Hello all,
I put an update to eMotionDng on the Brumbaer Tools Site.

The update solves compatibility issues with ref files that are downloaded from the back on an Intel Mac.

As we all have been told, the release of Xposure is near and Xposure will free us from our woes, bring us closer to heaven and will not only save our souls, but will also save raw files in DNG.

So this is the right time to announce that I will stop supporting the Brumbaer Tools in the last quarter of the year.

This gives all of you, who use the Tools, enough time to get accustomed with a new, Xposure based, workflow and nag Sinar enough to provide you with the features you need most.

Kind regards
SH

its a great pity for sinar that your work on the tools will not go on.

i am very thankful about your great, friendly and patient way to work together with me in the last 2 years, optimizing your tools from a pure dng konverter ( for the emotion22 2 years ago ) to the most advanced workflow for architecure shooters, and quality- wise the best and fastest dng converter i know in this market.

as many know here in LL: on this way working on your tools you found also the algorythm to eliminate the centerfold issue "on the fly", and a very effective highlight recovery.
for me this always was incredible, esp. because many programmers in the "big" companies tried the same, without proceeding to similar results than you did alone.

as you already know it makes me very sad that there will be no more improvement
about these great tools, but i can understand your decision.

p.s.
i will freeze one macbook pro ( with leopard ) together with an e75lv ( with iso50 firmware .... ) at the state it is now.

Stefan, we know that Exposure will save files in DNG but what will be the file format of the files stored in the camera? Also DNG?

I understand that you were involved with Exposure, is this correct?

Thanks for all your work to date!

Has the Brumbaer technology been integrated into eXposure?

Sinar, please give 50 iso setting back to users.

Hello Graham,


I honestly do not know. But the backs in use today would need a new firmware to use DNG as internal back storage format.
As users are not supposed to come in contact with "internal back data" directly it does not matter. For the user it will look like there's only DNG. Just as it is now with CS. CS users should only be confronted with STI files.


No, I have nothing to do with Xposure. To be true, I assume the team hates me

Kind regards
SH

Thankyou Stephan also from me!

And not just the highlight recovery...the separation in the bottom end, noise levels and simplicity make it a great program.

I am sorry it will not continue and even more worried that your 'work' will not be incorporated into exposure. I actually made the decision to go with Sinar based on the results from Brumbaer.

I hope there is a great improvement in image quality in exposure from where we are with captureshop, not just more features?

Murray

Thanks for your kind words.

I'm not involved in the development of Xposure.

I can't give any information about image quality or whether any algorithms of the Brumbaer Tools are part of Xposure.

Regards
SH

Thank you Stephan,

I use your tools nearly every day.
I like these small "simple" programs.
I like the images I got from them.

Tomas

OH NOOOOO !

PLEASE DONT GIVE UP !

I have eXposure DNG's, in comparison to your Brummbaer tool there is NO question
that i use Brumbaer tools in the future ...

At the (Beta) moment there is no user White Reference, no Color matrices, no ColorChecker 24 /SG Support !

OH NOOOOO !



I don't understand this
My local sinar dealer advised me to take the brumbaer tools for the best image
quality.

@Brummbaer
If you realy stop supporting the Brumbaer Tools, will you make the sources
public ? Or will you give they to an other developer ?

Greetings
Adina

One question: am I right that brumbaer tools don't work with my Sinarback 54H?

Christopher

Dear Stephan,

Thank you for your work, I am relying on the Tools more than on CS with my eMotion files. The Brumbaer DNG Converter has been the only reason I am still with my Sinar/Jenoptik backs and did not switch. At least two Russian photographers bought the e75LVs this year because of your programs and the workflow they offer.

Thank you again,
Yevgeny

Hi Stephan,
Thank you for your efforts. It has been amazing that you have personally developed and supported this product with instant response to any querries on its use. I have been bewildered why companies with teams working on software can't even approach your level of service. Now you have developed the product, is it feasible to comercialise it to allow future development? Even after Xposure is released if the features you have developed are not in it I expect the demand will be there.
David

Stephan,

Please don't stop!

Your software works brilliantly and gets my DNGs into the Adobe universe quickly.

Most importantly of all - you listen! Where else can you email the author of the software with a problem and have a fix emailed back within half an hour?

Thank you!

Thanks again for your response(s).

