Post your 9 or 10 stop ND photos

Tareq wrote in post #15444262
Very smart you people, yes, that was the issue, it has the space and i figured out just when i left there, sure next time when i will shoot i will put it the first one closest to the lens.

But, if i will use another filter with it such as .6ND or .9GND, which one should be first closest to the lens? Sorry, i mean only ND and CPL, i always put my GND last further away from the lens if used with other filters, if only 1 filter i use then i should be smart to put any single filter on the closest slot of the holder to lens.

Big stopper always closest to the lens then it doesnt matter for the CPL or GND etc.

With regards to timings I find that by big stopper is 11 stops (yours may differ).

Procedure I use - I usually set up everything without the big stopper but with any CPL and GND and take a test shot. I then click the dial 33 times (3rd stop increments for 11 stops). I then put the big stopper back on and take the shot. If the 33 clicks of the exposure dial takes me past the 30 second maximum I switch to bulb mode. If for example I get to 30 seconds on the 27th cllick I know that I still need to go another 6 clicks (2 stops). I would then go to bulb mode and take an exposure of 2 minutes. Obviously this will vary depending on the shot but its just an explanation on how I do it. Others may have better methods.

Tomorrow i will have a hard work to clean my camera sensor and lens and the filters, WOW, i just took out the filters for the first time and i can see the finger prints and smudges are grown already and spread, I have to buy a special gloves that ar non prints free smudges then.

This is the full dust smudges shot for you QueenChatty, 1D3 + 24-105@24mm, BigStopper+LEE 0.6ND

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Here is a trick I picked up from Lance Kemig that I use for night photography, but also with a big stopper.

Knowing that I want to shoot at 100 ISO, I set the camera at 6400 ISO. Then I determine my exposure. I know that 1 second at 6400 ISO is 1 minute at 100 ISO. So 2 seconds is 2 minutes, and so on.

So I do all of my test shots at a high ISO and short shutter speed and then switch to a lower ISo when everything is dialed in. Saves a significant amount of time.

http://www.thenightsky​e.com …/images/High-ISO-test.pdf

To focus with the big stopper you'll have to compose and focus before putting the filter in place and then click your lens onto manual focus.That way the lens won't hunt for focus through the dark filter.

As xpfloyd says, it should be the the closest filter to the lens to stop any ambient light getting between it and the lens. You should also cover your viewfinder during each exposure to stop light entering the camera from the back.

I pretty much always use bulb mode and a remote shutter release when shooting with the Big stopper. And again as xpfloyd says above, shoot a test shot from your best estimate in terms of length of exposure and take it from there.

perdido_y_contento wrote in post #15444401
To focus with the big stopper you'll have to compose and focus before putting the filter in place and then click your lens onto manual focus.That way the lens won't hunt for focus through the dark filter.

Absolutely correct - it is the best method and least time consuming method.

perdido_y_contento wrote in post #15444401
As xpfloyd says, it should be the the closest filter to the lens to stop any ambient light getting between it and the lens. You should also cover your viewfinder during each exposure to stop light entering the camera from the back.

I didn't know that, but I have always kept it closest to the lens.

perdido_y_contento wrote in post #15444401
I pretty much always use bulb mode and a remote shutter release when shooting with the Big stopper.

^ - yup, for maximum stability too.

I focus prior ro placing the filter then turning the lens to MF, and using high end tripod+ballhead and a timer cable release and the table attached with LEE BS for starter, it was my first time with BS and was in hurry, so i will take my time to do it properly and see what i will find and see, the problem is i forgot when i used that LEE table that i added another ND filter which will make a big difference, next time i will use only Big Stopper and maybe i will throw GND instead of ND for sky at least.

By the way, this is not the first time i use 10-stop filter, i have B+W 10 stop filter i used before in the past back in 2009.

Beautiful, calm and soothing image Tareq...a little PS can clear up those spots.

TRhoads wrote in post #15444445
Beautiful, calm and soothing image Tareq...a little PS can clear up those spots.

In fact i spent about 5-8 minutes to clean most of it anyway, so lazy to do it complete, if i planned to post it full clean then i will never post it here.

Well, i still don't like the shot, i feel there is no impact or factor in that place, no much colors, no clouds moving, no great rocks around and green or colorful, so only 3 elements there, solid normal rocks, sea water, and the dull flat sky.

Tareq wrote in post #15444336
Tomorrow i will have a hard work to clean my camera sensor and lens and the filters, WOW, i just took out the filters for the first time and i can see the finger prints and smudges are grown already and spread, I have to buy a special gloves that ar non prints free smudges then.

This is the full dust smudges shot for you QueenChatty, 1D3 + 24-105@24mm, BigStopper+LEE 0.6ND

Next time i will make it better cleaner shot!

Even with the smudges that is a nice image thanks for sharing.

QueenChatty wrote in post #15444540
Even with the smudges that is a nice image thanks for sharing.

You welcome!

Just trying out my Hitech 10 stop

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/49046617@N08/8​334612036/

Another pic with Hitech 10 stopper

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/49046617@N08/8​334639720/

Tareq wrote in post #15444262
Very smart you people, yes, that was the issue, it has the space and i figured out just when i left there, sure next time when i will shoot i will put it the first one closest to the lens.

But, if i will use another filter with it such as .6ND or .9GND, which one should be first closest to the lens? Sorry, i mean only ND and CPL, i always put my GND last further away from the lens if used with other filters, if only 1 filter i use then i should be smart to put any single filter on the closest slot of the holder to lens.

Have the strongest filter closest to the lens. Any reflection in the other filters will be reduced just as much as the main light going through the filter. And any light leakage in front of the strongest filter will be reduced as much as the main light since it has to go through the big stopper.

By the way - I have seen examples where one or two users of cheaper filters have decided/needed to put black tape on the front of their lens just because the bad coating of their filter have made the white text on the front of the lens visible in the reflection. But the big stopper should be good enough that you don't need that as long as it is close enough to the lens.

Tareq - Great light on the rocks & colours.

Geno - Cool colours too

With experience the exposure time calculations get easier.

And I don't know the fuss over focusing. Shooting landscapes & long exposures it's fairly safe to presume small apertures are going to be used. My 17-40L is virtually permanently focused at 1 metre for hyperfocal & at f/10 or smaller there's no need to worry about it. In bright daylight live view usually allows me to compose too without removing the filter.

Well, i never take my first mistake post as a real shoot, it was a big stupid mistake and i only took 2 shots with my 1Ds3+16-35 and Big Stopper, both were out of focus and i left immediately, i was in hurry after that 1Ds3 2 shots, so both shots are nothing of true skill, i did shoot thousands with 1Ds3 and filters, maybe not with Big Stopper but with B+W, it is only that the reflection was there, and i knew it from the time i left and then saw it on my computer, impossible i will make same mistake again if i am there on time and not in hurry, if i am in hurry i will always have hundreds mistakes, and know what? It is good i posted this so some beginners will learn for those mistakes.

I don't feel i really want to go tomorrow to shoot again, i posted one above even not great so i will not have much different than that and i don't know any another place nearby, wish if i live in places as yours people then you will see what i can do.