The 15mm Limited controls my mind - club

mark lj · 02-23-2012, 01:52 AM

A cracker Chris

Like those snowy trees Loco - absolutely my sort of thing but we haven't had those types of conditions at all this year (well, one day but it was my first day bacvk home after a five day wander in the Highlands and I'd have been in trouble if I'd gone out first day home).

mark lj · 02-23-2012, 01:54 AM

Originally posted by jsherman999

Arg!!! Can I come hang out with you?!? (stunning shot, the roundness and surface texture of the rocks in the foreground just do it for me, as do the colors in this shot...)

Agreed - super shot Mike - like the emphasis on the foreground.

usrbrv8 · 02-23-2012, 10:39 AM

Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/
Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system?
Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop?
Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots.

v5planet · 02-23-2012, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by usrbrv8

Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/
Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system?
Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop?
Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots.

Congrats on your purchase!

Balancing they sky and landscape will depend on the situation. When there is a big dynamic range gap I generally use multiple exposures and manually blend them in Photoshop. Stopping the lens down won't do anything to compress the dynamic range -- but it WILL help control discrete areas of bright light, like street lamps, by turning them into starbursts.

v5planet · 02-23-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally posted by mikeSF

chris, i love that silhouette/sky pic!!

Originally posted by mark lj:

A cracker Chris

Thanks guys!

loco · 02-23-2012, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by mark lj

A cracker Chris

Like those snowy trees Loco - absolutely my sort of thing but we haven't had those types of conditions at all this year (well, one day but it was my first day bacvk home after a five day wander in the Highlands and I'd have been in trouble if I'd gone out first day home).

Thanks, Mark! Appreciate the kind words! It's been a mighty quiet winter here as well.

Colbyt · 02-23-2012, 12:11 PM

Originally posted by usrbrv8

Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow..

How many has this thread sold to date? I have lost count.

**Deimos** · 02-23-2012, 02:09 PM - **1 Like**

Great shots loco and chris!

Originally posted by Colbyt

How many has this thread sold to date? I have lost count.

all of them

mikeSF · 02-23-2012, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by usrbrv8

Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/
Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system?
Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop?
Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots.

i was in asheville myself last year at this time and it was snowing, have fun!

i have a full cokin/hitech square filter set but i tend to bracket and do exposure blending in post because i prefer that look. it is much more work though. also, when shooting seascapes, my cokins get so sprayed, it is just easier to wipe down the tiny DA15 front element than clean all those cokins.

usrbrv8 · 02-23-2012, 11:22 PM

Mike,
Which Cokin filter system do you use, I was under the impression that they did not work well for lenses wider than 20mm, but seeing your pics I guess you have found a way to make it work.

Would a setup like this work?
Get a cheap 49mm filter, Tiffen 49mm UV Protector Filter 49UVP B&H Photo Video remove glass.
Get a Lee 49mm wide angle adapter, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/87140-REG/LEE_Filters_WAR049_Adapter_Ring_49mm.html I would hope this is just enough distance to get past the lens hood without creating vignette.

Do you think I could fit a 49mm to 67mm step up adapter instead of the 49mm tiffen filter. The reason being is that I have another lens with a 67mm filter size, so that way I could use the same Lee Adapter ring for both lenses.

Attach Lee Filter Holder LEE Filters Foundation Kit FK B&H Photo Video with only 1 or 2 sets of filter holder blocks.
Then slide in what ever ND or ND Grad filter I wanted to use (HiTech, Lee, etc..)

I assume this could be done a little cheaper if I went with Cokin instead of Lee, right?

Thanks

mikeSF · 02-24-2012, 08:48 AM

@usrbrv8, I use the WIDE ANGLE Cokin holder(P size), which is thinner than the 3-slot model. It only holds one (actually 2) filters but i rarely stack filters. To clear the DA15 hood, simply use an empty 49mm ring before attaching the adapter and you're all set. Vignetting, very slight but never a problem.

more benefits of doing digital exposure blending instead of square filters include:

1) when shooting lights or the sun, the filters will tend to flare and/or lose contrast. DA15 naked does neither.

2) if something sticks up from your flat horizon, the grad filter will darken it which looks very unnatural. That tree sticking up in your foreground has black leaves, for example.

usrbrv8 · 02-24-2012, 09:40 AM

Mike,
Thanks for the pointers. I think I am going to play around with the lens and for a while before I make the investment in the cokin system.

Thanks

Hylas · 02-25-2012, 01:58 AM

Originally posted by loco

Amazing shots in this thread as always. I regret not checking in more often! MattB and twitch, I am especially in awe!!

It finally snowed in Virginia! I went out this morning with my DA 15 and got these two shots. Haven't processed the rest yet. Hope y'all like them.

That's a beautiful shot! Really love the warm light on the snow.

mark lj · 02-25-2012, 04:59 AM

Standard dog walking pic from last Sunday.

**dadipentak** · 02-25-2012, 05:12 AM

Originally posted by mark lj

Standard dog walking pic

Yawn.