@Alina

It's unlikely that I will go "open source", but its many months till the end of the year.

@Christopher

Officially the Tools support only eMotion backs.

Unofficially eMotionDng converts sti files from other backs to DNGs as well. The chances that it will convert 54H files are good, but STIs are not as good a starting point for the conversion as IAs are. (Because some processing steps have been applied to the raw image, before the sti is written)

The eMotionReader cannot be used to read the images from non-eMotion backs, so you will still have to use CS.

I cannot say whether it makes sense for you to use eMotionDng in addition to CS and how the final quality of the images will be, because I do neither have an 54H nor do I know your workflow.

Kind regards
SH

Does this mean all RAW files aren't truly "RAW".

Usually we assume raw is the data as it is delivered by the sensor.

The only case I know of where this is the case are the IA/BR files.
All other files have been processed in some ways.
I can't say what steps will have been applied to a certain format, but most likely all of the following:

Blemishes will have been corrected.
Something like a default white file will have been applied.
A black level correction of some sort will have been applied.

There are other things that could have been applied, like a kind of leveling in relation to ISO settings and whatever.

So different raw formats are differently close to the sensor data. Whether it makes a difference for the "programmer" depends on the steps applied. I.e. it's difficult to increase image quality by changing the way blemishes are removed.

Kind regards
SH

Hi Stephan,

from all the testing I performed before stepping into MFDB, the Brumbaer software, Sinar Back combination left all others for dead...

I would certainly be a 'customer' of yours in the future were you to keep the tools updated, particularly as I now see that your 'work' will not be available within Exposure.

Cheers

Murray

Please elaborate Murray.
For interior + architecture shooters in particular?

Sure,

my tests were impressions of the files I viewed with relevance to the look, feel and problems encountered shooting architecture and interiors with exisiting light sources.

The best aspect was the highlight recovery and then the way the files 'shouldered' into blown areas, such as the sun itself. Dynamic range in interior/exterior situations became something to use aesthetically, not have to control as a problem.

The Brumbaer/Sinar combo also have me the least 'digitally processed' look.

Also, the separation down low was the best of any combination right down to where noise took over.

There are still drawbacks though, and the major one for me is the noise problems that appear after long exposures - and 30sec often seems way too short for many of the situations I shoot.

The perfect back for me would allow long, noise free exposures with Brumbaer/Sinar image quality!!

These were impressions relevant to the way I shoot every day and to the problems encountered. I did not test with pure science in controlled situation like many here on the forums do. Also, please don't ask me which systems I tried as I don't want to get into a 'mine is better than yours' slanging match here on the forums - we have enough of them I think

I will say that I tried both chips (there are only two in all mfdbs as far as I understand) and I viewed the files processed in the major programs available and applicable to each back.

Murray

PS If relevant I use Lightroom with the DNGs

These single images - not stacked exposures.

Thought it may be relevant

i will see these images when processed with exposure ...

Looking good. Which lens did you use?

28mm on Alpa both images

I'm sure the Sinar eXposure will have the possibility to make Color matrices with the ColorChecker 24, DC and SG in the release version, also it will be possible to make a user White Reference.

best regards

Goodi

its not 1 user white reference what we need for shift lenses. its one reference each shot and it has to be taken untethered.

How do you do this expodisc over the lens?

-------

ps to Mr Brum - you have kept my Sinar on the road for me.

CS5 (and most likely exposure) are too heavy for my laptop - and my desktops are PC

It use brum or upgrade computer for me..

SMM

[quote=Morgan_Moore,Mar 17 2008, 08:50 AM]
How do you do this expodisc over the lens?

-------

with a white semitransparent plexi 10 x 10cm. you can buy it @ sinar.

[quote=rainer_v,Mar 17 2008, 10:07 AM]
[quote=Morgan_Moore,Mar 17 2008, 08:50 AM]
How do you do this expodisc over the lens?

-------

with a white semitransparent plexi 10 x 10cm. you can buy it @ sinar.

[/quote]


How thick is this plexi. I use standard plexi from my local shop. I think I need something more transparent.

Tomas

this are two sandwich layers, together about 1cm thick. it works perfect.
if it is just one plexi sometimes you can see the form of dark or bright motif zones shining through the plexi. logically this lowers the contrast if this is applied to the motif and inverted. so sandwich plexis work better than single plexis.

