HDR is a term that you might be familiar with if you own a cutting-edge 4K TV because most of the newer ones tend to offer this sought-after feature. But HDR, or High Dynamic Range, is also used often in photography, which is what we’re going to talk about today. Many modern cameras cancapture better pictures by combining two or more images with different lighting ranging from the brightest whites to the darkest blacks. These images are combined into a single picture with a higher dynamic range than its counterparts. Hence, the name, HDR images. However, the HDR function of digital cameras is limited, so some times you need to turn to a HDR photography softwareto get perfect HDR images. Here we recommend you top 5 best HDR photography software programs for you to process your images.

 EasyHDR

The name pretty much says it all. This tool was designed to be very intuitive and easy to use even by people who are not very experienced when it comes to HDR software. EasyHDR was first released back in 2006 so it’s definitely been around for a while, however, that doesn’t mean it’s outdated. Quite the opposite. During all this time the developers constantly updated and improved their HDR image processing software and they will likely continue this trend for many years to come. EasyHDR is available on both Windows and Mac and is one of the more affordable HDR software options out there, which is always a bonus.

Aurora HDR 2018

The 2019 version of the software will launch in October but for now you can still use the 2018 version if you don’t want to wait until then. Aurora is an HDR image editor and HDR image processing software that offers a lot of advanced tools like tone mapping, spot healing, and many more. The software is mainly aimed at experienced users but it’s still simple enough to use by newbies as well. Aurora tends to get a new version every year and the software isn’t exactly cheap so this option might not be for those on a budget. That said, Aurora is considered one of the best HDR photo software around so the investment is well worth it.

HDR Projects 4

This is a more recent addition to the HDR software market but it’s already managed to impress a lot of people. The tool works great alongside Lightroom, which is a major selling point for those who are already using Adobe’s software. Another advantage of HDR Projects 4 is that this HDR software comes with a lot of options but packs them all inside a clean interface. The price isn’t too bad for what it offers, however, the Pro version will cost you a bit more than the standard one so just make sure to keep that in mind.

Photomatix Pro

Photomatix Pro is probably the oldest HDR software that’s still being used extensively to this day. The primary reason for its continued popularity is very simple – Photomatix Pro is a very solid and reliable piece of software. Those looking for a professional HDR image editor will be happy to know that Photomatix Pro comes equipped with a wide range of useful tools, as well as several tone mapping methods. Each method can be used to obtain a different effect so it’s worth experimenting with all of them in order to obtain the perfect picture. The software is available on both Windows and PC and has a reasonable price tag, though you will need to pay a bit more to access all its features.

Machinery HDR

Machinery is another good HDR software that’s easy to use and features a nice user interface. There are a number of presets available to make things easier for beginners while experienced users can always playing around with some of the advanced tools. This particular HDR image processing software is best used when trying to obtain realistic looking images so it might not be the ideal tool for artistic imagery. In terms of pricing, it’s cheaper than many of its competitors but the disadvantage (for some) is that it’s only available on Windows at the moment.

Conclusion

There are certainly a lot of good options out there for HDR software enthusiasts, some more reliable than others. The five we discussed today are some of the best tools currently available but each of them has its strengths and weaknesses so it’s a good idea to do a bit more research before you decide which one to go for.

If you’re still learning about HDR as a whole and its benefits make sure to watch some 4K UHD Blu-ray movies with HDR10 quality to get a better idea of the difference this technology can make. You’re going to need a good player that can handle those types of movies, however, but don’t worry because we happen to know the perfect player for you. The software is called DVDFab Player 5 and can easily handle any format you throw at it, including 4K videos or 4K UHD Blu-rays with HDR10 quality. Don’t hesitate to give it a try, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed.