Noob question on using slow hutter speeds on g9

[kennyob46]

Hopefully i am not being too vague on this question.When i try to use manual mode and set shutter speed to 2 or 4 seconds in overcast day about 5 pm,aperture fully open or closed,all i get is the white screen(too much light,i guess?).I have it mounted on a tripod and use the timer.Shouldnt i be able to take a photo at this shutter speed with this camera?any settings i might be forgetting about?

[dolfinack]

Check the ISO is set to 100... any higher will give very blown out shots. But I suspect that in day light anything over 1/2 second will do the same. More than likely your shutter speed is simply way too high, regardless of whether there is direct sunlight or not.

[kennyob46]

I cant remember the iso setting but it was automatically picked,i believe,so i dont think it was high.I guess my question is:I thought you could take slow shutter speed pics with this camera on a tripod ?I thought i had seen g9 pics like that before.(cars with light trails,etc...)

[Gloubiboulga]

Hi… I've noticed the same "problem". I only use slow shutter speed by night. No way to use it during the day. I think (perhaps I'm wrong…) that it's due to the minimum aperture of f/8 which is still quite "open"…

[dolfinack]

I cant remember the iso setting but it was automatically picked,i believe,so i dont think it was high.I guess my question is:I thought you could take slow shutter speed pics with this camera on a tripod ?I thought i had seen g9 pics like that before.(cars with light trails,etc...)

Hi… I've noticed the same "problem". I only use slow shutter speed by night. No way to use it during the day. I think (perhaps I'm wrong…) that it's due to the minimum aperture of f/8 which is still quite "open"…

f8 and 1 second shutter speed will definately blow the shot out during the day. I'm reading here that the G9 only goes to f4.8 though... thats a problem. Loads of light being let in. To answer the original question, light trails from cars etc will have been taken at night...

[Kaffeperkulator]

i think f4.8 is maximal at long end, not minimal...

[dolfinack]

i think f4.8 is maximal at long end, not minimal...

Good grief, thats a schoolboy error. I should have (and did!) known that :(. I've just climbed off my bike after a long cycle and my brain is knackered. Thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it :D

[kennyob46]

Thanx for the response,folks.Do you think turning the neutral density on would help or am i barking up the wrong tree?

[GordonSBuck]

Thanx for the response,folks.Do you think turning the neutral density on would help or am i barking up the wrong tree?

Forcing the lowest ISO (80) and using the internal ND filter is exactly the approach you need to take; however, you probably cannot get the long exposure that you want without adding an additional, external ND filter.

On a cloudy day, using the "sunny 16" exposure rule for ISO 80, the correct exposure would be about f8 (maybe f5.6) at 1/80 second. If you want, say, 2 seconds then you'd need an aperture of something like f90 for ISO 80. The G9 won't do this; however, using the ND filter reduces exposure by 3 f-stops so that the "f8" setting becomes "f22" (with respect to exposure). Therefore you could probably get a cloudy day exposure of something like 1/10 second, perhaps 1/5 second, at ISO 80 and f8 + ND filter.

If you add a polarizing filter you can probably double the exposure time. An external ND filter, probably also 3x, in addition to the G9 internal ND filter, will be necessary to get up to 2 or 3 seconds exposure time.

[dolfinack]

Thanx for the response,folks.Do you think turning the neutral density on would help or am i barking up the wrong tree?

wow thats a nice feature, one that I had discussed earlier in the year as a "I wish my DSLR had this" kind of thread. That would certainly help, its the right thing to do in daylight if you want the advantages long shutter speed gives. :)

[denncald]

You might also want to read this article on exposure.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understandexposure.shtml

You cannot just pick a long shutter speed and ignore the other two legs - aperture and ISO. The suggestions on the ND filter, and perhaps a polarizer will help. But, why do you want the slow speed? If it is to get the silky water pictures of a water falls or a stream, then the ND is there to help, but it is not the complete answer.

When you use the manual setting (adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), then you need to watch what the meter feature is showing you for a correct exposure too. Reread pages 98 and 99 in your User Guide, especially step 3 on page 99.

Dennis

[denncald]

I went out this afternoon to the banks of a small river, with heavy cover from the trees, and took a few shots using full manual and tried to get some slow shutter speeds. I basically set ISO 80 and f/4.5, then adjusted shutter speed according to the "correct exposure" meter in manual. I also used the ND filter in my G9.

Here's the first shot at 6 seconds;

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2891228582_48fed46f68_o.jpg

Here's the second, but it only required 1.3 seconds, since a little more light made it through the tree cover in this location;

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2890391945_b38d79f515_o.jpg

I used my trusty little Ultra-pod II to support the camera, and set a 2 second delay on the shutter release. It is very convenient to use full manual to achieve your desired outcome.

Dennis

[S.Horton]

@OP - Try TV, ISO 80, min f-stop possible (max numeric, f/8+), tripod.

Then, set up your shutter speed as long as you can without overexposing.

You could also get the lens adapter for the G9, put on a real ND filter, and that would help.

[kennyob46]

Had my 1st chance to try the slow shutter speeds with the nd filter turned on-a significant difference.So dramatic that i decided to order the hoya nd filter to make it even better.I didnt get a chance to try it outside in light(im at work right now on a rainy day ,comparing shots inside with fluorescent lighting)but the pics start to (overexpose?underexpose?)at a shutter speed of 4 secs,while with the nd filter turned on its still a good pic.Even seems to hold up at 15 s.thanx for the input,everyone

[GordonSBuck]

@OP - Try TV, ISO 80, min f-stop possible (max numeric, f/8+), tripod.

Then, set up your shutter speed as long as you can without overexposing.

You could also get the lens adapter for the G9, put on a real ND filter, and that would help.

The G9 internal ND filter is also a real, physical filter.

[kennyob46]

Will putting that hoya nd filter on camera with its internal nd filter turned on be overkill?I mean,i will get 3 extra stops on top of the other 3 stops from internal filter without degradation,correct?

[GordonSBuck]

Will putting that hoya nd filter on camera with its internal nd filter turned on be overkill?I mean,i will get 3 extra stops on top of the other 3 stops from internal filter without degradation,correct?

If your Hoya external ND is also 3 stops then using the Hoya + the G9 internal will reduce exposure by 6 stops. The Hoya alone will be the same as the G9 ND alone. To my way of thinking, there's limited versatility to getting an external ND with 3 stops for the G9. I'd get a polarizing filter which will reduce exposure by 1 or 2 stops and provides other useful effects as well. Or, if even more exposure reduction is needed, then I'd get a 2 or 4 stop ND filter.

If your goal is to get time smoothed/blurred photos of flowing water then I'd recommend the polarizing filter instead of an external ND filter.

[GSansoucie]

In a pinch, you can actually hold your sunglass lens over the front of the G9 lens to act as an ND filter, though it's strength will not be known and it will be a little distorted (though it makes a nice effect).

[denncald]

This article explains ND filters a little more. I find the Tip at the bottom about using two polarizer filters together as an almost infinitely variable ND filter interesting, but have not tried it yet.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Using-a-Neutral-Density-filter

Dennis