how do i shoot daytime timelapse?

indiephoto · Sep 25, 2007

well first off this may belong in digital photography if so sorry I'm new around here but back to the point I want to get day time timelapse shots but the longest my camera will allow is 15 second exposures the aperture goes between F8.00 and F2.00. and even when i set it to F8.00 its still over exposed does this mean i need to get a better camera if i wanna try that?

P.S. if I sound like a complete idiot i apoligize I'm young and new to this

Keith Gebhardt · Sep 25, 2007

Daytime lapsed exposure of what? Kinda seems pointless.. but to try anything.. put your f/# up all the way. try f22 and work your way down if that doesnt work. Also, put your iso on the lowest setting for a bright day.

indiephoto · Sep 25, 2007

ok thanks i didn't think of the iso thing

JIP · Sep 25, 2007

I am not exactly sure what you are trying to do. Are you trying to shoot with an extremely long shutter speed?. If so the problem you are going to run into is that there is a set amount of light for a certain scene and that scene will require a certain combination of shutter speed and aperture if you are shooting during the day you are most likely going to need a short shutter speed so if you want to extend it you are going to need a ND filter or something like that to block out the light.

astrostu · Sep 25, 2007

I'm under the impression that "timelapse" photography means that you take, for example, one photograph every minute, and then put them in a movie where each photo is 1/30th sec, so you've effectively taken the scene and sped it up by a factor of 900.

To do this (at least take the photos), you would probably want a camera, tripod, and computer software that will automatically take a photograph at an interval you specify for a certain amount of time. Regular point and shoot cameras don't do this, I believe, but I could be wrong.

If by "timelapse" you mean something like capturing motion blurs, then yes, you need a camera that has long exposures or a bulb setting (which lets you take a photograph for an indefinite amount of time). If it's over exposed at f/8 and it can't go to a higher f-stop, you can try getting a neutral density filter (kinda like sunglasses for your camera ... or hold sunglasses in front of the lens if they'll completely cover it for a very cheap solution).

Iron Flatline · Sep 25, 2007

Yes, stack several ND filters to be able to get a really long exposure. I've seen it used as a technique to shoot public spaces. You have a long exposure and then it seems as though there are no people and cars because they all moved in and out of the shot during the exposure.

JIP · Sep 25, 2007

I think we need more clarification.....

indiephoto · Sep 25, 2007

ok I guess I meant long shutter speed rather then time lapse so sorry about that but i think i'll need a different type of camera for that then i do now

usayit · Sep 25, 2007

Lapsed = interval shooting... taking a photo every 10 mins for example

So you mean long shutter speed. You will have to set the lowest ISO setting on your camera and stack ND filters to reduce the light... just as Iron mentioned.

six-five-two · Sep 26, 2007

I think he means long shutter speed so the people are blurred, this basically looking like a screenshot from a time lapse video...

Low ISO, smallest aperture.

amateursnapper · Sep 26, 2007

I've seen a few daytime long exposure shots in galleries and shops, stuff like blurry crowds shot from above, and I think they look great. As mentioned above you'll need a stack of ND filters and a tripod is absolutely essential. Then it's just a case of experimenting until you get an effect you like.

I for one would love to see what you come up with.

Pete

indiephoto · Sep 26, 2007

ok well since it seems ND filters are my best bet any suggestions on good places to get them and what does ND stand for

six-five-two · Sep 26, 2007

I think N.D. means Neutral Density or something like that.

wildmaven · Sep 26, 2007

indiephoto said:
P.S. if I sound like a complete idiot i apoligize I'm young and new to this

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

If you're new to this, why start with such a hard subject? Why not start with something easier which will teach you how to use the Fstops, ISO, shutter, etc effectively. That way, when you want to do something more advanced, you have the technical know-how to do it. :lovey:

Of course, there are some of us who will jump into the pool of knowledge feet first, and find the challenges to be exciting. Good luck, whichever way you choose.

Marian

amateursnapper · Sep 27, 2007

I agree, it might be easier to start off with something a bit more simple, but then again as long as you're willing to deal with a few headaches along the way it should be good fun, and you'll learn a lot in a short time!

In response to your previous question, yes, ND stands for Neutral Density. It basically filters all wavelengths equally so you don't change the colours, you just make the whole thing darker. They're usually specified in stops, with each stop being equal to a doubling of your required exposure time. So if you want an exposure time of say 16 times as long as normal, use a 4 stop ND filter (2x2x2x2=16).

Pete