+30 sec exposure.

Ccauceg · Jul 20, 2008

So how do i maintain an exposure longer than 30 sec without a handheld meter? I have heard of some equations and such to help you nail it since the in camera light meter is completely useless at these times. Any help would be great.

Thanks

tirediron · Jul 20, 2008

Try an exposure calculator like this: http://www.robert-barrett.com/photo/exposure_calculator.html

Sw1tchFX · Jul 20, 2008

Use a Nikon FE, it will meter anything, I swear, I've done it before, it's really amazing.

If it's digital, use a cable release or remote, eye-ball it, and chimp.

Garbz · Jul 20, 2008

Man I love the FE for exactly that reason. Sure it's way out compared at long exposures because of films reciprocity failure, but why do modern cameras not allow +30 automatic exposures.

When I do long exposures I make a guess. Thanks to digital I know don't ever think when I take photos since it no longer is expensive to make a mistake.

Bifurcator · Jul 20, 2008

Garbz said:
...why do modern cameras not allow +30 automatic exposures.

I've had the same question for a number of years now. I used to think it was so they would have something to upgrade to for stimulating sales but it hasn't happened so I guess that's wrong. <shrug> Or they want us to wait a REEELLY long time?

Josh66 · Jul 20, 2008

It might actually be too much work to incorporate that in...

You would have to have exposure settings all the way out to what (?) 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes??? Then the Bulb setting would be all the way at the end of that.

It sure would be a pain in the ass if you had to go all the way to bulb.

There's no way the camera could meter for you in Bulb, because it doesn't know how long the exposure is going to be.

Bifurcator · Jul 20, 2008

My OM-4 could meter out to 4 min. (240 seconds) - but only in Auto or Aperture Priority modes. The max manual setting was 8 seconds.

The OM-4 multi point spot metering was cool!

christopher walrath · Jul 20, 2008

But Garbz brings up a point. A camera or even an old hand held Weston Master is going to give long exposures BASED ON RECIPROCITY. It cannot take reciprocity failure into account based on the fact that not all films are created equal. Some films calling for a 10 second exposure might require only 20, others about 50 seconds. Depends. I want to ask what film are you using?

epatsellis · Jul 20, 2008

Stopwatch...and experience or the reciprocity chart fro your film. You're pretty much into B territory here, it goes without saying, tripod, cable release, etc.

erie

Bifurcator · Jul 21, 2008

christopher walrath said:
Depends. I want to ask what film are you using?

Isn't the OP using a digital camera? Or were you asking me about the OM cameras? In my case I shot Kodachrome 25 ASA almost exclusively. My idea of a fast film was Kodachrome 64.

I could get Kodachrome 10 for my 4x5. Man, those were the good old days!

Battou · Jul 21, 2008

Sw1tchFX said:
Use a Nikon FE, it will meter anything, I swear, I've done it before, it's really amazing.

If it's digital, use a cable release or remote, eye-ball it, and chimp.

And for canonnites ther is the Canon EF, It too will meter at 30 seconds and has automadic timed 30 sec exposures and easy multiple exposures so one can stack timed exposures for those who are not confident in their bulb shooting. :mrgreen:

christopher walrath · Jul 21, 2008

Sorry, was asking the original poster. Out of curiosity.

RyanLilly · Jul 21, 2008

I wonder if they only go to 30 seconds, because sensor noise starts to become an issue. Now soccer mom and uncle Pete, who know nothing about photography are going to call and complain about all the colored specs on their photos. They figure anyone that knows enough about photography and exposure to use bulb, is expecting this noise and knows how to fix it in post.

Just my theory.

Easy_Target · Jul 21, 2008

Garbz said:
Man I love the FE for exactly that reason. Sure it's way out compared at long exposures because of films reciprocity failure, but why do modern cameras not allow +30 automatic exposures.

Image buffer reaches maximum capacity, maybe?

Garbz · Jul 22, 2008

O|||||||O said:
You would have to have exposure settings all the way out to what (?) 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes??? Then the Bulb setting would be all the way at the end of that.

It sure would be a pain in the ass if you had to go all the way to bulb.

I never said it needed to be set to that. I said an automatic exposure. The Nikon FE gave 1 2 4 8seconds m90 (which is 1/90th purely mechanical for the flat battery) and then bulb. However in auto mode I could happily point my camera at the city at night, set it to +1 EV to cover reciprocity failure and click. The longest this has worked when I have tested it in auto was an 8 minute exposure.

christopher walrath said:
But Garbz brings up a point. A camera or even an old hand held Weston Master is going to give long exposures BASED ON RECIPROCITY. It cannot take reciprocity failure into account based on the fact that not all films are created equal. Some films calling for a 10 second exposure might require only 20, others about 50 seconds. Depends. I want to ask what film are you using?

Digital doesn't suffer reciprocity failure, but I think you probably knew that. Just adding for completion in case anyone reads this incorrectly.

Easy_Target said:
Image buffer reaches maximum capacity, maybe?

What happens here is a purely physical process with no digital buffering or anything at this point. Voltage is converted to a digital signal and when the exposure is finished it is read out once to the buffer. Modern cameras do allow for 30+ with a cable release.