Sony Lounge Thread MKIII (All Sony cameras welcome)

A bit of my camping kit when cycle camping, paddle camping, or backpacking

I have a question regarding using a 10 stop ND filter I just purchased. All the long exposures I've ever done have been using the Smooth Reflections app. I bought a ICE 10 stop ND filter because the price was reasonable as a way to try them out and thus possibly save some of the shutter shots from using the smooth reflections app. My question I imagine all you incredible landscape shooters on this blog could probably answer is, If I take say a 3 minute exposure with the 10 stop ND attached, do I need to put the camera in bulb mode and use a Wireless remote trigger to start the exposure and then end the exposure? I have one of those wireless remote triggers if that would work, or is there a better way to set it up. I've never used bulb mode on my A7RII since I mainly shoot portraits of my kids and the landscapes I have shot in the past never required Bulb mode.

I'm looking for any advice on using a 10 stop ND filter and how to go about setting it up with the A7RII. Are there any good IOS apps that I can use for calculating the Exposure time as well.

Thanks, and a lot of stuff has happened in my life recently where I didn't manage to check out this forum daily like I used to and when I finally came back on to check out the thread I have 2,620 posts to catch up on...lol This is a great and extremely active thread and you'll probably be seeing some LIKES of shots you all posted a long time ago popping up in your feeds...lol

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18586109
A bit of my camping kit when cycle camping, paddle camping, or backpacking

Hosted photo: posted by MedicineMan4040 in
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forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Nicely lit.

navydoc wrote in post #18586125
Nicely lit.

thanks Gene, I'd do a pullback but I don't think you need one!

cc1995 wrote in post #18586123
I have a question regarding using a 10 stop ND filter I just purchased. All the long exposures I've ever done have been using the Smooth Reflections app. I bought a ICE 10 stop ND filter because the price was reasonable as a way to try them out and thus possibly save some of the shutter shots from using the smooth reflections app. My question I imagine all you incredible landscape shooters on this blog could probably answer is, If I take say a 3 minute exposure with the 10 stop ND attached, do I need to put the camera in bulb mode and use a Wireless remote trigger to start the exposure and then end the exposure? I have one of those wireless remote triggers if that would work, or is there a better way to set it up. I've never used bulb mode on my A7RII since I mainly shoot portraits of my kids and the landscapes I have shot in the past never required Bulb mode.

I'm looking for any advice on using a 10 stop ND filter and how to go about setting it up with the A7RII. Are there any good IOS apps that I can use for calculating the Exposure time as well.

Thanks, and a lot of stuff has happened in my life recently where I didn't manage to check out this forum daily like I used to and when I finally came back on to check out the thread I have 2,620 posts to catch up on...lol This is a great and extremely active thread and you'll probably be seeing some LIKES of shots you all posted a long time ago popping up in your feeds...lol

Enable wireless remote in the menu first. Set camera to manual mode. Frame shot and set focus and exposure without filter. Add filter and change exposure by 30 clicks (assuming camera set to 1/3 clicks). Shoot. If you can’t add on the 30 clicks (I.e you need more than 30 seconds) then set to bulb mode, calculate your exposure time manually, click once to start exposure and click remote a second time to end it at desired time. You can either do the maths (double exposure time 10 times) or use an app. You may also find your 10 stop filter is 9 stops or 11 stops so once worked out what works stick with that each time

cc1995 wrote in post #18586123
I have a question regarding using a 10 stop ND filter I just purchased. All the long exposures I've ever done have been using the Smooth Reflections app. I bought a ICE 10 stop ND filter because the price was reasonable as a way to try them out and thus possibly save some of the shutter shots from using the smooth reflections app. My question I imagine all you incredible landscape shooters on this blog could probably answer is, If I take say a 3 minute exposure with the 10 stop ND attached, do I need to put the camera in bulb mode and use a Wireless remote trigger to start the exposure and then end the exposure? I have one of those wireless remote triggers if that would work, or is there a better way to set it up. I've never used bulb mode on my A7RII since I mainly shoot portraits of my kids and the landscapes I have shot in the past never required Bulb mode.

