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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying to
spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) and do a composite in Photoshop. -- de N2MPU Jack Modeling the NYC/NYNH&H in HO and CP Rail/D&H in N Proud NRA Life Member |
#2
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Jack wrote:
: Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying : to spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting : pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail : I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera : lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) : available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure : meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the : filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held : exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as : well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) : and do a composite in Photoshop. There are several choices. First if you meter the image before puting the filter on, and you position the edge of the split along the horizon, you can set the camera for the metering you took of the main subject (spot metering comes in very handy in this case). If your camera has the ability to choose between several locations to meter on, you could set the meter to read one of the points below the center point as the split would tend to be across the center. Or if you can only center spot meter and you do not wish to be puting the filter on and off, you might try practicing. With some experience you may be able to predict what effect will be resulting from half the metering spot being "shaded" by the split ND filter. One suggestion, you may want to look at the square format filters and holders (such as the Cokin ones) instead of the round format ones. A round format split filter will lock you into the split always being in the exact same place on the image. But sometimes you may want to have only a sliver of sky (like 1/3 of the total height) instead of the horizon having to be across the center of the frame. A round filter is locked to a specific proportion of the frame. Square ones can be slid in their holder, allowig you to adjust the proportions of "shaded" to "unshaded". In addition you can easily slip the filter just far enough away from the center to allow the center spot meter to do its job without interferrence. And once you have metered the subject you can then slide the filter into its proper place if needed. Randy ========== Randy Berbaum Champaign, IL |
#3
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
On 4/22/07 2:04 AM, in article , "Randy
Berbaum" wrote: Jack wrote: : Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying : to spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting : pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail : I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera : lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) : available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure : meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the : filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held : exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as : well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) : and do a composite in Photoshop. There are several choices. First if you meter the image before puting the filter on, and you position the edge of the split along the horizon, you can set the camera for the metering you took of the main subject (spot metering comes in very handy in this case). If your camera has the ability to choose between several locations to meter on, you could set the meter to read one of the points below the center point as the split would tend to be across the center. Or if you can only center spot meter and you do not wish to be puting the filter on and off, you might try practicing. With some experience you may be able to predict what effect will be resulting from half the metering spot being "shaded" by the split ND filter. One suggestion, you may want to look at the square format filters and holders (such as the Cokin ones) instead of the round format ones. A round format split filter will lock you into the split always being in the exact same place on the image. But sometimes you may want to have only a sliver of sky (like 1/3 of the total height) instead of the horizon having to be across the center of the frame. A round filter is locked to a specific proportion of the frame. Square ones can be slid in their holder, allowig you to adjust the proportions of "shaded" to "unshaded". In addition you can easily slip the filter just far enough away from the center to allow the center spot meter to do its job without interferrence. And once you have metered the subject you can then slide the filter into its proper place if needed. Randy ========== Randy Berbaum Champaign, IL Randy: Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't yet placed my order with B&H, so I'm not locked into a round versus square filter shape. I must admit I hadn't thought of using A square filter. You answered a question that I never considered: what to do about when the sky isn't 50% of the scene I want to photograph. This is the one area where I miss the latitude of film negatives. My camera's metering only allows 3 metering: center weighted, center weighted with averaging, and averaging. There's no apparent way to set a particular metering point; there may well be, but I haven't found it yet. If only camera operating systems software were as easy to muck about with and customize as OSX (aka Unix) on a Mac is, then I'd write a routine to do what I need. -- de N2MPU Jack Modeling the NYC/NYNH&H in HO and CP Rail/D&H in N Proud NRA Life Member |
#4
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Great reply - hadn't thought of the fixed circular filter issue.
Must have been why a pro photographer gave me a square Cokin filter about 20 years ago. What is a good all round Cokin ND filter, seeing as there are so many ND filters in their range. regards B "Randy Berbaum" wrote in message ... Jack wrote: : Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying : to spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting : pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail : I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera : lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) : available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure : meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the : filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held : exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as : well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) : and do a composite in Photoshop. There are several choices. First if you meter the image before puting the filter on, and you position the edge of the split along the horizon, you can set the camera for the metering you took of the main subject (spot metering comes in very handy in this case). If your camera has the ability to choose between several locations to meter on, you could set the meter to read one of the points below the center point as the split would tend to be across the center. Or if you can only center spot meter and you do not wish to be puting the filter on and off, you might try practicing. With some experience you may be able to predict what effect will be resulting from half the metering spot being "shaded" by the split ND filter. One suggestion, you may want to look at the square format filters and holders (such as the Cokin ones) instead of the round format ones. A round format split filter will lock you into the split always being in the exact same place on the image. But sometimes you may want to have only a sliver of sky (like 1/3 of the total height) instead of the horizon having to be across the center of the frame. A round filter is locked to a specific proportion of the frame. Square ones can be slid in their holder, allowig you to adjust the proportions of "shaded" to "unshaded". In addition you can easily slip the filter just far enough away from the center to allow the center spot meter to do its job without interferrence. And once you have metered the subject you can then slide the filter into its proper place if needed. Randy ========== Randy Berbaum Champaign, IL |
