When working indoors and for up close shots or products shots, I use ND gels on my speed lights. There is a nice set of ND gels that comes with the Rosco Strobist Collection. Adorama always carries these little suckers ($17). Hope this helps anyone who needs these types of shots.
I can believe I fell on this episode of yours. I have been looking for this answer for a couple of years now. I even took my strobes to have them tested to see if something was wrong with them. I have been expressing the problem exactly the way you did in the beginning of your episode. I'm giving this a try right now!!!!! Many thanks
f2.8 is correct. To double the amount of light allowed in, 9 times in a row, you would click the 'full stop' increments from f64, so the progression would be f45, f32, f22, f16, f11, f8, f5.6, f4, f2.8.
thank you!!!! I was pulling my hair out when I found out my D5300 doesn't have high speed sync so I couldn't get the shots I wanted outside, overpowering the sun with my flash and wide aperture, so this is the answer!!
If you want high speed flash sync cheaply, get an old Nikon D40, D50, or D70. As long as you're not using a Nikon flash that it "recognizes", you can go to the top shutter speed...and not have the image blackout. My D40 works great like that.
@Turtlena315 It was VERY bright outside so I could see and focusing wasn't very difficult. AF behaved pretty well. I did get a couple of soft images, but overall they were great. With the 3-stop ND filter in the studio the Canon autofocus system worked normally and I could see well enough to tell if the focus was soft.
6-13-2020: @2:40....Hey Mark, you COULD also use a ND filter for the flash tube/head and knock down the power per 1-stop. You could also get cable splitters....to divide the # of heads/power output.
With a 9 stop nd filter on, did you have any problems with focusing? Also, would really appreciate a video about using nd filter and speedlites. Thank you.
@estudio100rafa I think it's technically 1/200 but most 5DM2 users will tell you that 1/200 still shows a bit of the rear curtain. So many (if not most) 5DM2 shooters use 1/160 as their sync speed.
depends on the exposure. if you're shooting at 1/8000 and you still can't get the depth of field you want in the middle of summer in southern california. it's either stop down or slap on a nd.
I would prefer to put the ND filter on the strobe unit in the studio, this way I could still see through my camera normally, you could stack a 2 stop, and 1 stop Lee ND Gel on the profoto light, inside the softbox with Gaf, tape. Just have to watch that the heat of the modeling lamp does not melt the gel.
@Snakekilla12 I normally don't use filters but lots of people asked how to use an ND filter so I made this video. So I guess that means I now use filters. :)
@sensedh the shutter speed doesn't make a difference since the flash is so short and bright. The camera still only captures the flash no matter how long the exposure.
it doesn't matter what his shutter was, it will be different for you depending on how much ambient in coming into your camera when you take the shot. i set my camera at 1/100 of a sec and increase shutter and decrease the shutter till i get what i want. nikon syncs at 1/250 sec
I'm about to start a project that takes place completely at night (its a story) but obviously, shooting in the day is much easier, so this works perfectly for me since it darkens the background. When I went to purchase this though, the mm options confused me. I know this might just be a silly question that I am just overlooking but I want to make sure I purchase the correct one. thanks
AdeOsho, I know what you mean now. if you want good exposure of background, and as well as subject, have to keep the shutter open for a while to get enough exposure of the background. I will have to try this middle of the day.
cus it is. Just buy good trigger to not be forced walk up and down to camera to change parametrs. And then experiment. off camera outdoor is great, quite pulled back cus of 'natural' light agenda.
@DaveBulowDBP yeah, I figured that out, but what about for outside?? there I would like to keep my strobe power, so wouldn't put a gel on it. I'd have to be on the camera, and that is where my problems begin..
Mark, your videos are always so informative! Quick question, did you trigger the studio strobe with your light meter?! wow, what model light meter is that?
Interesting use outside, but I have a question about the studio - couldn't you just use a faster shutter speed for those portraits? Or did have you already gone down to the fastest speed?
Hey Mark, how dark is it when you are looking through the viewfinder? Especially with the NDX 400. Is it pretty much a ballpark guess with the composition/focus?