I'm looking for any advice on using a 10 stop ND filter and how to go about setting it up with the A7RII. Are there any good IOS apps that I can use for calculating the Exposure time as well.

Thanks, and a lot of stuff has happened in my life recently where I didn't manage to check out this forum daily like I used to and when I finally came back on to check out the thread I have 2,620 posts to catch up on...lol This is a great and extremely active thread and you'll probably be seeing some LIKES of shots you all posted a long time ago popping up in your feeds...lol

yes, if you're using bulb, you need to start and end somehow.

IR remote, first click start, second click end.

with 10 stops, generally wont get you 3 minutes, more like 15 seconds during the day. You can use smooth reflections x 16 to get you 3 minutes. With 10 stops, you generally wont need bulb unless it's sunset or so, and due to light changing so quick, might not be your best bet to use a 10 during sunset.

cc1995 wrote in post #18586123
I have a question regarding using a 10 stop ND filter I just purchased. All the long exposures I've ever done have been using the Smooth Reflections app. I bought a ICE 10 stop ND filter because the price was reasonable as a way to try them out and thus possibly save some of the shutter shots from using the smooth reflections app. My question I imagine all you incredible landscape shooters on this blog could probably answer is, If I take say a 3 minute exposure with the 10 stop ND attached, do I need to put the camera in bulb mode and use a Wireless remote trigger to start the exposure and then end the exposure? I have one of those wireless remote triggers if that would work, or is there a better way to set it up. I've never used bulb mode on my A7RII since I mainly shoot portraits of my kids and the landscapes I have shot in the past never required Bulb mode.

I'm looking for any advice on using a 10 stop ND filter and how to go about setting it up with the A7RII. Are there any good IOS apps that I can use for calculating the Exposure time as well.

Thanks, and a lot of stuff has happened in my life recently where I didn't manage to check out this forum daily like I used to and when I finally came back on to check out the thread I have 2,620 posts to catch up on...lol This is a great and extremely active thread and you'll probably be seeing some LIKES of shots you all posted a long time ago popping up in your feeds...lol

When I teach on LE...I always recommend a wireless remote so that you don't touch the camera, and I recommend one that can be programmed for a set exposure duration. This takes the guesswork out of getting the right time...granted it doesn't matter if you are two or three seconds long or short of a 3 minute exposure...but my OCD wants to see 180 seconds...not 184.

Charlie wrote in post #18586133
with 10 stops, generally wont get you 3 minutes, more like 15 seconds during the day. You can use smooth reflections x 16 to get you 3 minutes. With 10 stops, you generally wont need bulb unless it's sunset or so, and due to light changing so quick, might not be your best bet to use a 10 during sunset.

Very true for mid day, early morning you can get there, at sunrise and set you can get out to 30-60 seconds depending on the how bright...but 3 minutes usually needs more than 10...16 stops at noon gives 5 minutes.

Charlie wrote in post #18586133
yes, if you're using bulb, you need to start and end somehow.

IR remote, first click start, second click end.

with 10 stops, generally wont get you 3 minutes, more like 15 seconds during the day. You can use smooth reflections x 16 to get you 3 minutes. With 10 stops, you generally wont need bulb unless it's sunset or so, and due to light changing so quick, might not be your best bet to use a 10 during sunset.

Charlie, Eddie. We could release in bulb mode with the phone camera control app right? Even on the Riii/a9 ?

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18586152
Charlie, Eddie. We could release in bulb mode with the phone camera control app right? Even on the Riii/a9 ?

dont know, never tried that, would be nice in a pinch.

I know that sony has that proximity sensor shutter release (touchless shutter in playmemories), really slick beta function, put your hand in front of the EVF for shutter release. I really hope sony can get that feature from the apps and bake it into firmware.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18586152
Charlie, Eddie. We could release in bulb mode with the phone camera control app right? Even on the Riii/a9 ?

yes there's bulb mode in the playmemories app.

