Reducing exposure / Photographing the sky / sun

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/20/2008 02:45:29 PM · #1

I was wondering what I can do to decrease my exposure when trying to take pictures of the sun and clouds during midday. Even at 1/8000 and F22 it isn't "dark" enough. I imagine I can combine two polarizing filters but that seems a bit on the extreme side cost-wise. Is there a filter specifically for reducing exposure?

Thanks much! :)

kawesttex

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

04/20/2008 02:48:40 PM · #2

What ISO are you set at? I just went outside and shot at 1/8000, F22, ISO 100 and the frame was completely black.

Hotspam

Nikon D40

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED VR

04/20/2008 02:49:14 PM · #3

lower ISO to 100 and will aperture reduce to like f35?

Not a real answer but I was just thinking you could still close it all up more.

kawesttex

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/20/2008 02:51:42 PM · #4

Just went back outside and shot aperture priority at F22/ISO 100 and the shutter was 1/125. Definitely look at your ISO setting.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/20/2008 02:52:15 PM · #5

I agree that you should be at your lowest ISO.
You can also put on a polarizing filter and/or neutral density filters.

Tez

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

04/20/2008 02:53:42 PM · #6

1/8000 and f22 isn't dark enough?! What the hell are you taking pictures of?

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

04/20/2008 02:59:23 PM · #7

I agree with the "check the iso" crowd. It sounds like you have it set to 800 or 1600. Set it to 100, and you should be getting readings in the 1/125 or 1/150 sec at f 11 or 16.
If you are shooting directly at the sun and clouds at midday, then you may get readings much higher for shutter speed, as you indicated in the OP. If that is the case, then you will need lowest iso available, and probably a neutral density filter. A polarizer will not do much polarizing straight into the sun, but would work nicely most anywhere else around the sky. I use one for sunsets often.

Message edited by author 2008-04-20 15:04:11.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/20/2008 03:14:16 PM · #8

Ok I will double check that in a minute if the sun is out, it was raining earlier. Just to clarify, I am trying to take a shot of the sun at noon. I think I was ISO 200, which is the minimal real ISO on the D300. Anyway I will give it another shot, wish me luck! :)

Update: Well I did what everyone requested, and got a very black image lol. Thanks all :) Seems I had auto-ISO on when I tried it and it jumped up to 1600 to brighten the rest of the scene overblowing the sun.

Live and learn, thanks for not calling me an idiot xD!

Message edited by author 2008-04-20 15:23:13.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

04/20/2008 03:16:48 PM · #9

Another consideration...the sky and clouds are mostly white. You need to remember that your camera is trying to meter everything to a mid-tone gray (about the tone of lawn grass...). So, just like shooting a snowy scene or a sandy beach, you want to over-expose. The way I think of it is: More white, more light. Exposure compensation can help with that. Or, if you shoot in manual, wider aperture and/or longer time and/or higher ISO.

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/20/2008 03:39:22 PM · #10

Originally posted by togtog:

... Just to clarify, I am trying to take a shot of the sun at noon...

About the idiot thing... :-)

Do not attempt to take a picture of the the sun, focusing on it full-frame, if that's what you have in mind. It can damage your sensor and your eyes!

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/20/2008 03:50:02 PM · #11

Hehe, aye. That is why I only ever use my left eye for that, then I can rely on my right eye for everything else *rim shot*. However yes I know the risks and would never press my eye right up to the viewfinder with the sun in the shot. Thank you for your concern :) Since it is an SLR the sensor and shutter should be safe, I think, since the light is coming through the view finder. I should try placing a white piece of tissue paper over the view finder and see if I can get a silk-screen image of the sun without having to look at all.

I am mainly trying to capture the "sun dogs" the rainbows on the edges of clouds when the sun is near or behind them. So beautiful but also so bright, that my old Canon Powershot G2 failed horribly as it, F2-8, bleh. Max shutter 1/1000, bleh. Hehehehe... actually trying to take any picture with the sun in it just resulted in a blue line from top to bottom.

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

04/20/2008 06:55:28 PM · #12

Originally posted by togtog:

... Is there a filter specifically for reducing exposure?

To answer your question, the filter specifically designed to reduce the amount of light entering a lens is the neutral density filter as mentioned by KaDi. They come in various "darkening" densities.

Even though polarizers do have mild neutral density effects they are really designed for a different purpose. Combining two or more polarizers for their neutral density effects isn't the best solution for reducing light and is a lot more expensive than a neutral density filter.

There is talk in this discussion about polarizer filters because photographers sometimes use them as mild neutral density filters. But for your application they are totally inadequate.

04/20/2008 07:31:49 PM · #13

Oh sweet, thank you! I thought those were for special effects, not darkening. I also thought their strongest was like a polarizing filter, but I see they can reduce up to 20 stops each at 6.0. Very nice. Would you happen to know how many stops I would need to reduce to be able to see the outline of the sun? Not that I am trying for something that extreme but it is of interest. Like the sun looks through thick smoke, without the color cast.

Sadly I am new to stops, and being able to figure this stuff out in my head, lol. :)

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

04/20/2008 07:39:13 PM · #14

Just a warning, wikipedia notes that ND filters may not block IR and UV light and may cause blindless if used on the sun. So would I then need IR and UV blocking filters as well?

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

04/20/2008 08:16:23 PM · #15

There are solar filters made just for shooting the disk of the sun. These filters typically transmit only about 1/1000 of 1% of visible and infrared light (optical density of 6), which is equivalent to a 20-stop ND filter. The filter you use should be designed for solar use (blocks into the IR). Most filters that use thin metal coatings work this way.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

04/20/2008 08:25:14 PM · #16

Thanks kirbic, this seems like such a complicated and obscure topic. I guess what I am seeking is a way to briefly photograph the sun, without burning my eye, but without causing a color cast. I'm not sure how many stops are required to photograph clouds around the sun and see their details. I know my eye can briefly (I know better than to stare, although I spent hours as a kid doing so *shrugs*) look at such and see them, often filled with rainbows. I would love to be able to capture some of those, but I don't think going blind in the process should be part of the deal. :) I am sure there is a safe way to do what I want, there is a safe way to do anything, it just takes someone figuring out how. :)

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

04/20/2008 09:57:38 PM · #17

You may try a good ND filter on the camera, and use a welding hood, or #12 welding lens for composing the shots. They also make the metal coated lenses for welding, and call them "medicated" lenses. They are used for jobs where you will weld at high current for long periods of time, and protect eyes much better than the ordinary shade only lenses.
I can imagine that a wide angle lens pointed at the sun would cause an extreme hot spot on the shutter and sensor, as the sun's image would be very tiny compared to the size of the objective lens.

Message edited by author 2008-04-20 22:00:12.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

04/20/2008 10:02:01 PM · #18

For capturing detail in the clouds and related phenomena like halos, no filter is really necessary. Setting a manual exposure is a good idea, as is setting a manual (daylight) white balance. Set ISO for lowest possible, and shoot at a small aperture, perhaps f/11 or f/16. Adjust shutter speed to get the exposure you want.
With wide angle lenses, having the sun in the frame will not harm the equipment, and unless you stare directly at it, will not harm your eyes either. It's no different than being outside without sunglasses.