Sunbeam question
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Discussion

tenohfive

Original Poster:

6,276 posts

211 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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The weather we've been having recently has led to some very dramatic skyscapes with the sun regularly breaking between patches of heavy cloud. I had a pop at taking some photo's tonight of sunbeams coming down from the clouds but I only had time to pop off a couple at f/13 and didn't have much time to play around. Ideally I would have liked to try some longer exposed shots with a narrower aperture and a tripod.

The issue seemed to be that the sun was mildly diffused by other clouds which turned them into a bright white blob - this seemed to effectively drown out the sunbeams (I think.) Whilst the shot was reasonably well exposed the sunbeams were barely visible. Some playing in Elements (freely admit I'm an amateur with this) doesn't really bring them out when playing with the initial RAW input options (contrast/exposure/brightness/WB etc.)

In terms of solutions, any ideas? I know the ideal situation is to use something in the foreground to block out the source of light but if that isn't an option is there any other way of capturing the sunbeams?

Gemm

1,833 posts

244 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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Definitely go for under-exposure, even by a couple of stops to retain the details of the beams. To be honest, a tripod would slow me down too much as the changes can happen so quickly.


RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Sunday 22nd April 2012
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I often fire 3 bracketed shots 2/0/2 and hdr them later.

tenohfive

Original Poster:

6,276 posts

211 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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RobDickinson said:
I often fire 3 bracketed shots 2/0/2 and hdr them later.
Still quite new to this...I get bracketing and HDR, but 2/0/2?

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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tenohfive said:
RobDickinson said:
I often fire 3 bracketed shots 2/0/2 and hdr them later.
Still quite new to this...I get bracketing and HDR, but 2/0/2?
-2 ev 0 +2 ev for bracketing.

markmullen

15,877 posts

263 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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RobDickinson said:
I often fire 3 bracketed shots 2/0/2 and hdr them later.
I fire three bracketed shots and the camera HDRs them for me wink

Gemm

1,833 posts

244 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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markmullen said:
I fire three bracketed shots and the camera HDRs them for me wink
I do not like the sound of this at all!!! furious

markmullen

15,877 posts

263 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Gemm said:
I do not like the sound of this at all!!! furious
Not really an issue, a new feature on the 5D MKiii, inbuilt HDR. You still keep the three raw files though. I've used it to see what potential there is for an HDR, then create it manually from the converted raw files.

Simpo Two

92,708 posts

294 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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The funny thing about sunbeams is that if you follow the angles upwards back through the cloud, they place the sun about 5,000 feet above the Earth...

K12beano

20,854 posts

304 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Simpo Two said:
The funny thing about sunbeams is that if you follow the angles upwards back through the cloud, they place the sun about 5,000 feet above the Earth...
Well, that's about how it was created, isn't it? silly

TheHeretic

73,668 posts

284 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Simpo Two said:
The funny thing about sunbeams is that if you follow the angles upwards back through the cloud, they place the sun about 5,000 feet above the Earth...
But... But...but... They don't... You're one of those bible belt weirdo's aren't you? Out... Out now! grumpy

tenohfive

Original Poster:

6,276 posts

211 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
quotequote all
RobDickinson said:
-2 ev 0 +2 ev for bracketing.
Ah, cheers. Will give that a go the next time the opportunity presents.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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markmullen said:
Not really an issue, a new feature on the 5D MKiii, inbuilt HDR. You still keep the three raw files though. I've used it to see what potential there is for an HDR, then create it manually from the converted raw files.
5D3 can auto shoot 7 frames bracketed -3-2-10+1+2+3 cant it? (with 2 second timer)?

markmullen

15,877 posts

263 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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RobDickinson said:
5D3 can auto shoot 7 frames bracketed -3-2-10+1+2+3 cant it? (with 2 second timer)?
Yes. The in-camera HDR is 3 files, in either +/- 1, 2 or 3 stops.

Gemm

1,833 posts

244 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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Are you prepared to show us the comparison between in-camera HDR and 'properly-done' HDR??

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

283 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
quotequote all
From what I've seen the 5d3's in camera HDR in non spew mode is OK , enough to give you an idea what properly processing the source files will be.

Make sure you switch on saving the source images! Shame it only works with 3 shots and produces a jpg.

markmullen

15,877 posts

263 months

Monday 23rd April 2012
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RobDickinson said:
From what I've seen the 5d3's in camera HDR in non spew mode is OK , enough to give you an idea what properly processing the source files will be.

Make sure you switch on saving the source images! Shame it only works with 3 shots and produces a jpg.
From my early work with the camera I'll stick with Photomatix to create an HDR but it is useful as you say for checking what potential there is there.

That said I do very little with HDR, more local adjustments in Capture One.