slow shutter speed.. getting just white

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

hey guys..

now that ive had my camera while. ive had time to experiment with things. annnd...

ive found that EVERY time i try a slow shutter speed at any other time of the day except true night. i get pure white as my image...

ive just read a thread about some one asking a similar question and the response was to invest in filters.. however with a "compact" im not sure that that is an option..(might be wrong and i hope that i am)

i haven't played around with ISO.. but i have the options of..
- 100
- 200
- 400
- 800
- 1600
- AUTO (this is what im on)

HELP! as i realy want to try slow shutters

thanks in advance

[morts]

Originally Posted by Dirt_Bike_Ryda

hey guys..

now that ive had my camera while. ive had time to experiment with things. annnd...

ive found that EVERY time i try a slow shutter speed at any other time of the day except true night. i get pure white as my image...

ive just read a thread about some one asking a similar question and the response was to invest in filters.. however with a "compact" im not sure that that is an option..(might be wrong and i hope that i am)

i haven't played around with ISO.. but i have the options of..
- 100
- 200
- 400
- 800
- 1600
- AUTO (this is what im on)

HELP! as i realy want to try slow shutters

thanks in advance

What shutter speeds are we talking here? And what aperture?

f\1.8 at 3sec exposure in daylight will get you pure white.

You need to tweak the aperture down (higher F number) if you're gonna use long exposure.

[maritimer]

morts says :
You need to tweak the aperture down (higher F number) if you're gonna use long exposure.

Also, you should always shoot with the lowest ISO you can. Outside shots should not be shot any higher than 200 ISO. I only ever take my ISO over 100 if I'm inside and even then, 200 is usually the highest I put it.

Example : even at F22 and ISO 100 a 3 second exposure between 11am and 4pm, on a clear sunny day, will produce a pure white shot. Instead of exposure for a couple of seconds, try a shutter speed of 1/15 or 1/10.

[waffles]

Originally Posted by maritimer

Also, you should always shoot with the lowest ISO you can. Outside shots should not be shot any higher than 200 ISO.

Have you ever shot a soccer game at night? 200 won't get you anything usable.

Anyway, pure white means you've got too much light coming in. So find a way to reduce the light. Low ISO and higher aperture numbers will do that. If you can, then adjusting your exposure compensation so that it's all the way on the negative end will let in less light as well.

[FocalFrenzy]

Depending on your camera model, you may not have a small enough aperature setting to allow for long exposures (mine maxxes out at f/8). I have to use a polarizing filter to help me step down the light. My next addition to my gear will be an ND filter. This should allow me to take much longer shots. Good luck, and let us know how you solve your problem.

[ni2sml]

For a long shutter speed in well-lit conditions, you want the lowest ISO you can select plus a small (higher f-number) aperture and/or some way to further decrease the incoming light (in other words, a neutral density filter). You'll also want to see if your camera has a means of enabling long-exposure noise reduction, or those long exposures could get really ugly.

Chances are the aperture on your particular camera is limited to no smaller than f/8 or maybe f/11, so you'll want ND filters. Even if you had smaller apertures available, the image sharpness will start to deteriorate because of diffraction.

You might be able to get some sort of adapter tube which screws in over the lens barrel and has a filter thread on the end but even if you can't, you could always just hold a filter in front of the lens.

Neutral density filters are sold in different densities, 0.3ND is one stop of light reduction, 0.6ND is two, and so on. Each stop of light reduction will let you halve the shutter speed, so if conditions and your aperture/ISO settings required you to shoot at 1/80 second, a 3-stop (0.9ND) filter would allow you to shoot at 1/10 second instead. You can stack more than one filter, the light reduction is additive (0.6ND + 0.9ND = 5 stops of reduction, or in the example I gave, your shutter speed would be a little longer than 1/2 second).

Also, pay heed to your camera's light metering. You'll probably find that with the settings you're getting blown-out shots at, the meter is pegged on the end of the scale (or showing a number like +3.0, possibly in red). Grossly simplified here, but if it's in the center or showing 0.0 your exposure should be about right. This is what the camera tries to do in non-manual modes.

Good luck and have fun!

[maritimer]

waffles:
Have you ever shot a soccer game at night? 200 won't get you anything usable.

I was answering his question about slow shutter speeds...

Obviously you wouldn't be using slow shutter speeds at a soccer game

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

oh.. ok many thnx guys..

umm.. ok so..

i think my camera wont go beyond f/8 ( i can't actualy change the aperture, it chooses that itself )

oh and from reading that.. i think that i am using a MUCH TOO SLOW shutter speed.. because i have nothing inbetween 1 and 15 seconds, then i have 30 and 60. so maby thats my biggest issue..

so with that im thinking maby i need to get a tri pod.. some filters and manufacture some form of mounting device.. how far can the filters be from the lens ?

thnx again

[morts]

Originally Posted by Dirt_Bike_Ryda

oh.. ok many thnx guys..

umm.. ok so..

i think my camera wont go beyond f/8 ( i can't actualy change the aperture, it chooses that itself )

oh and from reading that.. i think that i am using a MUCH TOO SLOW shutter speed.. because i have nothing inbetween 1 and 15 seconds, then i have 30 and 60. so maby thats my biggest issue..

so with that im thinking maby i need to get a tri pod.. some filters and manufacture some form of mounting device.. how far can the filters be from the lens ?

thnx again

You haven't said WHY you are trying to use such an absurdly slow shutter speed during the day.

Also, filters screw on to the end of your lens if you have an SLR or at least a lens with a thread on the end. Otherwise, yes, you will have to jury-rig a filter mount.

You shouldn't NEED any filters though, just switch the camera off manual and let it sort exposure/aperture automatically or just shoot on a faster exposure!

[newPerspective]

I had the exact same problem this weekend. I was all excited to shoot this nice waterfall coming out of this awesome sculpture. I set the shutter speed real low and I was exprecting a nice silky waterfalll shot - ALAS! All I got was 'white' (mostly).

Originally Posted by waffles

Low ISO and higher aperture numbers will do that. If you can, then adjusting your exposure compensation so that it's all the way on the negative end will let in less light as well.

I did drop the EV down to a very low negative, and metered it for the darker spots. Got slightly better shots with that but darn-it, I did not think of the Aperture settings. Will have to drive back and try it again.