Long Exposure

Patrick:

Good for you going for film.  Since AF is not needed I would suggest getting an FE.  There are lits of them available and a basic camera with all manual controls. but with a light meter.  Here is a ton of them for a little over a hundred dollars.

http://www.keh.com/s...eprice=0&r=SE

If you want something a bit more automatic a N65 or a N80 would be nice.  Those are super cheap.

I looked at the galleries at the web link provided in the O.P.  I want my three minutes back.

If I paid for an MFA, like he did and the attendant photos were all I could produce I would feel ripped off.

Nice Springfield 1911, BTW.

Yesterday morning's sunrise worked out OK.  The photo doesn't do the sunrise justice.  You had to be there.  600-second exposure about 35 minutes before sunrise along the coast of Florida, USA, at Point of Rocks.  Enjoy.

Trying to fine one clean and cheap.  It probably doesn't matter to me size wise as I shoot a D3s, a D600 and a D7000.  Any thoughts on the differences besides the size?

A 206 second exposure in the predawn light of a rock formation just of the beach, at Singer Island, Florida.

A bit about the exposure.  When I take these exposures the timing is always a bit tricky as the light is constantly changing with the coming dawn.  My point is taking a light meter reading then mentally calculating for the exposure time, to compensate for the ND filters will result in an exposure about 20 percent too long.  This exposure used stacked 10-stop and 6-stop filters with ISO 100.

Upham got this one right.  That is what I use also.  Quick, simple and onboard.

 

 

Love it.  Can you explain in a bit more detail how you made it?

 

 Sure do you have a specific question.  Camera on a tripod. A cord actuated shutter release.  The exposure was 0.6 seconds.  Sun was over my shoulder.  A ten stop filter held back the light to get the lengthy exposure.

Yes, I am afraid you got caught up in the "snooze you lose" position.  Others on this thread are correct that the last lab to color process K stopped after doing Mr. Curry's roll.  And FWIW, and slightly off topic, I was not impressed with many of the compositions he presented from that last roll.

You can buy Tri-X and have it processed for less than $16/roll.  If it were me I would stick it on Ebay.com and take what you can get.  Someone will want it as a momento to the past if nothing else.

No a polarizer will not get the same effect but using a polarizer in conjunction with an ND filter is a great idea as the polarizer will knock down the glare.

And to follow up on Merco's thoughts, I carry round 4-stop, 6-stop and a 10-stop filters with rings.  That way I have flexibility to really knock down the light.

One point untouched upon is focusing.  Once you get to 10-stop and beyond you will need to focus, then lock focus, then install the filter(s) as focusing will be near impossible with the filter(s) in place.

Merco, I agree.  Both of the ballheads you call out are great.

And this is what I use.  The "leg" slided into my ballhead and the foot attaches to the lens foot.  I like it because it is : a) more inexpensive than a full gimbal, it weighs less than a full gimbal (when throwing it in a pack, for example) and c) it is smaller and therefore easier to stow.

http://www.bhphotovi...ck_Ball_to.html

Alternately, I use the RRS 55 ballhead.  It has a ton of friction yet you can swing around the camera/lens combo.  I have "held up" meadium format gear with this beast.

It is big and expensive, you might want to sit down.

http://www.reallyrig...ory.567/it.C/.f

Edit:  Oh, and FWIW, I have had a D3 w/ a 2.8, 300m w/ a 1.4TC on the ballhead.  No issues.  None.

Try shooting into the sun +/- 30-degrees and note the additional flare you get.

Thoughts?

I've thought of af fine tuning the sigma 120-400 as well. I wonder if it would make a difference without the filter. Only issue is that it's technically my dad's lens and he might have a fit if I took the filter off. Personally I don't see any need to leave it on while shooting. I just leave mine on when they are in storage.

If you are talking about a UV filter, they are a hoax.  Just take it off and throw it away.  it is just another piece of glass that is in the light path between you and a fantastic image. 

Begin this mantra now: " I will throw way all the UV filters the saleman convinced me to buy.  I will throw way all the UV filters the saleman convinced me to buy. I will throw way all the UV filters the saleman convinced me to buy. I will throw...."