The main objective of this article is to share some examples of cropping with HHHR technology, specifically with macro type photography. Additionally, a couple of links to earlier articles that outline some of the benefits of Handheld Hi Res (HHHR) technology are also provided.  These two earlier articles covered how HHHR increases dynamic range, and how HHHR does a very good job reducing noise when higher ISO values are used.

As photographers we should always buy the gear that best suits our needs, regardless of the sensor format, brand or camera model. Occasionally we may own camera gear that for whatever reason, we don’t take advantage of all of its capabilities. Over the past few years I’ve met a number of Olympus/OM System owners who have yet to explore the Handheld Hi Res (HHHR) capability of their cameras.

On a personal basis, I don’t use HHHR on a frequent basis as I find the native resolution and dynamic range of my E-M1X bodies to be sufficient for the bulk of my needs. I do use HHHR for macro photography on a fairly regular basis as it extends the functionality of my gear for this photographic genre.

This article features pairs of images to illustrate cropping with HHHR photographs. The first image is a full frame capture, followed by a cropped version. As you examine these pairs of images it’s good to keep in mind that an HHHR file from my E-M1X is 8160 x 6120 pixels compared to a standard resolution file which is 5184 x 3888 pixels. These are full resolution RAW files.

All of the photographs featured in this article were captured handheld at the “Frogs! A Riveting Exhibit” which is currently being held at the Royal Botanical Gardens. All of the frogs were resident in glass enclosures. This made some of the captures tricky, given the somewhat soiled surfaces of the glass enclosures, the glare from lights in the hall, as well as the reflections of other visitors standing or walking nearby.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

In the first pair of images we can see that the subject frog in centre frame was 870 mm away. This necessitated an aggressive crop of 3849 pixels on the width.

Our next pair of images required another aggressive crop. This time it was at 3191 pixels on the width. Let’s have a look at the full frame capture first.

As you can see the subject frog was quite tiny in the frame. If my camera did not have HHHR, I wouldn’t have even bothered trying to capture an image. Now, let’s view the cropped version.

I positioned the frog in the frame so the orange and white pebbles would serve as a leading line. I used equidistant composition technique to give the cropped image balance.

Knowing that I’m using HHHR technology can be very helpful when trying to compose an image while attempting to avoid surface glare on the glass enclosure.

Sometimes it just isn’t possible to get a subject in the exact location desired in the composition.

My HHHR RAW files afford me a lot of cropping flexibility which extends the number of potential photographic subjects available to me. Often I can end up with a finished, cropped file that is larger than a standard resolution photograph would have been.  This was the case with our next pair of images.

Whenever I’m planning to do some macro or close-up photography I always bring my M.Zuiko 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens as well as my M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 zoom. The relatively short minimum focusing distance of the PRO 40-150 often comes in very handy.

Some subjects, like the one below, can be quite dazzling with their colouration.

In these situations I sometimes like to crop in even tighter to create additional intimacy in a photograph. Having additional resolution with HHHR technology provides a lot of cropping flexibility,

There is sufficient resolution with my E-M1X’s HHHR technology that it can enable me to do a vertical crop from a horizontal composition when needed.

As you look at the EXIF data you’ll see that I chose ISO-1600 for all of my images. Even at higher ISO values like ISO-6400 Handheld Hi Res technology delivers files that require very little noise reduction. At ISO-1600 there is a very minimal amount of noise which is very is very easy to correct.

Using ISO-1600 is fast enough to allow me to adjust my aperture as needed for depth-of-field, as well as help keep my shutter speed at an appropriate level to capture the 16 successive frames that are combined to create a 50 MP HHHR RAW file.

For many photographers another important benefit of utilizing the HHHR function in their Olympus/OM System camera is the increased dynamic range.

At ISO-1600 in HHHR mode my E-M1X actually delivers more dynamic range than leading full frame cameras like the Sony 7R IV, the Nikon D850, and the Canon R5 do at that ISO value and when shot at their standard resolutions. At ISO-6400 in HHHR mode my E-M1X easily outperforms the mentioned full frame cameras in terms of dynamic range. You can check out the data on the Photonstophoto website to confirm.

There is a limitation when using Handheld Hi Res mode in that your subject needs to remain motionless. After two photographic sessions and hundreds of HHHR image captures at the Royal Botanical Gardens frog exhibit… I only had a couple of photographs where subject motion was an issue.

If you examine the left rear leg of the frog in the image above you’ll see some motion artifacts. This unexpected subject motion was noticeable given my shutter speed of 1/15.

Good handheld technique and outstanding IBIS performance contribute to successful HHHR image captures, especially when slower shutter speeds like 1/15th are used.

Cropping with HHHR images is one of many ways that my E-M1X effectively extends my photographic potential.

Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW using my standard approach in post. All photographs were captured using Handheld Hi Res technology. This is the 1,250 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

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