Exposures over a second - timing?

[gavin_.1]

Newbie question: if I want a 3 second exposure but my shutter only has a maximum controlled speed of 1 second (with bulb as the next setting), how do I accurately time the exposure? The difference between 1 and 2 seconds is obviously a lot bigger in percentage terms than the difference between 14 and 15 seconds, so this is accuracy is more relevant at faster speeds, so how do you go about getting an accurate 2 or 3 second exposure?

[pat_krentz]

Put it on bulb and use your shutter release to open it for 3 seconds

and then release the shutter, or use the one second and cock it three

times. Pat

[dan_smith]

You learn to count seconds. Or, use a watch with a second hand. It

isn't that critical to be accurate to a thousandth of a second on

this stuff as long as you are pretty consistent in how you time the

exposures.

[pete_andrews]

Click - one elephant, two elephant, three elephant. - click.

[walter_glover]

Gavin,

 

<p>

 

I use 'T' with a good cable release and a stop watch. (During a

long day of shooting I get watch crazy trying to remember the

point I started at when I use my sweep second hand).

 

<p>

 

I also have a Prontor Timer cable release which has a clockwork

timer from 1 second to 32 seconds. A rare bird but worth its

weight in gold on a big shoot.

 

<p>

 

WG

[jan_eerala2]

Living here in the dark north, most of my exposures bumps into the

painful range between one to five seconds. Though I've been

practicing elephants and many other mammals all my life, I still make

huge errors. And using a clock is really difficult, I can't take the

picture without looking at the object during the exposure. So a timer

cable release would be a gift from heaven. Any idea are they still

made by someone, and if, is there possibly some place in Europa

where such thing can be find? Thanks in forward, Jan, Finland.

[pete_andrews]

OK then, how about an electronic metronome, set to 60 beats per

second. I really don't see what the big problem is here.

[robert_a._zeichner1]

Related to your question is the issue reciprocity departure. If your

meter indicates that a 2 or 3 sec. exposure is necessary, don't forget

that more time must be added to compensate for the film's gradual

reduction in sensitivity beyond a 1 sec. exposure. There are tables for

different types of film and in the case of color, recommended filters

for compensating for color shift. As far as timing goes, I just count

one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, etc. Works

fine. For anything real long like 20 sec. to a minute or two, I use my

watch's sweep hand.

[jan_eerala1]

For most modern color films the reciprocity factor will be only about

50 percent or less with a 2 second exposure. I hope it would be more,

because, with longer exposure the latitude would be wider.

 

<p>

 

And Pete, why didn't you suggest me to hire an inuit mumbling; one

icebear, two icebears...

[doug_paramore]

Gavin: I have seen timers which screw directly into the cable release

socket which work well with longer exposures. I don't know if they

are still being made, but I have seen them at used camera trade

shows. I agree about increasing the time with long exposures. There

are tables available which gives you the additional time. It

increases a lot beyond one second. I use the counting out loud method

and have little trouble.

 

<p>

 

Regards,

 

<p>

 

Doug.

[mark_parsons1]

It seems like I almost never make exposures in the 1-4 second range,

due to reciprocity. (i.e. if it meters 1/2 sec., the shutter handles

it. If it meters 2 sec., I'll give it 5 or so for reciprocity.)

That doesn't solve your 3 sec. problem if that's the actual exposure,

of course, but I'm just saying not to forget about reciprocity. And

don't worry about getting exactly 3 sec. - just count it out and

you'll be fine. If you're concerned, practice a bit first with your

watch - you'll be plenty close enough.

 

<p>

 

Don't worry, be happy, make picture!

[steve_baggett1]

I will offer 4 technical solutions: (1) Take a second mortgage and

buy the Linhof Prontor Professional timer #022502 ($640 at B&H). (2)

Find an old, used Autoknips timer 1/2-30 seconds mechanical shutter

release. I found one for $30 on ebay. (Previous poster alluded to

this device. Beautiful little German-crafted gizmos.) (3) Digital

countdown timer from Radio Shack ($20). They are also sold in

kitchen supply retailers. (4) "One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi", ...

[bill_glickman]

This question keeps poping up...and all of us are looking for an

inexpensive solution for long exposure. I agree that a simple count

will get you close enough, but it sure would be nice to have a simple

timer similar to the prontor but not be worth more than our

cameras. A great solution, which I never took the time to build, is

to have a Canon EOS remote control with timer and battery self

contained which would control a solenoid working the cable release.

It would cost under $100 and would be ideal for even longer

exposures, I think up to 5 + minutes. If someone goes through the

trouble of locating the right solenoid and perfects this, maybe they

will be kind enough to share it with the list....

[joseph_dickerson]

Gavin,

 

<p>

 

Any of the above will work. If you opt for counting the seconds don�t

use the old one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi. You�ll get much better

photos by counting one-Ansel Adams, two-Ansel Adams.......

 

<p>

 

Joe Dickers

[doug_paramore]

Note to Joe: One Ansel Adams...two Ansel Adams...works better with

the old thick emulsion films. You get better results with modern

films by using one John Sexton...two John Sexton...

 

<p>

 

Regards,

[pete_andrews]

Or, for automatic reciprocity compensation:<br> One elephant, two big

elephants, 3 giant elephants, 4 enormous elephants, 5 extremely big

elephants, 6 extremely giant ..... etc.

[chris_jordan3]

i don't believe how unsophisticated you guys are. jeez. counting

"one elephant..." could result in gross errors. don't you know that

the right way to do it is count "one one-thousand, two one-thousand,

etc....???"

 

<p>

 

HA!!!!

 

<p>

 

~chris jordan (Seattle)

[dan_smith]

Here in Utah we count "first wife, second wife, third wife..."

 

<p>

 

The seconds work fine this way and are a lot easier to deal with than

all these women in a state where marrying your first cousin, as well

as girls at 14, is legal.

[david_goldfarb]

Using a cheap quartz metronome set to 120 (2 beats per second--then

subdivide to 4 or more beats per second in your head) for exposures in

this range can be quite accurate. Musicians require precision on the

order of thousandths of a second.

 

<p>

 

Ansel Adams used a metronome in the darkroom to time dodging and

burning exposures before they were commonly built into

enlarging timers.

[neil_poulsen1]

Pete Andrews' method of "One elephant, two big elephants, 3 giant

elephants, etc." has the advantage that it takes care of reciprosity

at the same time that it takes care of exposure. Very nice.

[jim_dainis]

Set the shutter for one second and make three exposures. Tell

everyone not to move. Seriously, with the failure of the law of

reciprocity, if my meter indicated 3 seconds, I would give it about 10

seconds for black and white film. At these exposure times, being off a

bie isn't going to hurt, it may even help.

[walt_cleveland]

Doug Paramore - Very good (!) inside joke.