Sunny 16 rule?

Oh and here's a neat fact, the rule also applies
to taking photos of the full moon (since the moon
is in bright sunlight!). With a telescope having
an F8 objective lens shooting with ASA 100 film,
shutter speed of 1/200.

Ken-

Others caught the apparent discrepancy in shutter speed. However, there is
another factor to consider. While the moon appears white to the eye, it is not
100 percent reflective. In other words, it is a big gray rock.

For the moon to look the way you expect (more white than gray), an additional
stop would be appropriate. Therefore your 1/200 second would be right on!

Fred

Oh and here's a neat fact, the rule also applies
to taking photos of the full moon (since the moon
is in bright sunlight!). With a telescope having
an F8 objective lens shooting with ASA 100 film,
shutter speed of 1/200.

Ken-

Others caught the apparent discrepancy in shutter speed. However, there is
another factor to consider. While the moon appears white to the eye, it is not
100 percent reflective. In other words, it is a big gray rock.

For the moon to look the way you expect (more white than gray), an additional
stop would be appropriate. Therefore your 1/200 second would be right on!

Fred

"Mark M" wrote in message
news:ZisYc.110794$Lj.34249@fed1read03...

"Ken Scharf" wrote in message
. ..
Does the "sunny 16" exposure rule apply to
digicams?

Only as a rough guide.
You will discover that it is often too dark with either digital or slide
film.
You'll have to experiement with your camera.
As for my 10D, 16 is usually too dark.
F11 is closer--but then it varies a lot due to atmospheric conditions and
other factors.

Yup. That's what I find with slide film as well.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

"Mark M" wrote in message
news:ZisYc.110794$Lj.34249@fed1read03...

"Ken Scharf" wrote in message
. ..
Does the "sunny 16" exposure rule apply to
digicams?

Only as a rough guide.
You will discover that it is often too dark with either digital or slide
film.
You'll have to experiement with your camera.
As for my 10D, 16 is usually too dark.
F11 is closer--but then it varies a lot due to atmospheric conditions and
other factors.

Yup. That's what I find with slide film as well.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

grim wrote:
"Roland Karlsson" wrote

The sunny 16 rule is very dependable in bright sunshine as our
Sun is a very dependable source of light. If it was not, we would
be in great trouble.

Well, the brightness of the sun at the Earth isn't a constant. It's 7%
brighter in January than in July (the Earth is 3.5% closer to the sun in
January). Might not make much of a difference to what shutter speed you use,
but it's just one variable (among many other more important ones) that can
vary the intensity of sunlight in a picture.

You do realise that 7% is just under one tenth of a stop?
If you compare two good lightmeters you will probably find
twice that much difference between them. A high quality
mechanical shutter fresh from a CLA will typically have
errors near a sixth of a stop. Slide film can vary up to
one third stop from its rating on a batch to batch basis.

A seven percent variation in light is really pretty tiny.

Peter.
--

grim wrote:
"Roland Karlsson" wrote

The sunny 16 rule is very dependable in bright sunshine as our
Sun is a very dependable source of light. If it was not, we would
be in great trouble.

Well, the brightness of the sun at the Earth isn't a constant. It's 7%
brighter in January than in July (the Earth is 3.5% closer to the sun in
January). Might not make much of a difference to what shutter speed you use,
but it's just one variable (among many other more important ones) that can
vary the intensity of sunlight in a picture.

You do realise that 7% is just under one tenth of a stop?
If you compare two good lightmeters you will probably find
twice that much difference between them. A high quality
mechanical shutter fresh from a CLA will typically have
errors near a sixth of a stop. Slide film can vary up to
one third stop from its rating on a batch to batch basis.

A seven percent variation in light is really pretty tiny.

Peter.
--

"Peter Irwin" wrote
grim wrote:
"Roland Karlsson" wrote

The sunny 16 rule is very dependable in bright sunshine as our
Sun is a very dependable source of light. If it was not, we would
be in great trouble.

Well, the brightness of the sun at the Earth isn't a constant. It's 7%
brighter in January than in July (the Earth is 3.5% closer to the sun in
January). Might not make much of a difference to what shutter speed you
use,
but it's just one variable (among many other more important ones) that
can
vary the intensity of sunlight in a picture.

You do realise that 7% is just under one tenth of a stop?
....
A seven percent variation in light is really pretty tiny.

