In the past I've used Auto Exposure Lock to get the same consistant exposure across multiple photos that way the seams don't show up.  Now I'm starting to mess with braketing.  I'm new to the braketing process.  My goal is to braket +/- 2 EV's in both directions for each shot and then use Photomatrix to come up with a nice composite.

Here's what I'm wondering..  Do I no longer use Auto Exposure Lock and just use the braketing feature?  Don't want to end up with a bunch of seam lines..

Any braketing tips would help too.  Thanks.

Hmm after trying Bracketing -2,0,+2 images... what do you find as an acceptable photo.. You have the D80,  what do you find is acceptable?

We used to use the Nikon 990 with AE LOCK.  But the same functionality did not occur using our Canon 350d, 20d, or 5d.

And what software did you use to merge the HD photos??

Yes Nikon D80.  I guess I need to know. Do you use these features simultaneously or because I'm braketing can I no longer use AE Lock?

So because you do not have AE Lock on your current camera do you braket only then on your photos and then combine them with some sort of HDR software?

The job I'm doing is for a high end hotel so the end result has to be very good.  So as far as quality I'm not looking to do real estate photo quality on this one.  Much higher.

All three of our cameras do have AE lock but we do not use it.  Instead we have tried Auto-bracketing.  We set our camera to -2, 0 +2 and then hold the remote shutter button down.. and it automatically shoots 3 images - under -2 stops, on at 0 and +2 over exposed.  On occasion we use Photoshop HDR for combining the 3 exposures into 1.  We do that for all 4 images at 90 degree view angles.  Then we stitch them.

Actually we do not do HDR very often.  I have read that PSCS3 does a better job at High Dynamic Range functions.