HDR problem in PS CS5

[groovesection]

Wondering if anyone can help me with an HDR problem in PS CS5.
It is pouring with rain and so i decided to mess around with an HDR shot from the bathroom window (lol)
I have done HDR shots (twice) when i first got my camera a few weeks ago so i know it works and how to do it.


But Today for some reason upon opening the files CS5 just closes them all leaving me with a blank workspace.
The images were shot in AV mode (which it apparently has to be) and i have no idea why it will not now work as it did before
I have tried it with 3 sets (of 3) bracketed images and i get the same result each time, the images are imported (right hand side in PS) and each one displays but after that PS just closed them all leaving me with that blank workspace

Can anyone shed any light on this please?

[proseak]

Try this;

Bridge>select your images>Tools>Photoshop>Merge to HDR Pro

Good luck, and let us know how it goes

[groovesection]

Hi Peter,
I cannot find the Merge to HDR Pro option in Bridge anywhere
EDIT
There is nothing under tools as you can see from this screengrab

[groovesection]

Sod it, Downloaded a trial version of Photomtaix and it works fine, Not sure i want to pay for it though and no idea why PS no longer works.
Thanks anyway Peter

[proseak]

"I cannot find the Merge to HDR Pro option in Bridge anywhere
EDIT
There is nothing under tools as you can see from this screengrab"

Edit>Preferences>Startup Scripts & check the box for Adobe Photoshop CS5

HTH

Peter

[groovesection]

Doh! Thanks again Peter

I think i have worked out why PS was not working, when i imported the 3 images in to the Photomatix trial it was clearly obvious that the 3 shots were not aligned (the subject was a tree and the wind must have blown during the 3 shots)
I assume the difference was too much for PS to handle.
I am going to try again with a static shot indoors.
Thanks again for your help Peter

[proseak]

I always found that importing from Bridge did a pretty good job of aligning the images(I do a lot of handheld HDR) - never tried from within PS itself.

It's worth opening all the images in ACR, and applying the lens correction & CA before importing to the HDR wizard.

How do you like the Sigma lens?

[groovesection]

The Sigma is pretty good, I wanted a touch more zoom than the kit 18-55 but did not think i would ever need anything over 200mm on a 1.6 crop.
Wide open there is a touch of barrel distortion at 18mm but at 20mm it is fine.
Also stopped right down at 125mm there is a touch of aberration but it can easily be fixed in post, and i don't really use it that often at 18 or 125.
I am more than happy with it although at 125mm it is a bit long (extension).
It will serve me well i believe whilst i learn the basics.
I doubt i will ever go full frame and if i do upgrade to a 450 or 500D i will probably buy some quality L glass at the same time.
1 thing i noticed is you have to manually disable the IS when using a tripod or you often get blurry images (like camera shake)