#5
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Jack wrote:
: Randy: : Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't yet placed my order with B&H, so I'm : not locked into a round versus square filter shape. I must admit I hadn't : thought of using A square filter. You answered a question that I never : considered: what to do about when the sky isn't 50% of the scene I want to : photograph. This is the one area where I miss the latitude of film : negatives. : My camera's metering only allows 3 metering: center weighted, center : weighted with averaging, and averaging. There's no apparent way to set a : particular metering point; there may well be, but I haven't found it yet. If : only camera operating systems software were as easy to muck about with and : customize as OSX (aka Unix) on a Mac is, then I'd write a routine to do what : I need. In the case of your camera's metering limits I have a slightly different suggestion. First use a tripod and a square, split ND filter. If you visualize your image as being composed of 9 squares (3 rows of 3 squares). The majority of the metering (center weighted setting) will be this center square. So since this setting will somewhat average the light intensity of the whole image (with more importance being given to the center) metering with the bright sky included will tend to be influenced by the bright sky. So I would go ahead and put the split ND filter in place to darken the sky and then let the meter do its thing including the filtered sky. It would be a good idea to practice a bit as the result will be a slightly more bright overall image and you may find that some slight compensation will make the finished product more to your likeing. BTW, for any filter that is not the same over the entire surface of the filter, I find the flexability inherent in the square mount filters makes a big difference. The filter can be slid a bit in the holder so the effects can be shifted to the best compositional location. Of course this is JMHO and everyone should make their own decisions. Randy ========== Randy Berbaum Champaign, IL |
#6
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Jack wrote:
Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying to spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) and do a composite in Photoshop. Taking two exposures is probably easier and less cumbersome, plus you get to second-guess the placement of the transition, which doesn't have to be a straight line. If you know how to meter for both of those exposures, then you already know how to meter for an ND grad filter. The whole point of an ND grad is to darken the sky so it'll 'fit' in the dynamic range of the landscape's exposure. -- http://www.xoverboard.com/cartoons/2..._argument.html |
#7
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Jack wrote
What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure meter. Use the camera's histogram feature to review your shot. Adjust and reshoot if it shows overexposure. Chris |
#8
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
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#9
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How to set exposure for split-neutral density filter?
Jack
I had the 10D and the cokin pro series of filters etc. I found that using the averaging metering with the filters in place does the trick. This goes for when using two or three filters say when wishing to slow the shutter speed down to blur a water fall or when shooting landscape and wishing to bring up a sky using a graduated or split filter. Also, I cant remember whether the 10D had exposure bracketing but if so using that is also a big plus. I currently use a 20D and a 1 Dmk11n both with Cokin filters and have never found exposure issues to be a problem with the evaluative metering. regards Don "Jack" wrote in message ... On 4/22/07 2:04 AM, in article , "Randy Berbaum" wrote: Jack wrote: : Got a question I'm having trouble coming up with an answer for. Trying : to spend less time in Photoshop to fix picture exposure when shooting : pics that have a goodly amount of sky along with ground level detail : I've seen mentioned to use a split-neutral density filter on the camera : lens. I know there are different exposure levels (1 stop, 2 stop, etc.) : available. What I don't know is how to set the in-camera exposure : meter. I use a Canon EOS 10D and various lenses. Do I have to take the : filter off each time to meter the scene, do I have to carry a hand-held : exposure meter? Or what? If I have to do either of those, I might as : well just take two exposures (one for the sky, the second for all else) : and do a composite in Photoshop. There are several choices. First if you meter the image before puting the filter on, and you position the edge of the split along the horizon, you can set the camera for the metering you took of the main subject (spot metering comes in very handy in this case). If your camera has the ability to choose between several locations to meter on, you could set the meter to read one of the points below the center point as the split would tend to be across the center. Or if you can only center spot meter and you do not wish to be puting the filter on and off, you might try practicing. With some experience you may be able to predict what effect will be resulting from half the metering spot being "shaded" by the split ND filter. One suggestion, you may want to look at the square format filters and holders (such as the Cokin ones) instead of the round format ones. A round format split filter will lock you into the split always being in the exact same place on the image. But sometimes you may want to have only a sliver of sky (like 1/3 of the total height) instead of the horizon having to be across the center of the frame. A round filter is locked to a specific proportion of the frame. Square ones can be slid in their holder, allowig you to adjust the proportions of "shaded" to "unshaded". In addition you can easily slip the filter just far enough away from the center to allow the center spot meter to do its job without interferrence. And once you have metered the subject you can then slide the filter into its proper place if needed. Randy ========== Randy Berbaum Champaign, IL Randy: Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't yet placed my order with B&H, so I'm not locked into a round versus square filter shape. I must admit I hadn't thought of using A square filter. You answered a question that I never considered: what to do about when the sky isn't 50% of the scene I want to photograph. This is the one area where I miss the latitude of film negatives. My camera's metering only allows 3 metering: center weighted, center weighted with averaging, and averaging. There's no apparent way to set a particular metering point; there may well be, but I haven't found it yet. If only camera operating systems software were as easy to muck about with and customize as OSX (aka Unix) on a Mac is, then I'd write a routine to do what I need. -- de N2MPU Jack Modeling the NYC/NYNH&H in HO and CP Rail/D&H in N Proud NRA Life Member |
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