Yes Rainer is absolutely right, it must diffuse the light efficiently, not creating any kind of spot or graduation. Therefore a certain thickness is necessary.

Thierry

Will Exposure have the facility to make a WSF for each shot and automatically apply it as Brumbaer does?

We could hear it from the horse's mouth, if Goodi would be so kind.

Kind regards
SH

the first version of eXposure won't have that feature to apply a WSF for each shot as Brumbaer does? It will have the possibility to make a color calibration afterwards.

Best regards
Goodi

Is the public beta / release candidate coming early April considered a "version"?

Sorry "version" means the first release version of eXposure

Best regards

Goodi

Brumbaer Tools[FONT=Impact][SIZE=1]

Coming from a D2x I'm used to Photoshop and similar applications.
When I started to use the eMotion digital back, I was disappointed by the speed of the editing software that came with the back. And I was missing the possibility to use standard software on the raw files the back delivers.

So I wrote a set of small utilities that transfer files from the back and convert them to DNG and form the bridge between standard editing software and the raw files created by the eMotion backs.



Stephan

I have been trying to digest your news...........it is unfortunate that you will not continue

development of your "small utilities" that you describe on your web page (sorry for the © infringement).


But in using your tools, I realize how clearly they have been concieved and how efficiently you

and your software team have executed your "small utilities".

Your little suite of utilities has set the standard for other medium format digital manufacturers to

evolve............your DNG convertor has reached a state of perfection with regard to issues with

color casts, wideangle vignetting, centerfolds, highly efficient workflow, highlight recovery, and

allowing the enduser to profile the sensor in such a simple and effective manner.

Other than addressing OS changes, what else would you do

to improve your "little utilities" that the major players "software suite" can't even match in terms

of quality and efficiency?



I bought the e75 after testing the results with your tools..........I have actually never tried Sinar's

Capture Shop. I decided to purchase the emotion after meeting with Michael Guthmann @

PhotoEast NY last year. From that meeting I realized Exposure/CS are independent from your

"utilities" and made my purchase decision based completely on the results from

tools/workflow that you and Rainer established...............I figured that if Sinar incorporated the

Brumbaer DNG in Exposure I may use it as a tethered solution. If they decided not to incorporate

it, it would not matter to me as I am very happy with the excellent file quality and the untethered

workflow using Brumbaer Tools.



I am sure it was an unusal e75 sale for Jack Strobel@ Calumet............the launching of the Hy6

camera @ PhotoEast was the big marketing push to boost sales for the Sinar digibacks and here

I was pluncking down money based on a 3rd party software utility. I took delivery of the e75

last week.............there was an Hy6 camera but no Brumbaer Tools.




I hope that Sinar does not adopt a myopic view in terms of the Hy6 and its software(Exposure)

development. Its a boatload more expensive to develop a new camera just to sell more digital

backs when you can accomplish the same by having the software (BrumbaerTools) that actually

works efficiently today in a specific market. Particularly since architectural/landscape shooters

have a voracious appetite for large megapixel sensors and there is a turnkey solution with

Brumbaer Tools for this market.


Stephan.....its been a pleasure using your software utilities instead of the flagship softwares
that are always promising features or fixes in the future. I love the fact that your future is today......if there is a problem or if something can be more efficient, you just solve it today!

regards
prakash patel

Stephan

What is your thinking about the future of the eMotion Tether utility?

Will you be releasing a version sometime soon?

If so, can you elaborate on this utilities features and how it works
with the reader and DNG utilities.

Will it be possible to apply the white shading particularly with the
vignetting (lens falloff) feature applied to the file displayed on the
laptop or will this feature remain exclusively on the eMotion DNG?


prakash patel

Hello Prakash,
eMotionTeth is part of the Brumbaer Tools, even it is not released.
I just announced that I will stop supporting the Brumbaer Tools in the last quarter of this year.
For me it does not make any sense to release a product or part of a product when I know that I will stop supporting it.
Also it doesn't make sense for users to use a product and/or base their workflow on a product which will be discontinued.

So there will be no release of eMotionTeth and I'm not handing out copies of it any longer.

Kind regards
SH

I have the feeling that they have problems with sinar !?

Hello Adina,
I can not follow your line of thought, could you please explain what you mean.

Kind regards
SH

Perhaps Adina doesn't realize Brumbaer is one man.