Slow shutter problems.

HowLowCanYaGo · 07-21-2007, 04:01 PM

So I got a 700DX in yesterday, and decided testing out a few 15s and 30s shots. Take note, I was using these settings mid-day. Now then, my problem. When taking a shot with a 30s shutter, everything works initially, and after the 30seconds and the shutter opens back up, the area on the display that shows number of pictures available on memory card blinks for about 20-30seconds - is this normal? Possibly memory card problem or camera problem?

Secondly, when taking these pictures with long shutters they typically come out completely white, as if the image was completely over-exposed. I took all shots mid-day, is that my problem? To much light?

Thanks for looking, and if everything stated here is completely normal, forgive my idiocracy.

egordon99 · 07-21-2007, 07:18 PM

Why were you shooting 30 second exposures in the middle of the day? With that question out of the way, The camera is doing dark-frame subtraction noise reduction. There is menu option to turn this on or off. It is used to "subtract" out noise generated by long exposures (from the heat of the sensor) and works by essentially taking an identical exposure (timewise) but with the shutter closed (the "dark frame"), it then take the noise from the second exposure to remove the noise from the main exposure.

Again, why were you taking 30 second exposures? Unless you used an ND-filter, stopped down ALL the way to f/32 (or even smaller) or you were in DEEP shade, your 30 second exposures will come out OVER exposed. Yes, they were white/overexposed because there was too much light.

Bryan Peterson has a good book explaining all the nitty gritty details of shutter speed and aperture and how they work together. "Understanding Exposure" Read it, understand it, become a better photographer

Good luck!

PS - What is a 700DX?

HowLowCanYaGo · 07-21-2007, 11:48 PM

The Slik 700DX. A tripod.

Thanks for the reply. I do have a pretty great concept of exposure, this was just my first time playing with long shutters and it happened to be mid-day.

Thanks

SupremeMoFo · 07-22-2007, 12:41 AM

I'm with egordon here - don't get why you're doing it in the middle of the day! You really don't need a tripod in the middle of the day. Leave the camera in full auto mode, in broad daylight you'll probably get a shutter speed of 1/250s...

Last edited by SupremeMoFo; 07-22-2007 at 05:30 AM.

Mike Cash · 07-22-2007, 05:14 AM

Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo

The Slik 700DX. A tripod.

Thanks for the reply. I do have a pretty great concept of exposure, this was just my first time playing with long shutters and it happened to be mid-day.

You can't possibly have a pretty great concept of exposure if you're doing 30 second exposures in mid-day and wondering why they came out white. That would be the flip side of taking photos at 1/4000 at night and wondering why they came out black.

Mechan1k · 07-22-2007, 09:52 PM

try the 30 second exposures on a tripod at midnight ... not midday.
You will get better result ... or if it is that dark .... you might get a black photo instead of a white one ...

egordon99 · 07-23-2007, 04:36 AM

You sure about that? Just admit that you don't know and we will be GLAD to help! Nothing wrong with not knowing something. We're generally a friendly bunch over here

Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo

I do have a pretty great concept of exposure

Matt Miller · 07-23-2007, 05:12 AM

Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo

if everything stated here is completely normal, forgive my idiocracy.

Everything is completely normal, and you are forgiven. The camera locked up while doing it's noise reduction thing as explained above. The images were white because of severe overexposure, also explained above. I doubt there is anything wrong with your camera or your cards. If you want to make properly exposed 30s exposures in mid day light, you'll need ND filters.

07-21-2007, 04:01 PM	#1
HowLowCanYaGo Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 243	Slow shutter problems. So I got a 700DX in yesterday, and decided testing out a few 15s and 30s shots. Take note, I was using these settings mid-day. Now then, my problem. When taking a shot with a 30s shutter, everything works initially, and after the 30seconds and the shutter opens back up, the area on the display that shows number of pictures available on memory card blinks for about 20-30seconds - is this normal? Possibly memory card problem or camera problem? Secondly, when taking these pictures with long shutters they typically come out completely white, as if the image was completely over-exposed. I took all shots mid-day, is that my problem? To much light? Thanks for looking, and if everything stated here is completely normal, forgive my idiocracy.

07-22-2007, 05:14 AM	#5
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo The Slik 700DX. A tripod. Thanks for the reply. I do have a pretty great concept of exposure, this was just my first time playing with long shutters and it happened to be mid-day. You can't possibly have a pretty great concept of exposure if you're doing 30 second exposures in mid-day and wondering why they came out white. That would be the flip side of taking photos at 1/4000 at night and wondering why they came out black. Last edited by Mike Cash; 07-22-2007 at 06:54 AM.

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07-21-2007, 07:18 PM	#2
egordon99 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Outside of Philly Posts: 1,561	Why were you shooting 30 second exposures in the middle of the day? With that question out of the way, The camera is doing dark-frame subtraction noise reduction. There is menu option to turn this on or off. It is used to "subtract" out noise generated by long exposures (from the heat of the sensor) and works by essentially taking an identical exposure (timewise) but with the shutter closed (the "dark frame"), it then take the noise from the second exposure to remove the noise from the main exposure. Again, why were you taking 30 second exposures? Unless you used an ND-filter, stopped down ALL the way to f/32 (or even smaller) or you were in DEEP shade, your 30 second exposures will come out OVER exposed. Yes, they were white/overexposed because there was too much light. Bryan Peterson has a good book explaining all the nitty gritty details of shutter speed and aperture and how they work together. "Understanding Exposure" Read it, understand it, become a better photographer Good luck! PS - What is a 700DX?

07-21-2007, 11:48 PM	#3
HowLowCanYaGo Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 243 Original Poster	The Slik 700DX. A tripod. Thanks for the reply. I do have a pretty great concept of exposure, this was just my first time playing with long shutters and it happened to be mid-day. Thanks

07-22-2007, 12:41 AM	#4
SupremeMoFo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 668	I'm with egordon here - don't get why you're doing it in the middle of the day! You really don't need a tripod in the middle of the day. Leave the camera in full auto mode, in broad daylight you'll probably get a shutter speed of 1/250s... Last edited by SupremeMoFo; 07-22-2007 at 05:30 AM.

07-22-2007, 09:52 PM	#6
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	try the 30 second exposures on a tripod at midnight ... not midday. You will get better result ... or if it is that dark .... you might get a black photo instead of a white one ...

07-23-2007, 04:36 AM	#7
egordon99 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Outside of Philly Posts: 1,561	You sure about that? Just admit that you don't know and we will be GLAD to help! Nothing wrong with not knowing something. We're generally a friendly bunch over here Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo I do have a pretty great concept of exposure

07-23-2007, 05:12 AM	#8
Matt Miller Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cambridge, Iowa Photos: Gallery Posts: 339	Originally posted by HowLowCanYaGo if everything stated here is completely normal, forgive my idiocracy. Everything is completely normal, and you are forgiven. The camera locked up while doing it's noise reduction thing as explained above. The images were white because of severe overexposure, also explained above. I doubt there is anything wrong with your camera or your cards. If you want to make properly exposed 30s exposures in mid day light, you'll need ND filters.