My journey with the 10 stop ND

[jimmyosram]

Thought I'd start a thread all about my time with a Heliopan 77mm TEN STOP NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER bought from Amazon. Got it today.

Went down tonight to the seaside - weather very overcast and dull, also in failing light (wrong conditions to try it really) and this is my first poor effort.

I'm going to add images to this thread to document my 10 stop journey.

Exif data
Camera Canon EOS 60D
Exposure 566 seconds
Aperture f/16.0
Focal Length 11 mm
ISO Speed 100

[markgozz]

Don't know why you think this is a poor effort , a bit more tweeking with the dodge and burn tools and I think it will be a real winner .

Be very interested in your journey thinking of getting a 10 stopper myself .

Mark

[deena]

I agree, a few tweaks and an excellent shot. I'll be following you on this journey Jimmy. Would love to know what you think of this filter. I'm interested in buying one too. I look forward to viewing your photos
P.S. Can I ask why 566 seconds? Did you use a long time exposure calculator?

[jimmyosram]

Day 2 with the 10 stop.

St Mary's Island - North facing.

Realised that on a rising sun, the exposure values are changing all the time making timings difficult. On top of that, I left the sheet with the exposure times on the dining room table so the numpty that I am had to guess.

I've also learned that I really need a ND grad too, but there is no way to connect it in front of the screw in filter. I read on a fellow photographers site that waving a ND in front of the top part of the lens can solve this issue.

As a composition, this shot lacks a focal point. I needed a rock in the bottom left corner I think, but with so much going on doing these types of shot I forgot to to look hard at the scene - note for next time.

Got a long way to go, but better than yesterday's imho.

[P.S, The vignetting seems to be a thing you can expect to a certain extent. If can be easily fixed post shot.]

Exif data
Camera Canon EOS 60D
Exposure 421 seconds
Aperture f/10.0
Focal Length 11 mm
ISO Speed 100



This is a second one from this morning. I recomposed the shot further along the rocks by an inlet. I think I needed a better sky to give this shot a pop.

Exif data
Camera Canon EOS 60D
Exposure 358 seconds
Aperture f/16.0
Focal Length 11 mm
ISO Speed 100

[dan123]

Nice to see proper long expsoures, not these 'short' as i now see them 30 second jobs, big stopper is on order to replace my hi tech, nice shots jimmy, wish i had some of your locations and time, well done mate,

[James Blonde]

Jimmy, I agree with Markgozz - the first pic has fantastic potential!

Similarly pic 3 would perhaps benefit from a coloured grad in PS over the sky to give it a bit more oomph!

I'm still waiting on my Lee Big Stopper ordered in May (only another 3 months to wait then....!!! heh!) but I'm hoping my experience with the long exposures required by my IR filter will help when it arrives!

[thefonz78]

I'm after a 10 stop for my sigma 10-20mm 77mm thread. They look great!

[jimmyosram]

Originally Posted by deena

P.S. Can I ask why 566 seconds? Did you use a long time exposure calculator?

I do use a long exposure chart, but the exif info was taken straight from my Flikr feed and that's the format it is shown in.

[davewebleyphotography]

Originally Posted by jimmyosram

I do use a long exposure chart, but the exif info was taken straight from my Flikr feed and that's the format it is shown in.

Can you point me in the right direction for chart like you use? I am starting to get into this sort of photography. I think I made a mistake by buying a ND-4 filter it seems that I should have bought a ND-8 or higher (is that right?).

Also I see that you use a 60D like me, what lens were you using?

Dave

[jimmyosram]

Originally Posted by davewebleyphotography

Can you point me in the right direction for chart like you use? I am starting to get into this sort of photography. I think I made a mistake by buying a ND-4 filter it seems that I should have bought a ND-8 or higher (is that right?).

Also I see that you use a 60D like me, what lens were you using?

Dave

Hi Dave

Have a look here. There is loads of info, plus a 10 stop exposure chart.

The lens I'm using for these shots is my Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 - great lens.

As far as filter types go, it depends on what you want to do with it I guess. I was looking for very long exposures at dawn and sunset so I went for the 10 stop. I'm not too up on other filters I'm afraid - just learning (and baring my sole via this thread ).