How to use High dynamic range

In surfing the web I came across a page on High dynamic range, apparently it can be used with the K20D camera to acheive fill in when in a backlighting situation. How would I go about setting the camera to use high dynamic range?

Read chapter 8 of the manual "Processing images with digital filters".

HDR option is one of the filters.

What can I say Mannesty, I got my manual out and went to the aforementioned chapter and there it was. full instructions. The sad thing is I though I had read this manually completely. I had not I had spent many hrs reading and rereading the various modes of the K20d.

I even phoned Pentax Tech support and the guy with the dodgy accent clearly did not know, he told me to use flash up! Thanks once again.

You have to remember this "filter" is not a real HDR image, just a simulation. For a real HDR image, you need more than one exposure with different EV, then you combine them together with HDR software.

Mr Pentaxian ( I believe that you are male) thank you for the information,I went into my local photoguru's shop and when I asked him about Hdr he said I would need three exposures and then work on them with some software. He also said foreground exsposure and background exsposure would be needed.

I told him I was thinking more inline of using the function button (pressing it twice to get the dynamic range). He told me he had not tried that.

Clearly this camera has a lot functions and abilities ,I jus hope I can master them all b4 they bring a new model out.

I use the HDR filter occasionally but it isnt very good. It just makes weird tones and light sharpening, which works on portraits and SOME landscapes but on everything else it looks crap and noisy

i dont like HDR much, but i take 3 exposures, 1.5 stops apart, then combine them in a great program called photomatix. Its quite expensive but its the best thing for it (and its easy to steal...)(i didnt say that).

The HDR "look" is achieved by "tone mapping", which means bringing the sky and the shadows into the mid tones so you can see them.

Heres a shot i took in my garden earlier today. 3 shots with the k20d and the kit lens, played with for a while in photomatix and photoshop

https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/HDR-example-1209

Thanks Isaac for your comments I looked at the photo and what caught my eye was the clouds. In the back of my mind I am thinking this could have been done in photoshop

HDR is used for many things - and you can achieve many results with programs such as Photomatix.

I have done quite a few HDR images (see my website if you want).

To fully use the complete dynamic range the button on the K20D is not enough. It sure helps - but to master the dynamic range you need 3 or more exposures. The ev spacing depends on what you want to achieve. A higher EV spacing increase the contrast in the final shot.

If you want to play with multiple shots and real hdr - try and get the Photomatix trial version from Hdrsoft.com. It is an excellent tool and good fun.

Yeah, i also use photoshop, and convert one raw file dark, one midtone, one bright, and then selectively apply different parts across the image to get the same effect.

BUT photomatix does it all for me, and lets me fine tune every parameter in the process to create the absolute perfect atmosphere

so worth £50!

Thats because the dynamic range function of the k20d is a completely different thing. HDR brings all the tones to a mid level so that they are easy on the eye and there is interest and detail in every area. What the DR200% function does is makes sure the highlights and shadows are not "clipped", but it keeps all the tones in the photo in correct proportion to eachother. I've gone back to not using this function because in the end it just results in a touch less contrast. If i want the infinite dynamic range i will just shoot raw.

Guys thank you, your have expanded my knowledge on a subject I never knew exsisted many times over. The trouble is buying the software, after working in the fields like I a peasant to get the K20d my finances are in need of replenishment.