Exposure with 10 stop filter

[Archies]

Hi,

I am a bit confused here.

I have an app on my iphone called Long Exposure which i use, but to use it correctly with my 10 stop, i compose and expose the image without the filter then attach the filter and switch to manual mode. I then have to switch to bulb mode as my shutter speeds are a minute plus.
But i cannot see the exposure meter on my viewfinder when in bulb mode so i cannot tell it is correctly exposed with the filter attached. I am using a Nikon D5100

Archie

 

[ecoleman]

If you've exposed without the filter, added 10 stops and attached the filter, why do you need to see an exposure meter?

It wouldn't work anyway because the camera can't see through the filter. That's why you expose without the filer in the first place.

 

[DG Phototraining]

And just because its called a 10-stopper doesn't always mean you need to add exactly 10 stops. You need to do a few simple test shots to ascertain just how many stops your 10-stopper really needs - I've heard them be anything from 7-12 !!!

Dave

 

[ecoleman]

And just because its called a 10-stopper doesn't always mean you need to add exactly 10 stops. You need to do a few simple test shots to ascertain just how many stops your 10-stopper really needs - I've heard them be anything from 7-12 !!!

Dave

I've heard there could be slight differences, but when spending £100 for a filter, I would certainly hope it's nowhere near 7

 

[DG Phototraining]

I've heard there could be slight differences, but when spending £100 for a filter, I would certainly hope it's nowhere near 7

There are some cheaper ones with nothing like the consistency of the better makes, but so long as you test whatever you've got and know how it works it rarely matters

Dave

 

[A_S]

i would advise testing to know exactly what multiple/exactly how many stops you need. My Lee big stopper is closer to 11 stops.

 

[Keebsuk]

Archies, you are spot on with your approach and you don't need to see anything. Just expose for the time the app suggests and see if you like the effect. It may be a case of experimenting to see what effect you like and the only other thing I would suggest is to set the ISO manually and make sure you close the viewfinder curtain to prevent light leakage.

Andy

 

[Archies]

Thank you all for your replies, as Keebsuk and others have suggested i think its a case of experimenting.

Cheers

Archie

 

[markmullen]

If it helps I wrote up my workflow for using long exposure filters, http://www.markmullenphotography.co.uk/blog/2012/8/long-exposure-photography---my-tips

 

[Archies]

Thats a great write-up Mark and a big help, thanks very much for sharing.

Archie