10 stop filter tips.

[matt b]

Hi all.
Just git myself a 10 stop filter to give daylight long exposure shots ago. I have the idea for the photo and location but i was wondering if there are any camera settings to add.
Thanks
Matt

 

[badboy1984]

i kinda in the same boat to improve myself on how to use the 10 stop properly. I tend to compose/frame the shot on the tripod first. Set iso to the lowest, focus and set your aperture and shutter speed to get the shot first without the 10 stop filter. Then screw the 10 stop ND at the front and set your shutter speed again by calculating the 10 stop shutter speed then take your shot. Readjust if need after taking the first shot.

Here are the samples:

Sample 1:

Daisy Nook - Ashton 01 by badboy250984, on Flickr

Sample 2:

Daisy Nook - Ashton 02 by badboy250984, on Flickr

Sample 3:

Daisy Nook - Ashton 04 by badboy250984, on Flickr

Sample 4:

Daisy Nook - Ashton 03 by badboy250984, on Flickr

 

[matt b]

Thanks for that. So am i right in thinking that i would times my shutter speed by 1000 when i fit the filter?

 

[cotty332000]

Thanks for that. So am i right in thinking that i would times my shutter speed by 1000 when i fit the filter?

Yes,if you have a smart phone you can download an app that does it for you!

 

[matt b]

Yes,if you have a smart phone you can download an app that does it for you!

Thanks for that, just downloaded one.

 

[HoppyUK]

Hi all.
Just git myself a 10 stop filter to give daylight long exposure shots ago. I have the idea for the photo and location but i was wondering if there are any camera settings to add.
Thanks
Matt

Test your particular filter and see exactly what the ND factor is. Most are not exactly as marked, can easily be half or even one whole stop out, and they can also vary batch to batch.

Test in daylight, making sure the brightness is not changing, eg clouds. Shoot a normal scene and get that right without the filter, then fit the filter and shoot at different shutter speeds, say +/-0.3, +/-0.6 and +/- 1.0 stops either side.

See which one matches the unfiltered shot best, and use that as your starting point, but be prepared to modify.

 

[badboy1984]

Is all about timing right? Bad to use the ND during the wind? My sample shot number 2 have slight tree blur due to wind was suddenly blowing half way i was exposing .......

 

[matt b]

Is all about timing right? Bad to use the ND during the wind? My sample shot number 4 have slight tree blur due to wind was suddenly blowing half way i was exposing .......

I had thought about that. The pic i have in mind is of a old jetie when the tide is up so no trees to worry about.

 

[HoppyUK]

Is all about timing right? Bad to use the ND during the wind? My sample shot number 4 have slight tree blur due to wind was suddenly blowing half way i was exposing .......

A few blurry trees all add to the effect. Looks a bit stormy. Nothing you can do about it anyway - anything that moves becomes blurred. In street scnes people and cars will disappear.

 

[stormcrow]

if you dont have a smart phone these charts will make it easy to work out your exposure times. I printed mine and laminated them and keep with my filters.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5836/10947250.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9885/99404882.jpg

 

[matt b]

Thanks for that. I've printed it out as a back up to the app on my phone.

 

[Badger]

Yes,if you have a smart phone you can download an app that does it for you!

I have been trying to find an android app for this. Can anyone recommend one?

 

[t43er]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reidwolcott.expocalc

This is the one I used. Pretty basic but serves it's purpose.

Also reason I go with lee filter system then those screw on type is because of the ease of removing when required.

Oh and use your live view. Although it can be dark, but you can still re-compose through the live view.

 

[markmullen]

I wrote my workflow for using 10 stop filters in another post, it might be useful;

1) Compose, get the shot looking right in the viewfinder, including what I want in the shot and, more often more importantly, excluding what I don't want in shot
2) Focus, then switch to manual focus
3) Meter, with both the camera's internal meter and an external spot meter
4) Expose for a standard shot
5) Apply grad filters as necessary to get the exposure right
6) Take a test shot at a short shutter speed
7) Examine the histogram on the short shot for blown highlights or blocked shadows
8) Adapt exposure according to step 7
9) Work out 10 stop shutter speed
10) Close viewfinder to stop light leaking in
11) Check AF on manual and IS turned off
12) Slide 10 stop filter into position checking it covers the entire lens
13) Set the exposure up, either on bulb or with manual setting
14) Check mirror lockup is switched on
15) Lock mirror up, give it a second for any vibrations to die out
16) Set shutter with cable release, either one shot if it is on manual (eg less than 30 second exposure) or lock it off if on bulb.
17) Check top plate exposure timer and also chronograph for exposure time
18) Walk about, try and keep warm for up to 32 minutes!
19) Unlock shutter release when exposure time reached.
20) Review shot and reshoot as necessary (if I am doing a long exposure at dawn or dusk the exposure time is a bit hit and miss as the EV of the scene changes during the exposure).

 

[Badger]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reidwolcott.expocalc

This is the one I used. Pretty basic but serves it's purpose.

Also reason I go with lee filter system then those screw on type is because of the ease of removing when required.

Oh and use your live view. Although it can be dark, but you can still re-compose through the live view.

Thanks. I will download it later.