Charlie wrote in post #18586167
dont know, never tried that, would be nice in a pinch.

I know that sony has that proximity sensor shutter release (touchless shutter in playmemories), really slick beta function, put your hand in front of the EVF for shutter release. I really hope sony can get that feature from the apps and bake it into firmware.

I use that touchless shutter at times. I wish I could assign it to a custom button instead of messing with the app menu on the camera.

Back from the Tucson festival of books.... My friend was speaking on his book for national parks. Got to spend the day with Leland Melvin an Astronaut.. that was insanely awesome.

Then we ran down and camped at the Chiricahua national monument

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/23PV​n3i

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/247m​89u

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/25bY​GkH

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/22r3​3cu

Also went to Saguaro National Park since it is right there in Tucson

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/22r2​MvL

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/H4n1​sJ

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/25bY​8MB

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/FwRX​w8

xpfloyd wrote in post #18586130
Enable wireless remote in the menu first. Set camera to manual mode. Frame shot and set focus and exposure without filter. Add filter and change exposure by 30 clicks (assuming camera set to 1/3 clicks). Shoot. If you can’t add on the 30 clicks (I.e you need more than 30 seconds) then set to bulb mode, calculate your exposure time manually, click once to start exposure and click remote a second time to end it at desired time. You can either do the maths (double exposure time 10 times) or use an app. You may also find your 10 stop filter is 9 stops or 11 stops so once worked out what works stick with that each time

Charlie wrote in post #18586133
yes, if you're using bulb, you need to start and end somehow.

IR remote, first click start, second click end.

with 10 stops, generally wont get you 3 minutes, more like 15 seconds during the day. You can use smooth reflections x 16 to get you 3 minutes. With 10 stops, you generally wont need bulb unless it's sunset or so, and due to light changing so quick, might not be your best bet to use a 10 during sunset.

TRhoads wrote in post #18586149
When I teach on LE...I always recommend a wireless remote so that you don't touch the camera, and I recommend one that can be programmed for a set exposure duration. This takes the guesswork out of getting the right time...granted it doesn't matter if you are two or three seconds long or short of a 3 minute exposure...but my OCD wants to see 180 seconds...not 184.


Very true for mid day, early morning you can get there, at sunrise and set you can get out to 30-60 seconds depending on the how bright...but 3 minutes usually needs more than 10...16 stops at noon gives 5 minutes.

Thanks guys for the great information. Just doing some tutorial stuff on the web I see that there is a lot that goes into capturing LE depending on what you're shooting. The ND filter I got is a screw on and it has male and female threads....so if I wanted to get a 6 stop ND as well I could screw that onto the 10 stop and make it a 16 stop in case I wanted to shoot in the midday? Is that really going to degrade the picture by stacking screw on filters together like that or am I better off just using the 10 stop ND in combination with the Smooth Reflections app to make up the difference?

cc1995 wrote in post #18586202
Thanks guys for the great information. Just doing some tutorial stuff on the web I see that there is a lot that goes into capturing LE depending on what you're shooting. The ND filter I got is a screw on and it has male and female threads....so if I wanted to get a 6 stop ND as well I could screw that onto the 10 stop and make it a 16 stop in case I wanted to shoot in the midday? Is that really going to degrade the picture by stacking screw on filters together like that or am I better off just using the 10 stop ND in combination with the Smooth Reflections app to make up the difference?

yes you can stack them, be careful not to get them stuck...and test it out before you need to do it on a real location, see if the IQ degrades at all, that is dependent on the quality of optics used in the filter. I stack all the time, with no issue...but I have invested in high end filters...and don't have experience with the one you have.

Yes, LE is very involved, it is an entirely different workflow...that is one of the things I focus on when presenting on it...I spend more time on that aspect, because it is very different from standard shooting.

I can't wait to get out and shoot over the course of the next 10 days...I just hope the weather forecast for the Bay area improves...I need to get the Peak Shell out just in case...