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B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:20 pm
by biggerry
I have noticed this a couple of times with the B+W ND1000 filter, two almost identical compositions, in this case a slight composition change to include some more rock resulted in the WB (set on AutoWB) going off the chart (when compared to the first image)

Typically my bigstopper shots are mostly warm, however occasionally this happens where it just swings to the other side of the scale, super cool.

Anyone else experienced this? and yes I probably should set the WB to be consistent.

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oh and another interesting issue, I suspect this one relates to stray light getting in some how, possibly between the Grad and the bigstopper, or could be light refracting down the viewfinder ? might be a reason for that funny little plug thing they tell you to stick over the eye piece when doing LE. In this case the sun was strong and 90 degrees to the plane of the shot.

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Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:29 pm
by Matt. K
That little plug thing that fits over the eyepiece prevents stray light entering the camera and affecting the exposure. You could just as well place your hand, or a bit of black cloth over it.

Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:59 am
by Remorhaz
biggerry wrote:I have noticed this a couple of times with the B+W ND1000 filter, two almost identical compositions, in this case a slight composition change to include some more rock resulted in the WB (set on AutoWB) going off the chart (when compared to the first image). Typically my bigstopper shots are mostly warm, however occasionally this happens where it just swings to the other side of the scale, super cool. Anyone else experienced this? and yes I probably should set the WB to be consistent.


Not really - at least not with shots in the same environment. I do have shots which are very cool (e.g. my ones at Mrs Macs) and others which are warm - but they are taken at different locations at different times.

Perhaps it's actually the below (viewfinder leak) in play for this and not for the below condition... i.e. does the WB get set at the point of triggering the metering/exposure and if so the (colour temp of the) light leaking in the viewfinder (which is probably very bright compared to the 1000+ to 1 reduced light coming in from the lens) could affect AutoWB? e.g. one shot you're standing away from the camera and it's straight warm light, another you are shadowing the viewfinder and it's cool. I know I tend to always shadow my viewfinder (at triggering time) whenever I'm doing LE - so I get "consistent" results.

oh and another interesting issue, I suspect this one relates to stray light getting in some how, possibly between the Grad and the bigstopper, or could be light refracting down the viewfinder ? might be a reason for that funny little plug thing they tell you to stick over the eye piece when doing LE. In this case the sun was strong and 90 degrees to the plane of the shot.

Matt. K wrote:That little plug thing that fits over the eyepiece prevents stray light entering the camera and affecting the exposure. You could just as well place your hand, or a bit of black cloth over it.


Me too - I was thinking WTF - I thought it was only me (note light to dark vertical line down left of middle - NB this is SOOC).

Personally I suspect this is more to do with the sun shining directly into the edge of the grad (which we could have shaded by standing and blocking the sun on the side) - if it was viewfinder I would more expect a bottom to top transition. I was always under the impression that the leak in the viewfinder only affected the metering, etc before the shot and that once the mirror flipped up and the shot was being taken that it blocked the viewfinder from the sensor anyway and since we shoot in bulb for these long exposures it doesn't matter.

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Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:21 am
by aim54x
I have noticed that AWB does do strange things with the big stopper....but I don't recall seeing consecutive shots with greatly differing WB like that. Unfortunately (or is fortunately) I am also guilty of using AWB too often.

Whilst on this topic, did you guys notice colour casting when you combine your big stopper with your Lee filters? The Cokin's that I have produce a terrible cast.

Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:29 am
by Mr Darcy
Matt. K wrote:That little plug thing that fits over the eyepiece prevents stray light entering the camera and affecting the exposure. You could just as well place your hand, or a bit of black cloth over it.

My d800 has a built in shutter, but with my D200, I used to have a piece of black cloth tape stuck to the top on the camera, I would just reposition it to cover the eyepiece when needed. I found it much more convenient than the plastic shield supplied by Nikon. And I fancied the grunge look it imparted lowered the chances of theft as it looked like a homemade repair.

Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:57 am
by Remorhaz
aim54x wrote:Whilst on this topic, did you guys notice colour casting when you combine your big stopper with your Lee filters? The Cokin's that I have produce a terrible cast.


I don't really notice any diff with or without the Lee filters in conjunction with the 10 stopper (but I'm not very observant :))

Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:47 pm
by gstark
biggerry wrote: I probably should set the WB to be consistent.


I think we have a winner. :)

Re: B+W Bigstopper ND1000 White Balance

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:52 pm
by biggerry
Remorhaz wrote:Perhaps it's actually the below (viewfinder leak) in play for this and not for the below condition... i.e. does the WB get set at the point of triggering the metering/exposure and if so the (colour temp of the) light leaking in the viewfinder (which is probably very bright compared to the 1000+ to 1 reduced light coming in from the lens) could affect AutoWB?


Interesting, could well be, some further testing is required i reckon, that said waiting around for 3 minute exposures does not really ring my bell.

Remorhaz wrote:Me too - I was thinking WTF - I thought it was only me (note light to dark vertical line down left of middle - NB this is SOOC).


:rotfl2: yeah mine posted are OOC, a few 93 from memory) had this, i do recall shading the cam with my body for some and not others..

aim54x wrote:Whilst on this topic, did you guys notice colour casting when you combine your big stopper with your Lee filters?


nah, usually sweet as, just the warmth from the BS


Mr Darcy wrote:My d800 has a built in shutte

:evil:

upgrade feature ? :wink:

Matt. K wrote:That little plug thing that fits over the eyepiece prevents stray light entering the camera and affecting the exposure. You could just as well place your hand, or a bit of black cloth over it.

:up:

gstark wrote:
biggerry wrote: I probably should set the WB to be consistent.


I think we have a winner. :)


c'mon, give us some credit, after the first super blue one I did switch to a present WB :)