Yeah, which is why I said it's just one variable among other more important
ones to consider when using the "sunny 16" rule. Atmospheric haze, altitude,
dryness of the air, angle of the sun above the horizon, reflections, etc.,
etc., etc.

7% here, 10% there, 20% elsewhere... it all makes for a "rule" that is a
pretty poor "rule". The sun isn't nearly as dependable as Roland implies.
I'd throw out the rule and use the camera's light meter.

"Peter Irwin" wrote
grim wrote:
"Roland Karlsson" wrote

The sunny 16 rule is very dependable in bright sunshine as our
Sun is a very dependable source of light. If it was not, we would
be in great trouble.

Well, the brightness of the sun at the Earth isn't a constant. It's 7%
brighter in January than in July (the Earth is 3.5% closer to the sun in
January). Might not make much of a difference to what shutter speed you
use,
but it's just one variable (among many other more important ones) that
can
vary the intensity of sunlight in a picture.

You do realise that 7% is just under one tenth of a stop?
....
A seven percent variation in light is really pretty tiny.

Yeah, which is why I said it's just one variable among other more important
ones to consider when using the "sunny 16" rule. Atmospheric haze, altitude,
dryness of the air, angle of the sun above the horizon, reflections, etc.,
etc., etc.

7% here, 10% there, 20% elsewhere... it all makes for a "rule" that is a
pretty poor "rule". The sun isn't nearly as dependable as Roland implies.
I'd throw out the rule and use the camera's light meter.

In message ,
Ken Scharf wrote:

Does the "sunny 16" exposure rule apply to
digicams? That's where on a bright sunny day
if you shot at f16 the exposure will be correct
if the shutter speed is equal to the ASA rating
of the film. So if you shot with ASA200 film,
you'd set the camera for 1/200 sec (closest match
would be 1/250 on most cameras).

Doesn't work with my 10D. Even on the brightest, sunniest days, with
the bluest skies and low humidity, I need sunny f10 to get a good
exposure. The only time sunny f16 has worked for me is in midtown
Manhattan, where you get both direct sun and sun bouncing off of
buildings. Out in an open field, sunny f16 gives results like this on a
histogram, of foliage and blue sky:


| ***** |
| * * |
| * ** |
|* ** |

Since many digicams don't stop down more than
F8, you'd double the shutter speed. IE:
set the camera at ASA200 and use 1/400 sec
(probably 1/500 is nearest setting).

Oh and here's a neat fact, the rule also applies
to taking photos of the full moon (since the moon
is in bright sunlight!). With a telescope having
an F8 objective lens shooting with ASA 100 film,
shutter speed of 1/200.

With my 10D, "Sunny f8" is needed for a full moon, even in a relatively
clear sky.

That's with film though, I assume digicams follow
the same rules.

I would think so too. The metering on my 10D exposes a grey card under
the sunny f16 sun at about 128 (out of 255). If I use sunny f16 out in
the open, it registers around 90. In midtown-Manhattan, it registers
around 120.
--


John P Sheehy

In message ,
Ken Scharf wrote:

Does the "sunny 16" exposure rule apply to
digicams? That's where on a bright sunny day
if you shot at f16 the exposure will be correct
if the shutter speed is equal to the ASA rating
of the film. So if you shot with ASA200 film,
you'd set the camera for 1/200 sec (closest match
would be 1/250 on most cameras).

Doesn't work with my 10D. Even on the brightest, sunniest days, with
the bluest skies and low humidity, I need sunny f10 to get a good
exposure. The only time sunny f16 has worked for me is in midtown
Manhattan, where you get both direct sun and sun bouncing off of
buildings. Out in an open field, sunny f16 gives results like this on a
histogram, of foliage and blue sky:


| ***** |
| * * |
| * ** |
|* ** |

Since many digicams don't stop down more than
F8, you'd double the shutter speed. IE:
set the camera at ASA200 and use 1/400 sec
(probably 1/500 is nearest setting).

Oh and here's a neat fact, the rule also applies
to taking photos of the full moon (since the moon
is in bright sunlight!). With a telescope having
an F8 objective lens shooting with ASA 100 film,
shutter speed of 1/200.

With my 10D, "Sunny f8" is needed for a full moon, even in a relatively
clear sky.

That's with film though, I assume digicams follow
the same rules.

I would think so too. The metering on my 10D exposes a grey card under
the sunny f16 sun at about 128 (out of 255). If I use sunny f16 out in
the open, it registers around 90. In midtown-Manhattan, it registers
around 120.
--


John P Sheehy