Please note that HDR Shop is not yet available for Mac and Linux.

• HDRShop installer
    v3.1 is now distributed as an installer file, which requires installation on target computer.


• Improved smart tiling
    v3.1 implements a new Smart tiling algorithm, which features optimized re-sizing and image alignment.


• Improved image assembling algorithm
    v3.1 implements a new assembling algorithm that repairs issues from 3.0.


• New functions to Java script
    v3.1 adds more Image functions for Java script. Image: void HalfSize(int options) - options:0. fast but less accurate; 1. slow but more accurate void DoubleSize()


• Auto-update system
    Can now automatically look up available online update release at startup and proceed update with one click.


• Unsharp masking feature
    Implements Unsharp masking algorithm.


• Copy as matrix Feature
    Implements 'Copy as Matrix' feature so that users can choose to copy a section of an image and save it in matlab matrix format.


• Derive sun intensity feature
    You can now extract sun intensity from 2 HDR images: an image of diffuse ball and an image of light probe.


• 'Rectify to' feature
    Now provides a way to rectify any quadrilateral in one image to a quadrilateral in another.


• New GUI (developed using Qt framework)
    GUI was rewritten with Qt framework for multi-platform purposes.


• New HDRShop virtual memory Management and memory tiling
    New virtually memory management and memory tiling, which allows users to load more images than v3.0.


• Cosmetic adjustments(icons, splash screens, etc.)
    New icons for easier navigation through the menu and splash screens for startup information.

• New GUI features:
  
  
  • Color-coded pixel channel display: The display of pixel channel information can be altered to display values with 3,5 or 8 decimal places or in scientific notation by clicking on a colored pane, or pressing 'Shift+3/5/8' or 'Ctrl+Shift+3/5/8' for scientific notation, or from the menu by 'View → Display Options → Precision → '
  • Memory report pane showing memory being used by HDR Shop against available RAM.
  • Expanded right-click context menu with full cascading menu access.
  • Multiple image select/reorder images tool:
    See below (3) or 14.13 for more information.


• Support for Windows Vista/64-bit
    We have tested the latest release of HDR Shop on the Windows Vista platform without any problems. The software also runs without any problems on Windows XP 64-bit, although we have not as yet created a 64-bit optimized version of HDR Shop.
• New built-in and external help documentation
    Includes this document in PDF or HTML formats, and a new Quick Help window which lists all keyboard and mouse controls in HDR Shop. Accessed via the 'Help' menu or 'Ctrl+H'


• Improved HDR assembly
    HDR Shop 2.0 had two mechanisms for creating HDR images from image sequences - one for LDR images and one for Canon RAW images. These interfaces have been combined into one new interface, which now allows you to create HDR images from any LDR, HDR or RAW format using either image pixel values or EXIF file metadata to guide the assembly. Furthermore, the assembly algorithm has been improved by the addition of a new dynamic weighting scheme that takes any non-constant change in exposure within the image sequence into account. See this tutorial for more practical guidelines.


• Improved support for RAW images
    Support for RAW images has been improved from HDR Shop 2.0 which only supported a handful of Canon cameras in the old CRW format. The RAW importer in HDR Shop v3.0 is completely new and supports all major manufacturers RAW formats including:
  
  
  • Canon (*.crw, *.cr2, *.tif)
  • Nikon (*.nef)
  • Kodak (*.dcr, *.kdc, *.dc2, *.k25)
  • Fuji (*.raf)
  • Olympus (*.orf)
  • Minolta/Konica (*.mrw, *.arw, *.mdc)
  • Pentax (*.pef)
  • Sony (*.srf)
  • Adobe Digital Negative (*.dng)
  • Casio (*.qvs, *.bay)
  • Panasonic/Leica/Casio (*.raw)
  • Sigma (*.x3f)
  • Epson (*.erf)
  • Imacon/Hasselblad (*.fff)
  • CREO (*.mos)
  • Fotoman (*.pxn)
  • Ricoh (*.rdc)
  
  This list is by no means exhaustive, and the RAW importer can read images from somewhere on the order of 300 different cameras.


• The new RAW importer
  
  
    The RAW importer uses dcraw by Dave Coffin. See this tutorial for information on importing RAW images.


• External batch-processing of HDR, RAW, and LDR images
    HDR Shop v3.0 includes a small command-line tool ('rawTool.exe') allowing offline batch processing of large numbers of images. Batch processing can be used for creating HDR images or converting images from one format to another. The command line tool performs these processes significantly faster than a Javascript script called from within HDR Shop. Also included is a small command line tool (batchGen.exe) allowing creation of simple batch files for users who have limited experience in writing scripts or more involved programming.
  See this tutorial for instructions on using the rawTool.


• New built-in light probe sampling tool
    Light probe sampling was only available in HDR Shop 2.0 as an external plugin using the 'Median Cut' method. We have written this function into HDR Shop 3.0 and have also improved on it with the addition of a new 'Variance Minimization' sampling technique. See this tutorial for instructions on using the sampling tool.


• Modified multi-threaded queuable architecture
    This feature has been retained in HDR Shop v3.0, modified to ensure that images now load in the correct order. In HDR Shop 2.0 loading several images simultaneously produces a random ordering of the images because of asynchronous multi-threading. In HDR Shop v3.0 loading of multiple images is treated as a single thread which preserves the original ordering of the images. None of the images in that particular thread can be utilized until all have been loaded. However this does not prevent the user from operating on other open images while the current images are being loaded. A related new image reordering facility has also been added to HDR Shop v3.0 (next item).


