HDR App Head-to-Head-to-Head Test

[Michael Knutson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/hdr-app-shootout-apple-v-pro-hdr-v-truehdr-updated/8165' target='_blank'>http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/hdr...dr-updated/8165</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"I did a casual high dynamic range (HDR) imaging test this morning. Apple HDR blows out the highlights, Pro HDR is heavy-handed and TrueHDR is the best."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1284770714.usr17748.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Interesting that HDR definitely enhances iPhone photography in the example above, with a backlit, shadowed scene, but, in normal well-lit scenes like the example below, HDR really doesn't add much, at least in casual testing. Of course, this is a very subjective evaluation. Do you have a preference? I personally like the detail exposed by ProHDR.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1284771256.usr17748.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Of course, at free for Apple HDR (assuming the right iPhone and iOS 4.1), $1.99 for Pro HDR, and $1.99 for TrueHDR, experimentation is inexpensive, and the author does state that he didn't try to fine-tune any of the apps, but simply used point and shoot on automatic mode. Nice to have these capabilities in a mobile phone!</p>

[Michael Knutson]

After purchasing both test versions, my initial conclusion is that they're both pretty good, but they really are slow ... obviously a lot of processing needs to take place, but this REALLY slows down the ability to use the iPhone as a point-and-shoot camera. It's point, shoot (hold still), process, process, process, process, view. This week is a travel week, I'll try more ...