Exposure compensation question

[Redridge]

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I like using my lenses wide open for bokeh and isolating subjects.... but when Im out in bright daylight.... I run out of shutter speed on my 8.2(max 1/4000).... Normally, I would just close the aperture down 2-3 stops and all is good. But, I prefer the wide open aperture..... are there any ill affects (image quality wise) by just compensating with the exposure compensation dial instead. Will this lead to a dark washed out look. Do I have to carry ND filters around?.....

 

I would love to try and test this out.... but its been raining here for days and I just have to know. Im coming from the dslr world that can easily get 1/8000 shuter speed so this is fairly new arena for me. TIA

[ho_co]

Exposure compensation can't help here because you've already run out of shutter.

 

Exposure compensation simply biases the metering to give a different exposure under the same lighting conditions. But exposure is controlled by the amount of light reaching the sensor.

 

And the tools you have for that are: shutter; aperture; control of light entering the lens.

 

So for the situation you're speaking of, ND filters would be the reasonable next step.

[Guest Chris M]

Try ND filters or the old stand-by circular polarizer, or maybe you can down grade back too the original M8 shutter 1/8000 w 250 flash sync, just kidding on that one, owe I'm so glad I didn't up grade, just for those sunny california days Wide OPEN ... f1.4 ... f2.0;)

 

chris m.

[Manolo Laguillo]

If we, obviously, can't change how the light is in a sunny day, and we must accept the 160 ISO minimum as well, but nevertheless want to use f.1.4, and, inevitably, arrive to the limit of 1/4000 sec, there is only ONE solution: ND filters. In the cinema they use them a lot.

The question now is: how dense must the ND filter be?

In a sunny, bright day the theoretical exposure for ISO 160 would be aprox f.16 1/250. Ok, 1/160 is the norm, but I use 1/250 because I come from the old days, and also because in this way we'll give the camera headroom for adjusting that slight underexposure.

Following the reciprocity law

f16+1/250 = f11+1/500 = f8+1/1000 = f5.6+1/2000 = f4+1/4000 = f2.8+1/4000+ND0.30 = f2+1/4000+ND0.60 = f1.4+1/4000+ND0.90.

You will need a 0.90 ND filter if you want to use f1.4.

But a 1.20 ND will be better, because you´ll be able to cope with brighter situations (sand, snow, etc).

I would like to see your resulting pictures!

[Redridge]

Thank You for all the replies. Thats what I thought.... time to shop for some ND filters.

 

Manolo.... thank you for that reciprocity law, thats very helpull, I will post pics when I get the filters. Thank You so much!

[Steve Ash]

Just to mention also consider that dof very much depends on distance. Of course this also changes perspective. regards Steve

[ho_co]

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Try ND filters or the old stand-by circular polarizer ...

 

No, not a circular polarizer. It would work, but a linear polarizer is less expensive and fully adequate for the M.

[Redridge]

here is a photo at 1/4000+ it was blinking so I figured it was going to over exposed. taken with a 35mm cron ASPH @f/2, wide open

 

 

popped it the .9 ND filter and the speed changed to 1/1500, def a better exposure, but the 1st pic is not a total waste.... taken with a 35mm cron ASPH @f/2 wide open. Again, Thank You all for the responses.