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Tech riderRev. 20 Sept 2026

HDR Merge Master

Ch 116.7of 20 HDR Software
  1. 1Runs onLinux, Mac, Windows
  2. 2CostsNot stated by the maker
  3. 3HDR merge modebracketed
  4. 4Batch processingYes
  5. 5RAW file supportYes
  6. 6HDR output formats32-bit OpenEXR, Radiance HDR
  7. 7Supported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux
6 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: github.com
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Overview

HDR Merge Master is ranked #11 of 20 in HDR software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.

Compared on HDR software

HDR merge mode
bracketedgithub.com
Batch processing
Yesgithub.com
RAW file support
Yesgithub.com
HDR output formats
32-bit OpenEXR, Radiance HDRgithub.com
Supported platforms
Windows, macOS, Linuxgithub.com

Facts

What it does
HDR Merge Master uses Blender’s compositor to merge exposure brackets in bulk into 32-bit EXR files.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
HDR output
The output format can be 32-bit OpenEXR or Radiance HDR.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Alignment
The app offers no alignment, Hugin pre-alignment, or MTB alignment, depending on the Blender version and selected mode.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Preview files
The tool creates tonemapped JPG previews alongside the merged HDR files.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
RAW processing
Processing camera RAW files requires RawTherapee; existing adjacent PP3 profiles are used automatically.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Integrations
The project documents optional use of Blender, RawTherapee, Hugin, Luminance HDR, and PTGui workflows.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
PTGui workflow
An included script can replace JPG paths with EXR paths in a PTGui PTS project.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Automation
A headless command-line mode supports batch JSON input, folder processing, alignment options, thread settings, and cleanup.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Blender versions
Blender 4.5 LTS or 5.1 LTS are actively tested; older versions use a legacy script with reduced features.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Notable limit
The tool does not perform ghost removal, and the README recommends using a steady tripod.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Who it is for
The README describes the intended workflow as creating HDRIs for stitching, then swapping JPG previews for EXR files before final export.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
License
The repository identifies its license as GPL-3.0.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Release downloads
The project distributes downloadable builds through GitHub Releases.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Maker
The repository owner is Greg Zaal, whose GitHub profile lists South Africa.github.com · 3 Oct 2026
Purpose
HDR Merge Master uses Blender's compositor to merge exposure brackets in bulk into 32-bit EXR files.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
HDRI workflow
The maker says Poly Haven uses the tool to merge exposure bracket sequences for HDRI creation.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Batching
The app supports multiple input folders, recursive processing, and batch lists that can be imported or exported as JSON.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Output formats
Merged output can be 32-bit OpenEXR or Radiance HDR, and the app also creates tonemapped JPG previews.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Other integrations
The workflow can use Hugin's align_image_stack for image alignment and includes a script to replace JPG paths with EXR paths in PTGui project files.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Requirements
The maker actively tests with Blender 4.5 LTS and Blender 5.1 LTS; older Blender versions use a legacy merge script with reduced features.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Notable limitation
The tool does not remove ghosting, and the maker advises using a steady tripod when shooting.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Download
The installation instructions direct users to download the latest GitHub release and run hdr_merge_master.exe.github.com · 4 Oct 2026
Linux builds
The release notes state that Linux release binaries were added.github.com · 4 Oct 2026

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