I would like to ask, about focusing while the ND filters are on the lens ... this will decease the light coming into the camera, and the focus won't be possible ... please let me know about it ... and please correct my information.
never tried it and i am not 100% sure so here is an educated guess. it depends on the the strength of the sun. the more powerful the flash the more it will be able to table the sun. hence him using studio strobes. i tried it with a SB600 once and it did not have enough to tame the sun, it simply add a bit of "kicker" light to the subject's face
why not you can get a ND filter that can adjust from 2stop to 10 stops? i heard that u said that we can stack nd filter one by one to get more stops under for your photo, but my question is : will stacking of nd filters make ur photo have a color cast cause by the filters?
Please do you know good nd filters with good price, cameras we can compare it with specs i don't know how to compare the quality of nd filters i don't want a white balance issue,, thanks in advance
If i buy hoya ndx 400 filter to overpower the sun will my speedlight have enough power to give me a photo like yours at 7:15 in the video in the bright sun light? Please answer Thankx you :-D
I own a canon 6d and the shutter speed only goes to 1/4000 of a second. In order to make the images look like I was using 1/8000 of a second, would an nd filter work and if so which one?
I understand that ND filter attenuates the light by 3 f-stops with ND8. What I don't understand is why not speed up the shutter speed shutter.(Canon has Hi-Speed option). I am really confused.
@julietteb981 Oh my goodness! I'm such a dork....lol I knew it was something silly.... the mm is the size of the lens...wow, I totally had a brain malfunction there...lol anyways thanks Mark, your videos are awesome, I learn more from you than my college courses!
I use a canon eos but even with my ND 10 filter placed on the lens I can't get my aperture to go lower than 4.0? In your video you have yours go as low as I belive 2.8. Any ideas? Thanks
might have to manually focus. Maybe get a small flash light, point at subject to properly focus. With the sony A7 cams, its not so bad because of focus peaking.
it is simmilar to the shooting scopes, everything You put front of it could shift zero (like nvg or thermal sights). Propably same issue with You. ND filters works great with mirrorless cameras. And to be honest lots of flashes this days have a HSS.
Watching This 13 days shy of 8 years later and this tutorial is still awesome! : )
Thanks for showing techniques that most people never think about!
When working indoors and for up close shots or products shots, I use ND gels on my speed lights. There is a nice set of ND gels that comes with the Rosco Strobist Collection. Adorama always carries these little suckers ($17). Hope this helps anyone who needs these types of shots.
I can believe I fell on this episode of yours. I have been looking for this answer for a couple of years now. I even took my strobes to have them tested to see if something was wrong with them. I have been expressing the problem exactly the way you did in the beginning of your episode. I'm giving this a try right now!!!!!
Many thanks
I like this guy, he's really good and he's knows what he's doing.
f2.8 is correct. To double the amount of light allowed in, 9 times in a row, you would click the 'full stop' increments from f64, so the progression would be f45, f32, f22, f16, f11, f8, f5.6, f4, f2.8.
thank you!!!!
I was pulling my hair out when I found out my D5300 doesn't have high speed sync so I couldn't get the shots I wanted outside, overpowering the sun with my flash and wide aperture, so this is the answer!!
If you want high speed flash sync cheaply, get an old Nikon D40, D50, or D70. As long as you're not using a Nikon flash that it "recognizes", you can go to the top shutter speed...and not have the image blackout. My D40 works great like that.
The flash has HSS not the camera.
Yes Disappointment for you and me I purchased a Nikon D5500 only to find out afterwards no HSS
i have same issue as urs i have D5300 and i cant afford to buy Nikon D750 which supports HSS
@Turtlena315 It was VERY bright outside so I could see and focusing wasn't very difficult. AF behaved pretty well. I did get a couple of soft images, but overall they were great. With the 3-stop ND filter in the studio the Canon autofocus system worked normally and I could see well enough to tell if the focus was soft.
6-13-2020: @2:40....Hey Mark, you COULD also use a ND filter for the flash tube/head and knock down the power per 1-stop. You could also get cable splitters....to divide the # of heads/power output.
Thanks a lot, great tutorial and amazing shots!
Thanks Mark!! Great video!!!!!
Thank you so much !
This so useful.
loved this video. I always wanted to take some shots like that (the one in the bright day light) and now i can
Man those pics look awesome. I always wondered how I can shoot at a wider aperture with my alienbee b800 and now I know!
I learned something new .. thanks Mark
With a 9 stop nd filter on, did you have any problems with focusing?
Also, would really appreciate a video about using nd filter and speedlites. Thank you.
I had problems with autofocus from 4 stops and upwards. It´s pretty bad!