02-23-2012, 11:22 PM	#3805
usrbrv8 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 47	Mike, Which Cokin filter system do you use, I was under the impression that they did not work well for lenses wider than 20mm, but seeing your pics I guess you have found a way to make it work. Would a setup like this work? Get a cheap 49mm filter, Tiffen 49mm UV Protector Filter 49UVP B&H Photo Video remove glass. Get a Lee 49mm wide angle adapter, http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/87140-REG/LEE_Filters_WAR049_Adapter_Ring_49mm.html I would hope this is just enough distance to get past the lens hood without creating vignette. Do you think I could fit a 49mm to 67mm step up adapter instead of the 49mm tiffen filter. The reason being is that I have another lens with a 67mm filter size, so that way I could use the same Lee Adapter ring for both lenses. Attach Lee Filter Holder LEE Filters Foundation Kit FK B&H Photo Video with only 1 or 2 sets of filter holder blocks. Then slide in what ever ND or ND Grad filter I wanted to use (HiTech, Lee, etc..) I assume this could be done a little cheaper if I went with Cokin instead of Lee, right? Thanks Last edited by usrbrv8; 02-24-2012 at 08:14 AM.

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02-23-2012, 01:52 AM	#3796
mark lj Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 983	A cracker Chris Like those snowy trees Loco - absolutely my sort of thing but we haven't had those types of conditions at all this year (well, one day but it was my first day bacvk home after a five day wander in the Highlands and I'd have been in trouble if I'd gone out first day home).

02-23-2012, 01:54 AM	#3797
mark lj Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 983	Originally posted by jsherman999 Arg!!! Can I come hang out with you?!? (stunning shot, the roundness and surface texture of the rocks in the foreground just do it for me, as do the colors in this shot...) Agreed - super shot Mike - like the emphasis on the foreground.

02-23-2012, 10:39 AM	#3798
usrbrv8 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 47	Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/ Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system? Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop? Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out. Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots.

02-23-2012, 10:51 AM	#3799
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by usrbrv8 Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/ Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system? Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop? Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out. Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots. Congrats on your purchase! Balancing they sky and landscape will depend on the situation. When there is a big dynamic range gap I generally use multiple exposures and manually blend them in Photoshop. Stopping the lens down won't do anything to compress the dynamic range -- but it WILL help control discrete areas of bright light, like street lamps, by turning them into starbursts.

02-23-2012, 10:52 AM	#3800
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by mikeSF chris, i love that silhouette/sky pic!! Originally posted by mark lj: A cracker Chris Thanks guys!

02-23-2012, 11:30 AM	#3801
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	Originally posted by mark lj A cracker Chris Like those snowy trees Loco - absolutely my sort of thing but we haven't had those types of conditions at all this year (well, one day but it was my first day bacvk home after a five day wander in the Highlands and I'd have been in trouble if I'd gone out first day home). Thanks, Mark! Appreciate the kind words! It's been a mighty quiet winter here as well.

02-23-2012, 12:11 PM	#3802
Colbyt Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Kentucky Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,417	Originally posted by usrbrv8 Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow.. How many has this thread sold to date? I have lost count.

02-23-2012, 02:09 PM - 1 Like	#3803
Deimos Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Kingdom of Wonder Posts: 1,777	Great shots loco and chris! Originally posted by Colbyt How many has this thread sold to date? I have lost count. all of them

02-23-2012, 07:21 PM	#3804
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	Originally posted by usrbrv8 Well this thread got to me and I purchased the 15 limited, it will be here tomorrow. I have seen many great landscape shots, but how are most of you controling the brightness of the sky:/ Grad ND filter with a hard transition, like a Lee or conkin filter system? Or are you exposure stacking and fixing in Photoshop? Or is stopping the lens down and using a long shutter time enough to keep the sky from blowing out. Any suggestions would be appreciated, I will be taking my lens to Asheville NC next week and I hope to get some good waterfall and Blue Ridge parkway shots. i was in asheville myself last year at this time and it was snowing, have fun! i have a full cokin/hitech square filter set but i tend to bracket and do exposure blending in post because i prefer that look. it is much more work though. also, when shooting seascapes, my cokins get so sprayed, it is just easier to wipe down the tiny DA15 front element than clean all those cokins.

02-24-2012, 08:48 AM	#3806
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	@usrbrv8, I use the WIDE ANGLE Cokin holder(P size), which is thinner than the 3-slot model. It only holds one (actually 2) filters but i rarely stack filters. To clear the DA15 hood, simply use an empty 49mm ring before attaching the adapter and you're all set. Vignetting, very slight but never a problem. more benefits of doing digital exposure blending instead of square filters include: 1) when shooting lights or the sun, the filters will tend to flare and/or lose contrast. DA15 naked does neither. 2) if something sticks up from your flat horizon, the grad filter will darken it which looks very unnatural. That tree sticking up in your foreground has black leaves, for example.

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02-24-2012, 09:40 AM	#3807
usrbrv8 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 47	Mike, Thanks for the pointers. I think I am going to play around with the lens and for a while before I make the investment in the cokin system. Thanks

02-25-2012, 01:58 AM	#3808
Hylas New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 9	Originally posted by loco Amazing shots in this thread as always. I regret not checking in more often! MattB and twitch, I am especially in awe!! It finally snowed in Virginia! I went out this morning with my DA 15 and got these two shots. Haven't processed the rest yet. Hope y'all like them. That's a beautiful shot! Really love the warm light on the snow.

02-25-2012, 04:59 AM	#3809
mark lj Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 983	Standard dog walking pic from last Sunday.

02-25-2012, 05:12 AM	#3810
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by mark lj Standard dog walking pic Yawn.