D200 has a maximum N of 10, and my film camera has a maximum N of 8. But on my film camera, I can trick it into take far more than N shots on a single frame. After N-1 shots, I can reset N to 8 again, and continue doing so. (I should mention that I have not tried this trick on my D200, nor have I tried to change exposure between shots. It takes me more than 30 seconds between shots to change the menu settings.)</p>

<p>IMHO, a film camera's ME offers far more in-camera creativity possibilities.</p>

</blockquote>

[edk1]

<p>The posters here apparently are not fans of Freeman Patterson who popularized "arty" multiple exposures (albeit with film). Here's a post from my daily blog that explains the process in-camera (my preferred way with my Nikon DSLRs) or in PS.<br>

<a href="http://edknepleyphoto.com/2011/09/08/multiple-exposures-made-easy/">http://edknepleyphoto.com/2011/09/08/multiple-exposures-made-easy/</a></p>

<p>If that whets your interest here's a page with links to numerous multiple exposure posts I've made. In one of these posts you can read about how with ME's you can get results identical to that with a slow shutter speed + ND filter in the realm of cotton-candy water & clouds - BUT without the slow shutter speed (this is handy if the light is too bright & you're unable to get the slow speeds needed). <br>

<a href="http://edknepleyphoto.com/?s=multiple+exposures">http://edknepleyphoto.com/?s=multiple+exposures</a></p>

<p>Note, in general I'm talking about combining more that two exposures - more typically 10. If it's just two you're interested in, Nikons also offer an in camera feature called Image Overlay which both produces the double exposure (of any two images of your choosing) as well as saving the two originals (the multiple features doesn't save the 10 or however many originals). I often use image overlay to combine a single exposure with a multiple (use your imagination ;-) ).</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

[edk1]

<p>Robert K - The 30 second timer on a Nikon ME is reset any time you depress the shutter (half way not just to release for a shot). That means you can walk around in ME mode as long as you like. This holds true for any camera setting changes such as exposure. This allows combining all sorts of images. Further, you can set the gain to manual and do your own gain control (don't divide by N - it's the square root of N that you want).<br /> Read about what I call Free Style multiples here -<br /> <a href="http://edknepleyphoto.com/2012/06/15/free-style-multiple-exposures/">http://edknepleyphoto.com/2012/06/15/free-style-multiple-exposures/</a><br>

If you want 20 exposures, do two sets of 10 and combine them non-destructively using the Nikon Image Overlay.<br>

If you spend 30 seconds in the menu doing any of this, consider adding them to your Nikon's My Menu feature. For my shooting style and using My Menu, 10 seconds in the menu would be a max,</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>Ed, thanks for the posts.</p>

<p>Freeman Patterson's books are among my favorites. The one on impressionistic led me to explore ME other than just combining a couple of shots.</p>

<p>The ability to reset the 30 second timer is news to me. Can't find that mentioned in my D200 manual. Half pressing the shutter to reset the timer will solve many ME shooting situations. But half pressing the shutter overnight will be a challenge.</p>

<p>The My Menu feature is not on my D200.<br>

<br />Your ME Made Easy article is terrific. I'll definitely try out the script. It may even convince me that I no longer need in camera ME.</p>

<p>Your site has a great collection of articles and images (the out of mat window ones make me chuckle). You rarely posted in PN, four in seven years! We need your contributions.</p>

<p> </p>

[edk1]

<p>Robert K, Glad you found the reply useful.</p>

<p>I rarely post anywhere (as you noted). Don't care to get into debates with netizens who thrive on it. I post <em>daily</em> on my blog on a wide variety of topics and there is a free subscription that sends email notifications for every new post. There are about 400 subscribers. My blog's main purpose to to document things for me (like some of the details such as the ME script location) - and if others find it useful so much the better.</p>

<p>A popular feature of my blog (over 100,000 views) is my free Nik software tutorials based on my years as a Nik beta tester. I believe one of my four posts here had to do with using Nik HDR Efex Pro in a stand alone mode. When I mentioned my free tutorials in answering a question on a dpReview forum it got me banished by the moderator for 10-days for commerical self-promotion. I never make a penny from my site. That sealed the deal - stay away from forums with rare exceptions; never even visited dpReview since. (At least I've not been banished at photo.net yet ;-) )</p>

[robert_k1]

<blockquote>

<p>At least I've not been banished at photo.net yet ;-)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Neither have I :-) But they have deleted my comments ruffling their feathers.</p>

<p>Been reading some of your articles, and like this one in particular. Perhaps because I think alike :-) Now if only those offering critiques at PN can learn from you. Fat chance.</p>

<p>http://edknepleyphoto.com/2011/07/01/critiquing-images/</p>

<p>BTW, the PN link to your site is broken.<br>

http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2337315</p>

[chris_simmonds]

<p>Some nice examples of multi exposure technique in camera can be viewed here.<br>

<a href="http://www.simonekoffmanphotoart.com/projects-52-week-multiple-exposures">http://www.simonekoffmanphotoart.com/projects-52-week-multiple-exposures</a></p>