Setting for sunsets

I have a Canon XSI & a 24-105 f4L what setting do I need to start with to get the sun setting

Thanks Dale

The meter will generally not get sunsets right, mainly because how you want one exposed is a matter of taste.

I'd put the camera in M mode and select an aperture that will give the DOF you need to cover the scene. Try f/5.6 to f/8 if you are in doubt for a starting point.

Then pick a low to middling ISO and adjust the shutter speed while taking a few shots to see how things look. A good result will probably have the sun not blown out as a key feature.

One important note, if you have subects that you want standing before the sunset, and you want those subjects to be lit, you will need to use flash to light them.

JeffreyG wrote in post #13642118
The meter will generally not get sunsets right, mainly because how you want one exposed is a matter of taste.

I'd put the camera in M mode and select an aperture that will give the DOF you need to cover the scene. Try f/5.6 to f/8 if you are in doubt for a starting point.

Then pick a low to middling ISO and adjust the shutter speed while taking a few shots to see how things look. A good result will probably have the sun not blown out as a key feature.

One important note, if you have subects that you want standing before the sunset, and you want those subjects to be lit, you will need to use flash to light them.

Thanks Jeffrey

ISO 100. Keeping the sun out of the frame, point the lens R/L of the sun to the part of the sunset that you want to have a medium tone. Set that exposure in "M".
Shoot one shot at that exposure, & one each a stop over & under it.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #13642513
ISO 100. Keeping the sun out of the frame, point the lens R/L of the sun to the part of the sunset that you want to have a medium tone. Set that exposure in "M".
Shoot one shot at that exposure, & one each a stop over & under it.

Thanks PhotosGuy

Frank's suggestion about taking a set bracketing your exposure is good. Not only do you get the opportunity to "pick and choose" but also you can blend the exposures so that you can bring more detail out of the forground/shadowed areas. A sunset will tend to wreak havoc on the dynamic range of your sensor -- the darker areas will tend to be really worked on if you want the shot to really "match" the scene as you saw it.

But, you can also choose a shot that really brings out the sunset and leaves foreground things as silhouettes -- that can certainly be a dramatic look if that's what you are after. For myself, though, I have to be after that look. I don't want to just give into the limited dynamic range of the camera and then call it "art"!

tonylong wrote in post #13643039
Frank's suggestion about taking a set bracketing your exposure is good. Not only do you get the opportunity to "pick and choose" but also you can blend the exposures so that you can bring more detail out of the forground/shadowed areas. A sunset will tend to wreak havoc on the dynamic range of your sensor -- the darker areas will tend to be really worked on if you want the shot to really "match" the scene as you saw it.

But, you can also choose a shot that really brings out the sunset and leaves foreground things as silhouettes -- that can certainly be a dramatic look if that's what you are after. For myself, though, I have to be after that look. I don't want to just give into the limited dynamic range of the camera and then call it "art"!

Thanks Tony