C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Wondering what you're all doing when 6 stops of ND isn't enough to keep proper exposure with aperature wide open (say f2.8 or f4.0 depending on the lens) and ISO set at 850.

Thanks!
Dave

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Change iso to 320?

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Yup I've tried that, despite hearing the C100 is optimized for use at 850 ISO. But even at 350 ISO with 6-stop ND I can still get overexposed images (I think Guatemala is at a similar latitude to Hawaii - ie. bright, tropical sun).

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

I've dug out my VariND when doing 'accumulation' or 'slow' shutter work (1/3rd second shutter) in noon-day Floridian sunlight. Even my EX1 was a bit sweaty in those conditions.

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

I would attach an external ND filter on the lens.

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

That's what I thought. Just wondering if anyone had any other ideas - hate to go back to screw-on ND filters ...

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Not tried this yet on my C100 (very bright sunshine is rarely a problem in the UK!) and I'm not sure this is the right way to go....but what about trying Exposure Compensation (AE Shift) - see page 60 in the Manual.

Let us know if this works!

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Because I shoot 30P with the C100 I also crank up the shutter when I have ND-6 and Aperture at 1.8 outside. Highest shutter was in the 200's don't remember the exact number as the shoot was last month.

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Okay, I'll call the Elephant In The Room: Negative Gain.

I'd prefer to tote an ND in a spare pocket, rather than use Negative Gain.

You can select -3 and -6 dB gain, but this is chopping off your shadow detail - instead of blowing your highlights, you're blowing your shadows. Maybe this isn't huge for some setups, but it's in bright contrasty lighting (noonday sunlight) where you're trying to squash the tonal range, so having 1-2 stops of DR taken away at the bottom end is something to be avoided. So much so, I've 'not even gone there'.

But it would be an interesting concept to illustrate some day...

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Monday - Increasing the shutter speed is an interesting option. I'll have to take a look and see how it affects motion when shooting regular, everyday life. How have you found shooting at 200+? Stuttery?

Andy - Exposure Compensation is something I've never looked at. Time to do so!

Matt - interesting idea, and a feature I'd never looked at. But think you're right, it'd be a last ditch solution.

Thanks all!

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

i'll be heading to galapagos and hawaii, and will just be bringing a 3 stop nd and a CPL. mostly going to be shooting long lens high aperture, but for the occasional superspeed stuff, 9 total stops should be more than enough

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Hey look, as an FS100 shooter, I've been caught in brighter sunlight than I'm prepared for and I'm not proud: I've used 10,000th of a second when I had to.

Is it stuttery? Yes. There gets a point when quite frankly, the difference between 1/250th and 1/10,000th is no difference at all, it's all Dog Beach from Saving Private Ryan. Or better still, RangeRover vs Tank on Top Gear.

If you're faced with dirty (or missing) NDs and you have to kick the shutter speed up, I've not really seen the difference between 1/250 and 1/10,000 because the subject matter is missing the motion blur, period. So fill your boots. Just like Jazz: hit a bum note? Do it again - LOUDER. Make it a feature. Chalk it all up to artistic direction.

Yes, it's stuttery. I MEANT it that way! :)

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Shooting 30P you get the stutter but I don't mind as long as my camera movements aren't fast. I also shoot 80% at 1/120 in 30P. If you're shooting 24P I don't honestly know but in 30P the stutter is more then 1/60 but what you going to do if you want the Shallow DOF.

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

Not on a c100 yet, but I hop shutter on the 5diii a lot, I kinda like the look. Depends what you're shooting, but I find for a lot of stuff it conveys motion better actually.

Re: C100 in Bright Sun - NDs insufficient
 

I shoot 50i for broadcast news (uhhh interlaced I know). Will try to ramp up the shutter and see how it looks. Might pick up a 3 stop ND as well.

Thanks all!