@estudio100rafa I think it's technically 1/200 but most 5DM2 users will tell you that 1/200 still shows a bit of the rear curtain. So many (if not most) 5DM2 shooters use 1/160 as their sync speed.
...This is CRAZY! ;) great video.
depends on the exposure. if you're shooting at 1/8000 and you still can't get the depth of field you want in the middle of summer in southern california. it's either stop down or slap on a nd.
You can use a faster shutter speed to cut the ambient light, but your camera and flashes must support high speed sync.
the whole point of this video was to shoot wide open WITHOUT HSS in bright daylight. Did you not watch the video?
Mark lll Wallace you are awesome !!!
I would prefer to put the ND filter on the strobe unit in the studio, this way I could still see through my camera normally, you could stack a 2 stop, and 1 stop Lee ND Gel on the profoto light, inside the softbox with Gaf, tape. Just have to watch that the heat of the modeling lamp does not melt the gel.
@Snakekilla12 I normally don't use filters but lots of people asked how to use an ND filter so I made this video. So I guess that means I now use filters. :)
@sensedh the shutter speed doesn't make a difference since the flash is so short and bright. The camera still only captures the flash no matter how long the exposure.
Def learned something today. Thanks!
Awesome stuff!
it doesn't matter what his shutter was, it will be different for you depending on how much ambient in coming into your camera when you take the shot. i set my camera at 1/100 of a sec and increase shutter and decrease the shutter till i get what i want. nikon syncs at 1/250 sec
Well that is just awesome!!
If your stobe are to powerful for your aperture, you can shoot with the modeling light. You will have to adjust the white balance to match.
Love this channel!
because shutter controls the amount of ambient light entering the camera. if you speed up the shutter the background/sky will go dark.
You're correct, I did figure that out, Thanks!
This is really cool, thanks
I'm about to start a project that takes place completely at night (its a story) but obviously, shooting in the day is much easier, so this works perfectly for me since it darkens the background. When I went to purchase this though, the mm options confused me. I know this might just be a silly question that I am just overlooking but I want to make sure I purchase the correct one. thanks
nice i like those results
Really learned a lot, thanks!
AdeOsho, I know what you mean now. if you want good exposure of background, and as well as subject, have to keep the shutter open for a while to get enough exposure of the background. I will have to try this middle of the day.
The answer is above sorry ... I have to read more further before sending the question .. thanks a lot Mark and Adorama :D
he makes it look so easy...
cus it is. Just buy good trigger to not be forced walk up and down to camera to change parametrs. And then experiment. off camera outdoor is great, quite pulled back cus of 'natural' light agenda.
Mark, could you even see anything through the 9 stop ND filter at 6:12? Great video as always. Thanks!
love ur work
@DaveBulowDBP yeah, I figured that out, but what about for outside?? there I would like to keep my strobe power, so wouldn't put a gel on it. I'd have to be on the camera, and that is where my problems begin..
Hello,
Awesome episode.
Could you make an episode for taking pictures of moon with Canon 60D with 18-135mm kit lens?
Thank you.
Mark, your videos are always so informative!
Quick question, did you trigger the studio strobe with your light meter?! wow, what model light meter is that?
In the studio with the ND filter is the camera still able to autofocus?
Interesting use outside, but I have a question about the studio - couldn't you just use a faster shutter speed for those portraits? Or did have you already gone down to the fastest speed?
Really cool very imformative
I love the model
If the light you meter is f8, what should you set the shutter speed and iso to if thats correct? That also affects the brightness right?
Very useful thk you
I fail to see the relevance of shooting at F2.8 when the subject is leaning against a wall.
+brianminkc there will be no blurred background, but it was just for demonstration purposes
+brianminkc and also to show u how the nd filter makes the shadow gone
It actually did go softer, blurring out a bit in the closeup shot, though. Look again.
Yeah, I was checking if somebody made this question,...
Hey Mark, how dark is it when you are looking through the viewfinder? Especially with the NDX 400. Is it pretty much a ballpark guess with the composition/focus?
really helpful!!
Great tutorial!!!
you can always use 2-3 speedlights as a single "strobe"..
HI!
How did U manage the Focus,.. I mean it must be so dark in the viewfinder that U must manually focus?
Can you do this with speedlights? I don't so, but just asking.
what was the shutter speed when you darkened the background ?
what are the equipments used in this video ?
Awesome
I would like to ask, about focusing while the ND filters are on the lens ... this will decease the light coming into the camera, and the focus won't be possible ... please let me know about it ... and please correct my information.
