Sunset settings

Neville · 08-27-2013, 08:02 AM

I am about to shoot a sunset in hazy conditions, with some streaky clouds just above the horizon.

These are my settings: f-11, ISO 80, spot metering, auto-focus, white balance set to daylight, RAW.

Are these settings ok, and should I focus on the sun and then compose?

photolady95 · 08-27-2013, 08:18 AM

Are you shooting manual or one of the TAV, TV, AV, or P settings?

carrrlangas · 08-27-2013, 08:30 AM

Your settings are ok. Use manual mode and take shots at different shutter speeds (bracketing). Try to get the histogram to the right as much as possiblewothout clipping.

normhead · 08-27-2013, 08:34 AM

Your big friend in sunsets is the EV adjustments, depending on camera angle I tend to bracket, and I've had settings as low as -3 EV (and as high as +2 EV) be the best setting, based on the cameras angle to the sun and other factors. IMHO, don't even start dreaming you can get good sunsets without the EV adjustment.

**Bruce Clark** · 08-27-2013, 08:41 AM

I normally tend to use settings much like yours ISO 100 f8-f16 on AV. Spot or centre weighted metering. Mostly though I find it a bit of guess work and bracket a few shots +/- 2 or 3 stops. I try not to focus directly on the sun but off to one side on a relatively bright patch of sky. But given the hazy conditions you are expecting you might get away with focusing at the sun.itself. Be careful not to look directly at the sun. One time when the rear screen of a DSLR can be useful.

normhead · 08-27-2013, 08:44 AM

Oh ya, and don't forget to chimp a lot... if it looks bleached out on the little screen, it's probably going to look bleached out on the big screen.

theskonesdad · 08-27-2013, 08:53 AM - **1 Like**

You might try a few with the white balance set to cloudy.

Paleo Pete · 08-27-2013, 09:17 AM

About the same as my settings, and I agree don't meter off the sun but over to one side. I always try different shutter speeds and apertures but ISO always stays at 100.

Here's one at ISO200 a couple of days ago, shutter speed 1/350 with the Pentax M50mm f1.7. Not a great scene for it but not too bad for a sudden urban sunset grab without a chance to go to a better spot. Metered by looking at it and guessing at shutter speed...I very rarely use auto metering, I look at the overall conditions and decide what settings I want, usually it works out pretty well...I was already set to ISO200 and just didn't bother to change it, 200 gives me no more noise than 100 so I rolled with it. Hand held sitting in my Jeep with it idling. Saw this in the mirror and decided to turn around and get a shot of it.

Phii Mii · 08-27-2013, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by Paleo Pete

About the same as my settings, and I agree don't meter off the sun but over to one side. I always try different shutter speeds and apertures but ISO always stays at 100.

Here's one at ISO200 a couple of days ago, shutter speed 1/350 with the Pentax M50mm f1.7. Not a great scene for it but not too bad for a sudden urban sunset grab without a chance to go to a better spot. Metered by looking at it and guessing at shutter speed...I very rarely use auto metering, I look at the overall conditions and decide what settings I want, usually it works out pretty well...I was already set to ISO200 and just didn't bother to change it, 200 gives me no more noise than 100 so I rolled with it. Hand held sitting in my Jeep with it idling. Saw this in the mirror and decided to turn around and get a shot of it.

Very nice. I love that sky

Neville · 08-27-2013, 11:00 AM

Thanks guys - all your responses came through while I was in the thick of shooting the setting sun, so I could not reply immediately.

Here is the result:

carrrlangas · 08-27-2013, 12:16 PM

haha, I like the real time interaction thing! The shot looks great, I´d like to go there some day.

On the technical side, I took closer look (Pixel peeped, guilty) and also checked the EXIF data: 1/30, ISO 80, f/11, 300mm
My personal comments (please take them as what they are):
I think your settings were right (using a tripod, mirror lock up / timer, right?)
I think you might have underexposed the sensor. I mean, independent of the final result, I think this shot would benefit from exposing to the right as much as possible and then adjust brighnss in PP. This would reduce noise and bring more detail on the shadows. I know this must be difficult because of the high brightness of the sun. Perhaps a polarizer would help balance it´s brighness with the rest of the scene?
Also, I don´t know if it was diffraction, slight missfocus or motion blur, but there is some kind of blur. Maybe due to subexposure and not to non of the first.

