Optura 60 in the snow at DVinfo.net

Jon Nysse · November 30th, 2005, 09:15 AM

I am going out west in a few weeks to do some backcountry snowmobiling. I have never used my Optura in the snow before. Would you guys recommend any filters or do you think the snow setting on the Optura will be the best way to go? I will be riding at 9000 to 11,000 feet and the snow gets really bright up there.

Also I was told that there is an optional tele lens for the Optura. If I get one of those would that effect my image stabilization at all?

Thank you for the help.

Jon

Robert Mann Z. · November 30th, 2005, 10:20 AM

get an nd filter for shooting snow it will grey out snow so you won't blow it out...

a tele will kill ois especially if your shooting on the back of a snowmobile, my advice is get a wide angle lens it will help ois

Michael Wisniewski · December 1st, 2005, 01:47 PM

If it's really cold up there, bring extra batteries, and something to keep the battery warm or you'll experience very short battery life.

I've used the Optura Xi's snow setting successfully in a variety of snow conditions and am quite pleased with it, but I think Robert's suggestion of using an ND filter will give you superior results. An ND with a polarizer should give you some stunning results.

Marco Leavitt · December 3rd, 2005, 06:41 PM

Michael,
Why the polarizer? Is that for the sky or the snow?

Michael Wisniewski · December 3rd, 2005, 10:14 PM

The polarizer for the sky and the ND for snow.

Jasenko Blazevic · December 4th, 2005, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Mann Z.

get an nd filter for shooting snow it will grey out snow so you won't blow it out...

Optura has got an ND filter built in, snow settings will probably give you the best results. I tested different settings on the beach and the beach preset was the best one of them, it takes quite a while to get similar effect manually.

Robert Mann Z. · December 4th, 2005, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasenko Blazevic

Optura has got an ND filter built in, snow settings will probably give you the best results. I tested different settings on the beach and the beach preset was the best one of them, it takes quite a while to get similar effect manually.

the built in nd filter is an electronic digital nd filter not even close to the real thing...

get a glass nd filter, put the cam on manual exposure, and shoot away...

Marco Leavitt · December 4th, 2005, 08:42 PM

How do you know its digital? Is there a way to engage the ND filter on the Optura 60 by the way, or does it just come on automatically?

Jon Nysse · December 4th, 2005, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Mann Z.

get an nd filter for shooting snow it will grey out snow so you won't blow it out...

a tele will kill ois especially if your shooting on the back of a snowmobile, my advice is get a wide angle lens it will help ois

What is a nd filter? What does the nd stand for?
Thanks,
Jon

Robert Mann Z. · December 5th, 2005, 03:27 AM

the Neutral Density filter is part of the custom function option on the optura 60, turning it on will do little...its a digital effect

the optura also has a seprate nd filter setting for still photos or shooting video to the sd card...this can be set to on or off, if on it goes into auto mode...if you still have your manual you will notice canon recommends getting a screw on glass nd filter if your shooting video to minidv tape

basically an nd filter blocks light, but allows you to keep the shutter/aperture the same...so you can shoot outside but keep a shallow dof...below are some examples of how much light you can block, ther are also split nd filters, great for landscapes

0.3 ND filter
1 f-stop

0.6 ND filter
2 f-stops

0.9 ND filter
3 f-stops

1.2 ND filter
4 f-stops

Jon Nysse · December 5th, 2005, 07:26 AM

Ok. That makes sense to me now.

Thank you.

Marco Leavitt · December 5th, 2005, 08:32 AM

"the Neutral Density filter is part of the custom function option on the optura 60, turning it on will do little...its a digital effect"

This function doesn't seem to be available for video, only the still camera mode. Am I missing something?

Michael Wisniewski · December 6th, 2005, 12:51 PM

The built-in ND filter is only available in photo mode. In addition, it's not a manual function; it automatically engages when over exposure is detected by the camera. There are only 2 settings: Auto and Off.

The snow/beach settings overexpose the background, so that your subjects are not underexposed, but, for the best results, use a polarizer and an ND filter.

Robert Mann Z. · December 6th, 2005, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco Leavitt

"
This function doesn't seem to be available for video, only the still camera mode. Am I missing something?

ahh yes my mistake, its not an nd filter but a digital neutral filter, useless in any case as a glass nd substitute...

November 30th, 2005, 09:15 AM	#1
Jon Nysse New Boot Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Richmond, WI Posts: 5	Optura 60 in the snow I am going out west in a few weeks to do some backcountry snowmobiling. I have never used my Optura in the snow before. Would you guys recommend any filters or do you think the snow setting on the Optura will be the best way to go? I will be riding at 9000 to 11,000 feet and the snow gets really bright up there. Also I was told that there is an optional tele lens for the Optura. If I get one of those would that effect my image stabilization at all? Thank you for the help. Jon

December 1st, 2005, 01:47 PM	#3
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	If it's really cold up there, bring extra batteries, and something to keep the battery warm or you'll experience very short battery life. I've used the Optura Xi's snow setting successfully in a variety of snow conditions and am quite pleased with it, but I think Robert's suggestion of using an ND filter will give you superior results. An ND with a polarizer should give you some stunning results. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

December 3rd, 2005, 10:14 PM	#5
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	The polarizer for the sky and the ND for snow. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

December 6th, 2005, 12:51 PM	#13
Michael Wisniewski Wrangler Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Makati, Metro Manila Posts: 2,706 Images: 32	The built-in ND filter is only available in photo mode. In addition, it's not a manual function; it automatically engages when over exposure is detected by the camera. There are only 2 settings: Auto and Off. The snow/beach settings overexpose the background, so that your subjects are not underexposed, but, for the best results, use a polarizer and an ND filter. __________________ "Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese

November 30th, 2005, 10:20 AM	#2
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	get an nd filter for shooting snow it will grey out snow so you won't blow it out... a tele will kill ois especially if your shooting on the back of a snowmobile, my advice is get a wide angle lens it will help ois

December 3rd, 2005, 06:41 PM	#4
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Michael, Why the polarizer? Is that for the sky or the snow?

December 4th, 2005, 08:42 PM	#8
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	How do you know its digital? Is there a way to engage the ND filter on the Optura 60 by the way, or does it just come on automatically?

December 5th, 2005, 03:27 AM	#10
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	the Neutral Density filter is part of the custom function option on the optura 60, turning it on will do little...its a digital effect the optura also has a seprate nd filter setting for still photos or shooting video to the sd card...this can be set to on or off, if on it goes into auto mode...if you still have your manual you will notice canon recommends getting a screw on glass nd filter if your shooting video to minidv tape basically an nd filter blocks light, but allows you to keep the shutter/aperture the same...so you can shoot outside but keep a shallow dof...below are some examples of how much light you can block, ther are also split nd filters, great for landscapes 0.3 ND filter 1 f-stop 0.6 ND filter 2 f-stops 0.9 ND filter 3 f-stops 1.2 ND filter 4 f-stops

December 5th, 2005, 07:26 AM	#11
Jon Nysse New Boot Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Richmond, WI Posts: 5	Ok. That makes sense to me now. Thank you.

December 5th, 2005, 08:32 AM	#12
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	"the Neutral Density filter is part of the custom function option on the optura 60, turning it on will do little...its a digital effect" This function doesn't seem to be available for video, only the still camera mode. Am I missing something?