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I've ordered some Hitech ND grads as I was suffering with blown skies and wondered what the best way to expose would be, will the camera metering allow for the filter or will I need to set it up manually?
Metering with ND Grads
- Thread starter markmullen
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Manually - take a normal meter-reading then apply the filter's exposure factor which should be included either on the edge of a metal screw-in filter, or on the corner of a square resin one. Other types of filters supply this information in the packaging somewhere.
Of course with Digital, you can just use your normal metering method and shoot til you get the required effect, then delete the ones that didn't work.
OP
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Brilliant, thanks for the quick response.
I've got a few days in Turin next week, hopefully will get chance to learn how to use them.
I've got a few days in Turin next week, hopefully will get chance to learn how to use them.
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The best method (assuming you have the correct grad for the job in hand) is to meter off the lower part of the scene, dial those settings in on manual, and let the grad will take care of the sky.
Although I have found that the camera generally does a pretty good job of metering the whole scene right with the grad in place - again dependant on the right grad being chosen. Suggest bracketing exposure for this method.
Although I have found that the camera generally does a pretty good job of metering the whole scene right with the grad in place - again dependant on the right grad being chosen. Suggest bracketing exposure for this method.
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TheBigYin
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I tend to do a variation of Richards version (mainly because I'm working with film most of the time)
I'll manually meter for the ground, then for the sky, and find the difference between the two in stops - if it's (say) 3 stops brighter on the sky, I'll use a 2 stop ND (we're used to viewing the sky as marginally brighter than the ground). Fit the ND in place, finally compose/focus, and re-meter (allowing the ND to take care of the sky). Hit the shutter remote and hope I've got it right all the intervening time until the Velvia comes back from Peak Imaging.
I'll manually meter for the ground, then for the sky, and find the difference between the two in stops - if it's (say) 3 stops brighter on the sky, I'll use a 2 stop ND (we're used to viewing the sky as marginally brighter than the ground). Fit the ND in place, finally compose/focus, and re-meter (allowing the ND to take care of the sky). Hit the shutter remote and hope I've got it right all the intervening time until the Velvia comes back from Peak Imaging.