Again, This is just my personal opinion. Might help, might not.

Congratulations on the picture again

**JimJohnson** · 08-27-2013, 01:08 PM

Sunsets are for me a good time to use the built-in scene mode and shoot RAW+. It handles the exposure compensation for typical sunsets (or sunrises) fairly well and gives me a really good starting point for my RAW images. Try it before you knock it. At least you will know what it does and doesn't do for you.

**K(s)evin** · 08-27-2013, 09:02 PM

The CTE ( Color Temperature Enhancement) setting in the White Balance menu was designed for use during sunrise/sunset or any other situation where you want to add a little extra spice to the color temperature of the light. CTE will enhance whatever the white balance is at the moment you press the shutter.

I discovered this while talking with one of the Pentax reps a year or two ago during the K30 debut tour.

Back when I was a TV photojournalist, we had a little trick to kind of " punch-up" a sunset/rise shot if it wasn't dramatic enough. We would just white balance the camera on our faded blue jeans. Worked every time!

**Lowell Goudge** · 08-27-2013, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by Neville

I am about to shoot a sunset in hazy conditions, with some streaky clouds just above the horizon.

These are my settings: f-11, ISO 80, spot metering, auto-focus, white balance set to daylight, RAW.

Are these settings ok, and should I focus on the sun and then compose?

It's not a question of the exact settings you have but what you elect to meter from.

Spot metering is essential. But otherwise settings are as you need to get an exposure . I am assuming hand held so you want shutter speed at at least 1/focal length.

The key, I find is to either shoot green button, with Av shift (since you are setting shutter speed) and meter off the brightest point in the sky.

bossa · 08-27-2013, 11:40 PM

I like the final result Neville.

One I took 3 days ago down at the airport with my D800e & 70-200 VRII.

D800e & 35mm F/1.4G

K-5 & FA 31mm

08-27-2013, 08:02 AM	#1
Neville Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Durban, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 561	Sunset settings I am about to shoot a sunset in hazy conditions, with some streaky clouds just above the horizon. These are my settings: f-11, ISO 80, spot metering, auto-focus, white balance set to daylight, RAW. Are these settings ok, and should I focus on the sun and then compose?

08-27-2013, 11:40 PM	#15
bossa Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Adelaide Posts: 4,546	I like the final result Neville. One I took 3 days ago down at the airport with my D800e & 70-200 VRII. D800e & 35mm F/1.4G K-5 & FA 31mm Last edited by bossa; 08-27-2013 at 11:49 PM.

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08-27-2013, 08:18 AM	#2
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Are you shooting manual or one of the TAV, TV, AV, or P settings?

08-27-2013, 08:30 AM	#3
carrrlangas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Joensuu (Finland) Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,761	Your settings are ok. Use manual mode and take shots at different shutter speeds (bracketing). Try to get the histogram to the right as much as possiblewothout clipping.

08-27-2013, 08:34 AM	#4
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Your big friend in sunsets is the EV adjustments, depending on camera angle I tend to bracket, and I've had settings as low as -3 EV (and as high as +2 EV) be the best setting, based on the cameras angle to the sun and other factors. IMHO, don't even start dreaming you can get good sunsets without the EV adjustment.

08-27-2013, 08:41 AM	#5
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	I normally tend to use settings much like yours ISO 100 f8-f16 on AV. Spot or centre weighted metering. Mostly though I find it a bit of guess work and bracket a few shots +/- 2 or 3 stops. I try not to focus directly on the sun but off to one side on a relatively bright patch of sky. But given the hazy conditions you are expecting you might get away with focusing at the sun.itself. Be careful not to look directly at the sun. One time when the rear screen of a DSLR can be useful.

08-27-2013, 08:44 AM	#6
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Oh ya, and don't forget to chimp a lot... if it looks bleached out on the little screen, it's probably going to look bleached out on the big screen.

08-27-2013, 08:53 AM - 1 Like	#7
theskonesdad Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Creston,B.C. Posts: 73	You might try a few with the white balance set to cloudy.

