Posting this here, in case anyone else will find it useful

For the past day I've been working on a little piece of software that calculates the required camera settings to effectively capture HDR scenes, based on your camera's f-stop, ISO, and shutter speed.

Here's a quick screenshot of the interface below, as well as a link to the current version:

Download (Requires .NET 4.0)




Code:
Highlights = 0.031250s @ ISO100, f/8.00 (11.00EV)
Midtones   = 0.100000s @ ISO100, f/8.00 (9.32EV)
Shadows    = 1.500000s @ ISO100, f/8.00 (5.42EV)

Highlights to Midtones = 1.68EV
Midtones to Shadows    = 3.90EV
	Warning: Exceeded tonal threshold of 2.00EV.

Tonal threshold exceeded between midtones and shadows, calculating necessary exposure(s)...
Exposing for the midtones and shadows...
	Midtone to Shadow Span        = 3.90EV
	Using a tonal threshold       = 2.00EV
	Additional exposures required = 1
		7.32EV = (0.400535s)


Captured Dynamic Range = (8.00EV) + [(11.00EV) - (5.42EV)] = 13.58EV
Dynamic Range Increase = 69.75%
In a nutshell, my program asks for the required settings to successfully capture the highlights, midtones, and shadows of a scene. It then calculates the relative exposure values (EVs) and prints back whether the camera's settings can grab all of the information, and if not, what additional exposures would be necessary, in case there is too large of an exposure gap between the highlights and midtones or the midtones and shadows

Questions, comments or suggestions for features are always welcomed and appreciated