Quick 10 stop ND filter question

wonderer

wonderer

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Hi all, I have just got my first 10 stop nd filter and am going to have a play later down the beach. Looking out the window it is a bright beautiful cloudless day. I have just fired off a quick shot outside at f11 and I get a very fast shutter speed so even with the ND filter if I shot at the same (or thereabouts) aperture I will still only get around 10-15 seconds shutter speed. What would be the best thing to do to increse that ss to around 30 seconds or more? Or, is the only thing I can do is dial in a aperture of f16+? ISO would be at 100 at any time obviously.

Thanks
 
wonderer said:
Hi all, I have just got my first 10 stop nd filter and am going to have a play later down the beach. Looking out the window it is a bright beautiful cloudless day. I have just fired off a quick shot outside at f11 and I get a very fast shutter speed so even with the ND filter if I shot at the same (or thereabouts) aperture I will still only get around 10-15 seconds shutter speed. What would be the best thing to do to increse that ss to around 30 seconds or more? Or, is the only thing I can do is dial in a aperture of f16+? ISO would be at 100 at any time obviously.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Few options.

1. Increase your aperture to f16+ (diffraction will be an issue)
2. Reduce your ISO
3. Buy a stronger filter
4. Return when the light is less....or if you cant return...
5. Fire off multiple 10-15 second exposures @f11, ISO 100,and blend them in PS using image averaging.
 
I'd usually shoot between f11 and f16 and try not to shoot when it's bright. I usually shoot on overcast/cloudy days to keep shutter open longer and to get movement in the clouds. I usually aim for around 20-30 secs for seascapes. see my Flickr for a few examples.

let us know how you get on.
 
I'd be operating in full manual. focus without filter and meter, then add filter move the SS ti compensate for the filter and snap away!

don't forget your tripod and a remote release, if you're using a DSLR cover the eyepiece too to stop flare. I just used a cloth over the top of filter/lens and over the eye piece
 
Been doing this the last couple of days on a course, mostly using both a big stopper and little stopper together. Was getting exposures between 5 minutes at f11 and 10 minutes at f8 (ISO 100).
 
T_J_G said:
don't forget your tripod and a remote release
Click to expand...
Unless you like ICM - with just a big stopper I was handholding 15 second exposures :)
 
And I have no idea what ICM is, but can guess at intentional camera movement?

Here's a couple of mine under 1 minute, the top two are at around 20 seconds as it was a bight day in the middle of the day:

20 Seconds Black and White by T_J_G, on Flickr

Untitled by T_J_G, on Flickr

Defence by T_J_G, on Flickr

Bleak by T_J_G, on Flickr

This one is at 44 seconds but was much more overcast and cloudy hence more movement in the sky.

Beach Huts at Minster by T_J_G, on Flickr
 
T_J_G said:
And I have no idea what ICM is, but can guess at intentional camera movement?
Click to expand...

Some nice shots there, and yes, you are correct :)
 
I will always use a low ISO, shoot in manual at around f/16 or f/18 and using a cable shutter release to stop the vibration of the camera on a tripod. It's not an exact science but an exposure is going to be anywhere between 1.5 and 2.5 minutes at these apertures.

'The Cobb' - Lyme Regis
200 ISO, f/18, 2 minutes and 30 seconds approx

 
Oh and make sure you know what the water is doing on my shot 'Bleak' above tide was coming in fast and I was about 6metres out on the concrete jetty thing from the shore and I nearly ended up with very wet feet!
 
I've made the schoolboy error of not selecting bulb mode and farted around trying to get the exposure I wanted. Only once though!
 
One thing that is always gets mentioned for these type of shots is a tripod and remote release. I agree with the tripod and do myself use a remote release, but surely the longer the exposure the less important the remote release is. Yes you will get marginally more vibration from pressing the shutter release directly, but the proportion of time this vibration occurs over the whole shot is much less than with a short exposure.

A far more likely result is camera movement due to wind/not having a solid enough tripod/setting up on a less stable surface.
 
Don't underestimate tripod vibration or even that of VR which should be turned off when on a tripod.

Mirror lock-ups and self timers are a viable alternative but you can't use these in Bulb mode.
 
Blank_Canvas said:
Don't underestimate tripod vibration or even that of VR which should be turned off when on a tripod.

Mirror lock-ups and self timers are a viable alternative but you can't use these in Bulb mode.
Click to expand...
That's what I mean, tripod vibration caused by the things I mentioned are much more important than vibration caused by direct shutter release (unless you are really ham-fisted).
 
Natures elements such as wind is one of the biggest causes of camera blur even if the tripods legs are splayed out and weighted in the wrong conditions.
 
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