I'm having problems autofocusing with a ND filter on (esp. a stronger one). is there a way around this without using manual focus??
I had problems with autofocus from 4 stops and upwards. It´s pretty bad!
never tried it and i am not 100% sure so here is an educated guess. it depends on the the strength of the sun. the more powerful the flash the more it will be able to table the sun. hence him using studio strobes. i tried it with a SB600 once and it did not have enough to tame the sun, it simply add a bit of "kicker" light to the subject's face
Where is the Spec hi light of the sun it her Glasses?
Is it possible to use exposure compensation by few stops and get similar effect as a filter?
How can you focus with a 9 or 10 stop nd filter? Because Nd filters are dark. higher the strength darker they are.
Can you see through that nd400 filter? And do you have any problems focusing?
why not you can get a ND filter that can adjust from 2stop to 10 stops?
i heard that u said that we can stack nd filter one by one to get more stops under for your photo, but my question is : will stacking of nd filters make ur photo have a color cast cause by the filters?
Please do you know good nd filters with good price, cameras we can compare it with specs i don't know how to compare the quality of nd filters i don't want a white balance issue,, thanks in advance
If i buy hoya ndx 400 filter to overpower the sun will my speedlight have enough power to give me a photo like yours at 7:15 in the video in the bright sun light? Please answer Thankx you :-D
are you able to autofocus with the ND filter?
I own a canon 6d and the shutter speed only goes to 1/4000 of a second. In order to make the images look like I was using 1/8000 of a second, would an nd filter work and if so which one?
I was wondering could you use a ND 400 FILTER WITH A SHOW MOUNTED FLASH NIKON SB900
@kevinkooss oh yes! that one! thank you
Please reply, What about adjusting exposure compensation
I understand that ND filter attenuates the light by 3 f-stops with ND8. What I don't understand is why not speed up the shutter speed shutter.(Canon has Hi-Speed option).
I am really confused.
did you not watch the video?
@estudio100rafa Ya. eew. Surprising indeed.
Great Video! What lenses were used? Thanks
what is the title of the jazz song used in the background?
Hey Mark,
What lens you are using in this video. Thanks!
I need to know where I can get that background!
where con i buy a movie slate?
The problem you have with nd filters is that u wont see anything thru the viewfinder. I have a 3 stop one and its hard.
what strobe is being used outside??
I don't understand these 'STOPS' can anyone explain please?
I like this.
What was the cord on your camera outside?
@julietteb981 Oh my goodness! I'm such a dork....lol I knew it was something silly.... the mm is the size of the lens...wow, I totally had a brain malfunction there...lol anyways thanks Mark, your videos are awesome, I learn more from you than my college courses!
@kevinkooss thanks for the answer :) It will help if you tell me what the ^ symbol means... :)
"I shot all of these in jpeg!" - photographer humour!
Why don't they just use a high shutter speed? This is new to me haha.
I use a canon eos but even with my ND 10 filter placed on the lens I can't get my aperture to go lower than 4.0? In your video you have yours go as low as I belive 2.8. Any ideas?
Thanks
Willa Hillchrising Your lens F stop probably can't go lower than 4.
Hello, isn't it hard to focus when the ND filter is attached?
siopaomaster No It doesn't affect your focusing capability
+siopaomaster focus first, switch to manual, smack on the nd filter, take pic
It depends on how much light you're cutting.
Need some filters..
I've found my camera's auto focusing goes off with my nd filter over my lens (won't focus sharply)..how can I overcome this?
might have to manually focus. Maybe get a small flash light, point at subject to properly focus. With the sony A7 cams, its not so bad because of focus peaking.
+Haydn Gonzalez thanks. .turns out it was my nd filter. .got a different brand and works well now
it is simmilar to the shooting scopes, everything You put front of it could shift zero (like nvg or thermal sights). Propably same issue with You. ND filters works great with mirrorless cameras. And to be honest lots of flashes this days have a HSS.
Instad of paying for the ND filter, 100$+, buy gels and wrap it around the key light. 8 bucks each
just day before i was looking for GND filters, and without asking its ND:
And now for the BIGGEST tip of all: If you can't afford an ND filter or a HSS strobe..........just shoot in the evening.
What was the brand of filter used
Steven Means see his clip carefully
This is different from digitalrev tv because the model actually reacts to what the photographer is saying to the viewer
I like digitalrev better :p