• New image management window
    New popup window which tracks the state of all open images in HDR Shop enabling two distinct functions:
  
  
  • The order of the images can now be changed by a simple drag and drop operation.
  • Multiple images can be chosen and any multi-image enabled operation (most HDR Shop functions) can be performed on that set of images.
  
  Any open image in HDR Shop can be activated and brought to the front by double-clicking the image in this window.


• Color matrix determination, reference Macbeth charts for mapping to common color spaces
    Create a reference color-checker chart or use to color balance images to common color spaces like sRGB or AdobeRGB. See 7.5 or see this tutorial for more information.


• Support for more current file formats
    This distribution includes plugins supporting reading & writing of Portable Network Graphics (PNG) and JPEG-HDR formats. HDR Shop v3.0 now also supports all common proprietary digital RAW formats and can read-in most common grayscale formats.


• Improved camera curve calibration tool
    The camera response curve calibration tool released in HDR Shop 2 was not able to produce sufficiently robust results. The tool has been re-written for the version 3 release and the results are now significantly improved. The tool now also supports drag and drop of images as input. See this tutorial for more practical guidelines.


• Miscellaneous new/improved functions
  
  
  • Improved half-sizing. Uses a small blur kernel for a smoother result. See 'Image → Size → Half Size (Slower/accurate)' 9.2.
  • New 'Sharpen' (9.30) and 'Edge Detector' filters (9.37).
  • New image tiling schemes. The stock 'Tile' Has been replaced with Tile horizontally/vertically and a new 'Smart Tile' function. See 'Window →' (14.3, 14.4, 14.5) for more information.
  • Amalgamated image information window. Press 'I' or under 'Image → Info → Average/Sum/Max/Min/RMS' this window gives information about the Average/Sum/Max/Min/RMS Error values in the selected area.
  • Display of saturated pixel values can now be controlled. See 10.26 for more information.
  • Arbitrary resize of images to dimensions of less than half now works properly. Performing this operation caused the output to contain just black pixels. This is now fixed. See 9.6 for more information.
  • Improved Interpolation of RAW Bayer pattern images. See 9.40 for more information.
  • Command line switches added to HDR Shop. These switches can be added to a link to HDR Shop.exe to control how the program starts up.
    Currently supported switches:
    • '-f' = start in fullscreen mode.
    • '-dp 0/1/2/3/4/5' = control how channel values are displayed at start:
      0 = 3dp, 1 = 5dp, 2 = 8dp
      3 = 3dp, 4 = 5dp, 5 = 8dp [in scientific notation]

• Multi-threaded queuable architecture
    HDR Shop 2.0 implemented multi-threaded operations. Multi-threading significantly speeds up work-flow. Multiple image operations run simultaneously. Sequential operations are queued to avoid resource conflicts. The program should never 'lock up' when busy. Most operations have progress bars to indicate the current status.


• JavaScript Scripting Interface
    HDR Shop 2.0 integrated a JavaScript scripting interface. Scripting integrates the the power of the internal HDR Shop engine to your own custom operations and plug-ins. Basic HDR Shop functionality such as loading and saving images, filters and transforms are all exposed as JavaScript functions. More advanced scripting plug-ins can be developed by incorporating ActiveX controls, custom windows, and event handling.


• Batch Custom HDR Image Processing
    HDR Shop 2.0 scripting also automated repetitive or complex image operations. Simple scripts can be used to apply the same operation to multiple images, assemble multiple HDR image sequences, and automatically load and save the processed images.


• Custom File Format Plugins
    HDR Shop 2.0 could easily be expanded to support new file formats using dynamically loaded file libraries. Included with the distribution were two examples of file plug-ins, for Industrial Light & Magic's OpenEXR file format, and the Canon RAW file format.


• Support for OpenEXR images
    HDR Shop can now load and save the OpenEXR HDR file format developed by Industrial Light & Magic via a plug-in included with version 2.0. The OpenEXR format is documented at OpenExr.


• Load RAW images
    HDR Shop 2.0 can load and process digital camera RAW files. Directly using digital camera RAW files can proved highest quality images for HDR image processing. RAW files are both uncompressed and often have greater dynamic range than JPEG files. The HDR Shop 2.0 plug-in for RAW images imports the full 12bit dynamic range of Canon RAW image, while providing control over interpolation and processing. The plug-in has been tested with the Canon D30, D60, 10D and 1DS. Support for other RAW file formats is also included, though they have not been fully tested.


• HDR Assembly direct from Canon RAW images
    HDR Shop 2.0 can load an HDR sequence of RAW images directly as an HDR image. The plug-in takes advantage of the file metadata to compensate for changes in shutter speed and aperture.


• HDR Copy and Paste
    HDR Shop 2.0 can copy and paste high dynamic range image regions.


• Parameter Copy and Paste
    HDR Shop 2.0 can copy and paste numerical values from pixel operations. This eliminates having to copy measurements by hand.


• Spherical Harmonics
    HDR Shop 2.0 can generate spherical harmonic test patterns in any panoramic format.


• Panoramic Direction Table
    HDR Shop 2.0 can generate a directional lookup table for any panoramic mapping.


• Registry Preferences
    HDR Shop 2.0 has user-modifiable settings for specifying the external LDR image editor and file format.


• New math operations
    HDR Shop 2.0 offers additional mathematical operators for analyzing and modifying images including constant addition, division, exponentiation, logarithmic math, color matrices, and normalization.


• New image filters
    HDR Shop 2.0 offers additional image filters including:
  
  • Star (lens-flare) Blur
  • Motion Blur
  • Ward Specular Convolution (approximation)
  • Vertical Cosine Falloff (useful for weighting lat-long panoramas)
  • Fast Diffuse Convolution (SH-based)