Long exposures (film 1dmkII etc)

[Daniel Harrison]

OK,
So I thought I would pick up a film body for long exposures. but then I find out that you get colour shifts and other problems with that medium as well. So for norml uses is digital just as good? No good having slides with colour casts is there? Here is a test I did with a 15min exposure just now on the 1DII. what do you think, only sharpened 200% .5


oh and just to prove I don't just shoot teddy bears I have another 15min exposure of the 12
apostles. :-)

So is film worth it for this kind of stuff?


http://dhphotography.com.au/long/body.jpg

100% crop
http://dhphotography.com.au/long/arm4.jpg

12 Apostles Australia 12am
http://dhphotography.com.au/long/12.jpg

100% crop
http://dhphotography.com.au/long/rock.jpg

[Alain Briot]

http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/new-lands.shtml

[Daniel Harrison]

http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/new-lands.shtml

I would take that as a vote for digital :-)

1hr, that must have made quite a mess! Looks good in the end though. BTW you can turn that black frame off, it is in the custom functions. And I found out the hard way that if your camera runs out of juice during a long exposure it actually saves the image before it dies :-)

I was much releived.

[Alain Briot]

I would take that as a vote for digital :-)

1hr, that must have made quite a mess! Looks good in the end though. BTW you can turn that black frame off, it is in the custom functions. And I found out the hard way that if your camera runs out of juice during a long exposure it actually saves the image before it dies :-)


Actually the image has no visible noise. Not even in the shadows, thanks to the black frame and the ISO 100 setting I used.

I indeed vote for digital. I would be hard pressed to say where film has an advantage. I still use film with 4x5, but only because of the lack of a satisfying digital solution for this format.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Actually the image has no visible noise. Not even in the shadows, thanks to the black frame and the ISO 100 setting I used.

In fact, with appropriate software, one could create a longer non-noise reduced image with one battery, and create multiple darkframes (same exposure time, ISO setting, and ambient temperature, but with lens and viewfinder covered) with other batteries. The darkframes can be averaged for even better noise and hot/dead-pixel characterization, and then subtracted from the actual exposure. That would allow to use even longer, and/or ISO 50, signal exposures.

Bart

[Alain Briot]

In fact, with appropriate software, one could create a longer non-noise reduced image with one battery, and create multiple darkframes (same exposure time, ISO setting, and ambient temperature, but with lens and viewfinder covered) with other batteries. The darkframes can be averaged for even better noise and hot/dead-pixel characterization, and then subtracted from the actual exposure. That would allow to use even longer, and/or ISO 50, signal exposures.
Bart

I could have set the 1DsMk2 at ISO 50 and if using the power adapter connected to my car battery I can expose for longer than 1hr (1hr being more or less the maximum with the in-camera battery since with the black frame the power needs to be one for 2hrs).

The whole thing is to have a long extension cord if using the power adapter off the car battery. The other option is to carry a battery pack which frees you from having to be close to the car.

I personally don't know of any software that can do the black frame noise reduction processing.

[Daniel Harrison]

Actually the image has no visible noise. Not even in the shadows, thanks to the black frame and the ISO 100 setting I used.

I indeed vote for digital. I would be hard pressed to say where film has an advantage. I still use film with 4x5, but only because of the lack of a satisfying digital solution for this format.

Well I guess that settles it, digital it is :-) thanks for giving me some input, it is greatly appreciated. perhaps in the future I will also try the dark frame subtraction. It is just that it takes so long to do it, and I would rather keep shooting!

Thanks
Daniel

[Alain Briot]

... in the future I will also try the dark frame subtraction. It is just that it takes so long to do it, and I would rather keep shooting!


I made the choice between quality and quantity a long time ago. Quality is my goal. I therefore don't have to "keep shooting." I can take my time and work carefully towards a high end result, regardless of how long it takes.

[Asher Kelman]

Digtal does not have the grain of TriX if that's what you want ort the look of portra fro a wedding, if you like that.

Unfortunately we are losing choices because digtial becomes the one solution.

I doubt that digital noise is a real problem for digital work today. I do think however, that we may short change ourselves by turning our backs on film altogether. At least Alain has been there and paid his dues.

Film has a ay of making one a little bit more careful about each shot.

Asher

[Daniel Harrison]

Digtal does not have the grain of TriX if that's what you want ort the look of portra fro a wedding, if you like that.

Unfortunately we are losing choices because digtial becomes the one solution.

I doubt that digital noise is a real problem for digital work today. I do think however, that we may short change ourselves by turning our backs on film altogether.

Film has a way of making one a little bit more careful about each shot.

Asher

That's true Asher, the question at hand is whether for long exposures (15min -1hr or more) film would be a better altenative. Sounds like digital does a good enough job in compasrison.

[Alain Briot]

I do think however, that we may short change ourselves by turning our backs on film altogether. At least Alain has been there and paid his dues.

Film has a way of making one a little bit more careful about each shot.


We should make it a requirement that everyone tries film, even just once, including developing a roll of film themselves ;-)

Most of the questions about film vs digital can be answered by doing a couple of comparison images using both mediums.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I personally don't know of any software that can do the black frame noise reduction processing.

ImagesPlus (http://www.mlunsold.com/) (an application geared at astro photography) is one I know of (and use, although for other purposes than blackframe subtraction). There are likely to be others, but maybe not as easy to use.

Bart

[Alain Briot]

There are likely to be others, but maybe not as easy to use.


But maybe running on Macs for those of us who chose this platform?

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

But maybe running on Macs for those of us who chose this platform?

Unfortunately, the options seem more limited than on a Windows platform, unless you use a Windows emulator.

Bart

[Alain Briot]

Unfortunately, the options seem more limited than on a Windows platform, unless you use a Windows emulator.
Bart

That's true, the Intel Macs have opened new avenues in that respect. Tower Intel Macs have just been announced and I will be getting one soon. Probably not an 8 core model because it's hot enough in Phoenix and I don't need an extra heat source ;-)

[Steve Saunders]

I suppose digital is more versatile in that you can easily correct the colour cast. Noise is the only real concern with long exposures and digital.

[Nicolas Claris]

That's true, the Intel Macs have opened new avenues in that respect. Tower Intel Macs have just been announced and I will be getting one soon. Probably not an 8 core model because it's hot enough in Phoenix and I don't need an extra heat source ;-)

Bonjour Alain
How that? I do have a Tower Intel Macs dualcore, pretty fast BTW, since Christmas (yes , thanks Santa!). But get prepared for an extra budget for lot of RAM!

Have a great day shooting!

[Alain Briot]

Bonjour Alain
How that? I do have a Tower Intel Macs dualcore, pretty fast BTW, since Christmas (yes , thanks Santa!). But get prepared for an extra budget for lot of RAM!

Have a great day shooting!

Hi Nicolas,

It's not the money, it's the heat ;-)


---> Which model do you have and how much Ram??