FS7: Shooting welding with FS7

S

stewhem

Well-known member
I hope it's ok to ask this here. I have to shoot some welding and brazing for a client, MS and CUs, shots lasting maybe up to five or so seconds. Do you think it might damage the FS7 sensor?

I'd like to expose for the overall scene, as the location is relevant, and let the point of welding/brazing burn out ( no pun intended!). I'll play with the ND filters and have a variable Heliopan I can add which would protect the sensor but I really don't want to lose the background.

Any advice very welcome.

Edit: forgot to say I'll probably use Slog 3.
 
It'll be fine. I've shots loads of welding. Just watch out for flicker. And watch your exposure. IMHO it always looks best when the arc light is properly exposed.

Also, put a clear filter on your lens if you're getting in close.
 
Great advice, thanks guys. Test shots to check for flicker (adjusting shutter speed if/as necessary) and DEFINITELY a filter on! And I'll do a few versions exposing for the arc light. Thanks again.
 
(Grampa voice...)
Back in the olden tube camera days, you could do some serious tube damage shooting welding.
Don't ask me how I know.
 
Stew: I generally let it bloom on the wide shots, but expose for the weld on the CUs. Especially in slow motion, the ramp up from nearly black to the welding arc flame can be pretty dramatic. As long as you don't sit on an arc for a really long shot, your sensor should be fine*.

*YMMV
 
Another vote for "Use a protective filter". Saved the front of my $$$ Fuji W/A and allowed us to continue shooting, after I replaced the filter. And I thought I was well into the 'safe zone'. Sometimes sparks jump a lot farther than you think they will.
 
During my first internship at a news station circa 1986, the photog (not me, thank God), while shooting a story about laser surgery thought it would be a good idea to have the doctor shine the laser directly into the Ikegami lens...you know, for effect. Nasty burn on the tube of a very expensive camera.
We tried to eliminate the burn-in by shooting a brightly lit white card for several hours but never got it fully resolved. Every story shot by that camera from then on had a “cursive L” shaped ghost in the upper right corner.
 
Point well made, guys. I always have a filter on and I'll be using the long end of my 70-200! Took this a few years ago from a healthy distance. Plenty of sparks but nothing flying too far. And it was grinding not welding. Thanks again.
Edit: whoops. Can't see how to attach images.
 
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Yeah, I think I'll bracket quite a bit for this sequence. Thanks.
EDIT: not my day today! This is a reply for "captslowmo" above.
 
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