08-27-2013, 09:17 AM	#8
Paleo Pete Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,880	About the same as my settings, and I agree don't meter off the sun but over to one side. I always try different shutter speeds and apertures but ISO always stays at 100. Here's one at ISO200 a couple of days ago, shutter speed 1/350 with the Pentax M50mm f1.7. Not a great scene for it but not too bad for a sudden urban sunset grab without a chance to go to a better spot. Metered by looking at it and guessing at shutter speed...I very rarely use auto metering, I look at the overall conditions and decide what settings I want, usually it works out pretty well...I was already set to ISO200 and just didn't bother to change it, 200 gives me no more noise than 100 so I rolled with it. Hand held sitting in my Jeep with it idling. Saw this in the mirror and decided to turn around and get a shot of it.

08-27-2013, 09:22 AM	#9
Phii Mii Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 27	Originally posted by Paleo Pete About the same as my settings, and I agree don't meter off the sun but over to one side. I always try different shutter speeds and apertures but ISO always stays at 100. Here's one at ISO200 a couple of days ago, shutter speed 1/350 with the Pentax M50mm f1.7. Not a great scene for it but not too bad for a sudden urban sunset grab without a chance to go to a better spot. Metered by looking at it and guessing at shutter speed...I very rarely use auto metering, I look at the overall conditions and decide what settings I want, usually it works out pretty well...I was already set to ISO200 and just didn't bother to change it, 200 gives me no more noise than 100 so I rolled with it. Hand held sitting in my Jeep with it idling. Saw this in the mirror and decided to turn around and get a shot of it. Very nice. I love that sky

08-27-2013, 11:00 AM	#10
Neville Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Durban, South Africa Photos: Gallery Posts: 561 Original Poster	Thanks guys - all your responses came through while I was in the thick of shooting the setting sun, so I could not reply immediately. Here is the result:

08-27-2013, 12:16 PM	#11
carrrlangas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Joensuu (Finland) Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,761	haha, I like the real time interaction thing! The shot looks great, I´d like to go there some day. On the technical side, I took closer look (Pixel peeped, guilty) and also checked the EXIF data: 1/30, ISO 80, f/11, 300mm My personal comments (please take them as what they are): I think your settings were right (using a tripod, mirror lock up / timer, right?) I think you might have underexposed the sensor. I mean, independent of the final result, I think this shot would benefit from exposing to the right as much as possible and then adjust brighnss in PP. This would reduce noise and bring more detail on the shadows. I know this must be difficult because of the high brightness of the sun. Perhaps a polarizer would help balance it´s brighness with the rest of the scene? Also, I don´t know if it was diffraction, slight missfocus or motion blur, but there is some kind of blur. Maybe due to subexposure and not to non of the first. Again, This is just my personal opinion. Might help, might not. Congratulations on the picture again

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08-27-2013, 01:08 PM	#12
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Sunsets are for me a good time to use the built-in scene mode and shoot RAW+. It handles the exposure compensation for typical sunsets (or sunrises) fairly well and gives me a really good starting point for my RAW images. Try it before you knock it. At least you will know what it does and doesn't do for you.

08-27-2013, 09:02 PM	#13
K(s)evin Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 476	The CTE ( Color Temperature Enhancement) setting in the White Balance menu was designed for use during sunrise/sunset or any other situation where you want to add a little extra spice to the color temperature of the light. CTE will enhance whatever the white balance is at the moment you press the shutter. I discovered this while talking with one of the Pentax reps a year or two ago during the K30 debut tour. Back when I was a TV photojournalist, we had a little trick to kind of " punch-up" a sunset/rise shot if it wasn't dramatic enough. We would just white balance the camera on our faded blue jeans. Worked every time!

08-27-2013, 10:40 PM	#14
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,886	Originally posted by Neville I am about to shoot a sunset in hazy conditions, with some streaky clouds just above the horizon. These are my settings: f-11, ISO 80, spot metering, auto-focus, white balance set to daylight, RAW. Are these settings ok, and should I focus on the sun and then compose? It's not a question of the exact settings you have but what you elect to meter from. Spot metering is essential. But otherwise settings are as you need to get an exposure . I am assuming hand held so you want shutter speed at at least 1/focal length. The key, I find is to either shoot green button, with Av shift (since you are setting shutter speed) and meter off the brightest point in the sky.