starcentral
Veteran
How would you know to set and lock your exposure for a sun rise given it starts out black and goes to a level you really can't plan for?
Exposure for sun rise ?
- Thread starter starcentral
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starcentral
Veteran
Hi Ryan, thanks for your reply.
I'm familiar with the sunny 16 rule, but a sunrise is no where the light level found on a bright and cloudless mid day afternoon.
I figured on around f16, but wondered if anyone had any experience with this they could share. I also thought about setting exposure at a sunset and going with that.
I'm familiar with the sunny 16 rule, but a sunrise is no where the light level found on a bright and cloudless mid day afternoon.
I figured on around f16, but wondered if anyone had any experience with this they could share. I also thought about setting exposure at a sunset and going with that.
OK well this all works a bit different, and sunny 16 rule cant really be applied. Especially as, Im assuming your actually going to shoot the sun.
Many things come to mind, but the simplest way to get it right and eliminate all the variables and considerations I could type here, is to go out and test the camera you want to shoot the sunrise with at the location you want to shoot it.
I think its important though to just counter a few things. OK, if you set a static exposure, parts of your image will either be under or over exposed - if you were to use an auto iris, it would look like pure poop - especially if you want to do a ramp in post.
So, expose for the level of light that will give you the most usable footage with the the way you want it to look. At one point its going to crash over. But generally you can get enough to work with for whatever purpose its intended for. TEST SHOOT.
Many things come to mind, but the simplest way to get it right and eliminate all the variables and considerations I could type here, is to go out and test the camera you want to shoot the sunrise with at the location you want to shoot it.
I think its important though to just counter a few things. OK, if you set a static exposure, parts of your image will either be under or over exposed - if you were to use an auto iris, it would look like pure poop - especially if you want to do a ramp in post.
So, expose for the level of light that will give you the most usable footage with the the way you want it to look. At one point its going to crash over. But generally you can get enough to work with for whatever purpose its intended for. TEST SHOOT.
RyanT
Veteran
You're right, but then again, how far in do you want to take this sunset? I was thinking that if you went with the sunny 16 rule you'd at least end up with something close in the sunrise portion, but it would come fully exposed as the sun becomes more fully raised.
Might be another crazy idea, but why not shoot it at sunset and reverse it? Do you have elements that you would notice going in reverse?
Might be another crazy idea, but why not shoot it at sunset and reverse it? Do you have elements that you would notice going in reverse?
starcentral
Veteran
I think I will test exposure during sun set, then use same setting next morning for sun rise.
I thought of shooting reverse too, and if sunset footage is usable without any elements ruining it, it would work for sure.
I thought of shooting reverse too, and if sunset footage is usable without any elements ruining it, it would work for sure.
J Davis
Veteran
To my eye, the light just after sunrise is completely different to the light just before sunset. The morning light is much stronger and clearer.
starcentral
Veteran
I think it will be close, also I can probably start with iris at f2.8 then ride iris to keep exposure.
I did a test on the weekend with a 7D and locked aperture and iso, then adjusted shutter speed to keep exposure and the concept worked but it was cloudy so results were poor http://www.vimeo.com/m/29917750. I started with 3 second exposures and ended up at 1/50 within 30 minutes. (f4.5 ISO800 camera settings)
Since I will probably end up shooting this on an F3, I can adjust shutter or ride iris but not sure which is easier yet. Also the F3 has interval recording built in so that's a plus. With my 7D test I was manually pressing button every 10 seconds, not nearly frequent enough as you can see.
I did a test on the weekend with a 7D and locked aperture and iso, then adjusted shutter speed to keep exposure and the concept worked but it was cloudy so results were poor http://www.vimeo.com/m/29917750. I started with 3 second exposures and ended up at 1/50 within 30 minutes. (f4.5 ISO800 camera settings)
Since I will probably end up shooting this on an F3, I can adjust shutter or ride iris but not sure which is easier yet. Also the F3 has interval recording built in so that's a plus. With my 7D test I was manually pressing button every 10 seconds, not nearly frequent enough as you can see.
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starcentral
Veteran
Last night I tested some shots of sun setting and this time I used the Sony F3, not the Canon 7D.
With shutter set to 180, ND1 (1/8th) and 24fps I was able to shoot anywhere between f4 and f22 on a 24mm lens. f16-f22 was needed for shooting with the actual sun in the frame as it was close to the horizon, but once it was below the horizon I was shooting the orange/red skies down in the f4 to f5.6 range. I had the ND1 filter engaged on the F3 which is rated 1/8th, or 3 stops of light. The F3 was in 0db mode, so 800 ISO equivalent. Anything lower than f2 on the lens and the camera was starting to amplify light that wasn't there and effectively seeing in the dark which I don't want.
So for me this means I can shoot a sun rise starting at f2.8 with the camera set to ND1, 800ISO, and ride open the iris up to f22 and then the shot would basically blow after that. The F3 has some auto level control mode that could maybe be used to automate this process, but I'm afraid of what it will do for the complete dark shot before the sun comes up.
With shutter set to 180, ND1 (1/8th) and 24fps I was able to shoot anywhere between f4 and f22 on a 24mm lens. f16-f22 was needed for shooting with the actual sun in the frame as it was close to the horizon, but once it was below the horizon I was shooting the orange/red skies down in the f4 to f5.6 range. I had the ND1 filter engaged on the F3 which is rated 1/8th, or 3 stops of light. The F3 was in 0db mode, so 800 ISO equivalent. Anything lower than f2 on the lens and the camera was starting to amplify light that wasn't there and effectively seeing in the dark which I don't want.
So for me this means I can shoot a sun rise starting at f2.8 with the camera set to ND1, 800ISO, and ride open the iris up to f22 and then the shot would basically blow after that. The F3 has some auto level control mode that could maybe be used to automate this process, but I'm afraid of what it will do for the complete dark shot before the sun comes up.