Having trouble in Shutter priority mode....

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

02/01/2005 02:43:25 AM · #1

Whenever I slow the shutter down in the daytime outdoors, I always get an overexposed super bright shot. At night, never a problem, but someone please explain what im doing wrong?

nsbca7

02/01/2005 02:53:16 AM · #2

Originally posted by RulerZigzag:

Whenever I slow the shutter down in the daytime outdoors, I always get an overexposed super bright shot. At night, never a problem, but someone please explain what im doing wrong?

What is the smallest aperture setting on your camera? You are probably shooting to slow to for the aperture to compensate.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/01/2005 03:44:44 AM · #3

What nsbca is likely correct.

To some extent you can compensate in 2 ways; You can use your ev adjustment to dial in underexposure (on my camera, 2 stops) and/or you can adjust your "film speed" (ISO) to a "slower film"; on my camera, I can range from ISO 1200 to 100, and some cameras will go as slow as ISO 50. Check your speed settings to see what you're shooting at.

If neither of these does the job, you need a ND (neutral density) filter mounted on the lens to reduce the amount of light coming in.

Robt.

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 03:45:15.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

02/01/2005 06:01:26 AM · #4

Hi Tony,

How slow you can go without overexposing all depends on how much light is hitting the sensor. There are a couple things you can do to help yourself.

First, set your camera to its slowest ISO setting (100, in your case). ISO is a measure of the sensitivity to light of a film or sensor. The higher the number, the more sensitive the sensor is, and the faster your shutter speeds.

Second, try "backing in" to a slow shutter speed by shooting in aperture priority mode at your smallest aperture (the largest f/number). In your case, you will want to set your camera to f/8. The larger that f/number, the smaller the hole letting light through. If the shutter speed you really was is "as slow as I can go in this light," I generally recommend using this combination of settings.

If you shoot in aperture priority at f/8, ISO 100, you should get the slowest shutter speed possible for the lighting conditions available. If after doing this, the shutter speeds are still too fast, you will need to reduce the amount of light coming into the camera. This means either shooting in more indirect lighting conditions (clouds) or using a neutral-density filter. A neutral-density filter acts like sunglasses for your camera, reducing the amount of light that gets in but not changing the color.

To use filters with your camera, you will first need the 52mm lens adapter for your camera. This is simply a device that sits around the lens of your camera, and allows you to screw in a filter. The adapter will take any standard filter in a 52mm size.

A 4x ND filter, as the name suggests, will allow your to get 4x the shutter time in given lighting conditions -- that is, if you normally get 1/60 sec, you should be able to get speeds of about 1/15 in the same conditions with the filter. Likewise, 1/30 becomes about 1/8 and 1/15 becomes about 1/4.

If that's still not slow enough, an 8x ND filter should allow you 8x the shutter times. With that filter, 1/60 sec becomes 1/8, 1/30 becomes 1/4 and 1/15 becomes 1/2.

ND filters are stackable as well. If you cannot get the times you want with one filter, you can stack more than one (the filters screw right into each other). Stacking multiple filters does increase your chances of lens flare, so I don't recommend stacking more than 2 filters at a time.

One more suggestion -- if you do get the adapter and filters, a 52mm lenscap will help you protect the filters if you choose to leave the adapter and filters on the camera while you are not shooting.

-Terry

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

02/01/2005 05:37:57 PM · #5

thanks for your help guys...well nsbca, the smallest aperture setting on my Sony is 2.8. The highest is 8.0. The film speed ranges from 50-800 ISO. I guess the only solution would be to go out and buy that ND filter that bearmusic suggested. Thanks!

petrakka

02/01/2005 05:42:44 PM · #6

2.8 is actually you're biggest. 8.0 is your smallest (which is not very small, most lenses stop down to btwn 22 and 32. try a shot at 50 iso at f/8 though and see how long u can keep it open before overexposing.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

02/01/2005 05:48:05 PM · #7

I'm curious to know what type of shots you are after, that you need a slow shutter for in daylight. Possibly waterfalls?

Message edited by author 2005-02-01 17:49:02.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

02/01/2005 05:57:09 PM · #8

Originally posted by petrakka:

According to DPReview his camera only goes down to ISO 100.

-Terry

02/02/2005 04:46:34 AM · #9

Faidoi...I was attempting a shot of a bridge with speed boats riding along besides it...I thought it might look good with a slow shutter.