Got my Singh Ray filter, now comes buyers remorse....

[Nancy Moran G]

Have been learning about filters thanks to all of you. I have wanted some sort of 10 stop for a while but for the $$, I wanted to think I knew what I was doing first...

Started looking at Singh Ray and found out I am 30 miles from their 'plant' here in Florida! Since I travel in an RV, to be 'here' when I am buying 1 is just such a coincidence! Anyway, it is a small house with no markings what so ever that it is a business in a small town.
Went out and was expecting disaster since I hear this like everything has a learning curve. So I was not disappointed in this, but was hoping I had not made a big $$ mistake:



Some were all black, some all white. I didn't stay long and went home to regroup. This is the only moving water around, so these are for technique only..
Next day, better results..





Obviously a long way to go, but am happy, happy. NOW, if I can figure out how to turn the darkness while keeping camera focused, I'll really be happy. (am holding shutter 1/2 way down, but its a dickens to do..reading manual today)

Thank you all,
Nancy

Ended up with the Vari-N-Duo thin mount, the Galen Rowell ND soft 4x6 filter, and 2 step up rings for my other 2 lenses. Yeah, 'I boosted the economy' as my mom used to say.

[Shadowman]

Hope you have tons of fun!

[Donald]

My first few efforts with the Singh-Ray were complete disasters. But now ....! It's great.

Remember, don't twist outside of the minimum or maximum marks. And because you've got two min/max markings (one for use when the camera is in portrait and one when in landscape), you need to not try and put the pointer into one area when it should be in the other.

Keep practicing. You will love it.

[RustBeltRaw]

Obviously a long way to go, but am happy, happy. NOW, if I can figure out how to turn the darkness while keeping camera focused, I'll really be happy. (am holding shutter 1/2 way down, but its a dickens to do..reading manual today)

Some Canon digitals can be set to back-button focus, where one of the two or three buttons sitting under your right thumb becomes the auto-focus button. The half-press on the shutter just starts metering, not focus. Very handy for stuff like this. Note that you may be able to add focus peaking via Magic Lantern to make manual focusing easier.

[Polar01]

Put the focus on where you want it, then turn off auto-focus, dial in the amount of reduction you want, push shutter. That simple. Cheers: Allan

[Colin Southern]

Hi Nancy,

What F-Stop were you shooting these at?

Keep in mind that it's not a GND filter, so if the water is in shadow and the sky is bright then it's not going to change that balance.

Best time for water shots are in the golden hours when there's colour in the sky. Also. try to choose a location where the colour of the sky is reflected in the water. Faster moving water will five you more "milky" effect.

If you can't get LONG exposures at minimum aperture (largest F-Stop) and maximum attenuation, consider taking multiple shots and stacking them.

Hope this helps!

[Nancy Moran G]

Thank you Donald, I did not know it had 2 different times to use that ring.
Lex, yes I have something similar on my D7000, will read up on it.
Allan, so auto focus then, go to manual focus, and push..? Thank you!
Colin, of course thank you for your guidance in another thread on filters and this response. As always, great advice. Can't wait to find a more appropriate spot for this. (I told them your blog post had been sent )
Nancy

[Colin Southern]

I told them your blog post had been sent

Thanks Nancy