This article shares some experimentation I did in post processing when revisiting HHHR bird images. I’d like to thank one of our readers, Brian Bullock, for providing the creative spark for this posting. These photographs were captured at Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls, Canada.
This morning I wondered what would happen if I combined a few new technologies. Specifically the Handheld Hi Res (HHHR) function that is available with E-M1X and E-M1 Mark III cameras, with DxO PhotoLab 4 and Topaz Denoise AI.
So I went back to some old images and reprocessed them using my typical settings for bird photography. This article shares the results of that experimentation.
Each photograph is displayed as a full frame capture, then is followed by a 100% crop. As regular readers know I’m not a pixel peeper by nature, but some folks do enjoy seeing these types of experiments. Revisiting HHHR bird images was a fun, little exercise.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.












The resolution of a Handheld Hi Res image is 8161 x 6120 pixels compared to the standard resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels. The larger HHHR files are capable of capturing more detail.
So, what are the takeaways from this little experiment of revisiting HHHR bird images? I think there are two.
The first is that evaluating a camera solely based on the size of the sensor it uses is rather antiquated thinking. Computational photography and the application of artificial intelligence are changing the rules of the game.
The second is that we need to think of our photographic gear as not only incorporating camera bodies and lenses, but also the software we use in post processing. It is the integration of all of these elements that allow us to push the boundaries of our photographic expression.
Technical Note
Photographs were captured hand-held using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. Photographs are displayed as full frame captures as well as 100% crops.
How you can help keep this site advertising free
My intent is to keep this photography blog advertising free. If you enjoyed this article and/or my website and would like to support my work, you can purchase an eBook, or make a modest $10 donation through PayPal. Both are most appreciated. You can use the Donate button below. Larger donations can be made to tom@tomstirr.com through PayPal.
Word of mouth is the best form of endorsement. If you like our website please let your friends and associates know about our work. Linking to this site or to specific articles is allowed with proper acknowledgement. Reproducing articles, or any of the images contained in them, on another website or in any social media posting is a Copyright infringement.
Article is Copyright 2020 Thomas Stirr. Images are Copyright 2019 Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation of any kind is allowed without written consent. If you see this article reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use. Posting comments on offending websites and calling out individuals who steal intellectual property is always appreciated!
thanks for information
You’re welcome!
Tom
Impressive. I haven’t tried HHHR yet. Have you tried it with the 100-400mm?
Hi Colin,
I haven’t tried HHHR or in-camera focus stacking with the 100-400 yet. For that matter, I haven’t even done any Pro Capture testing (shame on me). I’m going out for a while tomorrow to experiment a bit more…
Tom