Questions re M9M Long Exposure

[AceVentura1986]

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I’ve got the M9M and am planning on a series of long exposure photos. I’ve already got a 6-stop ND filter and and a 3-stop red filter that I plan on stacking. I’ve also ordered a 10-stop ND filter and a cable release that should arrive by week’s end. I’ve never done this before so I have a few questions. 

1. When stacking filters, does the order of stacking matter? In other words, does it matter if the red filter is on the outside exposed to the air or the inside sandwiched between the ND filter and the lens?  

2. What is the upper limit recommended to safely expose the sensor?  Does the camera have a maximum limit before it automatically closes the shutter? I plan on shooting at ISO 400, btw. 

3. I seem to remember that there was a setting that permitted a pseudo-bulb mode without a cable release. As I recall, it permitted the opening of the shutter by pressing the shutter release button and would keep the shutter opened until a light tap of the button again. Can anyone explain this method? 

4. Any other long exposure tips will be greatly welcomed. 

Thanks in advance,

RV

[DirkR440]

vor 33 Minuten schrieb AceVentura1986:

I’ve got the M9M and am planning on a series of long exposure photos. I’ve already got a 6-stop ND filter and and a 3-stop red filter that I plan on stacking. I’ve also ordered a 10-stop ND filter and a cable release that should arrive by week’s end. I’ve never done this before so I have a few questions. 

1. When stacking filters, does the order of stacking matter? In other words, does it matter if the red filter is on the outside exposed to the air or the inside sandwiched between the ND filter and the lens?  

2. What is the upper limit recommended to safely expose the sensor?  Does the camera have a maximum limit before it automatically closes the shutter? I plan on shooting at ISO 400, btw. 

3. I seem to remember that there was a setting that permitted a pseudo-bulb mode without a cable release. As I recall, it permitted the opening of the shutter by pressing the shutter release button and would keep the shutter opened until a light tap of the button again. Can anyone explain this method? 

4. Any other long exposure tips will be greatly welcomed. 

Thanks in advance,

RV

1.: as far as I now it does not matter

2. the max shutter speed is 240sec

I started a thread for this some time ago: 

 

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[AceVentura1986]

DirkR449, thank you. I’ll read the post in a bit. I had run a word search but it returned too many irrelevant responses. 

Thanks for the help. 

40 minutes ago, DirkR440 said:

1.: as far as I now it does not matter

2. the max shutter speed is 240sec

I started a thread for this some time ago: 

 

 

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello RV,

I would think that I would put the red filter in the front because that would subtract all of the reverse of red colors in varying degrees that are entering the first filter surface from being scattered thru the lens system as they would not be there to be scattered after they left the camera side of the filter. Then only the red & related colors would be able to bounce around thru the optical system beginning with the far side of the red filter's surface.

With a grey filter first: ALL of the colors can scatter, to some degree or other, before they go thru the rest of the system.

Try it both ways with various subject matter & let us know what happens.

Altho, if a photographer wanted to be less conspicuous: It might be advisable to put the gray filter in the front since a red filter in the front might be more noticeable.

Best Regards,

Michael

[AceVentura1986]

Excellent point. This seems to be a case where it might not matter, but theoretically could matter. I’ll try it and post my result. 

[pico]

On 11/27/2018 at 5:03 PM, Michael Geschlecht said:

Altho, if a photographer wanted to be less conspicuous: It might be advisable to put the gray filter in the front since a red filter in the front might be more noticeable.

So it's a fashion issue! Cool.

 

[250swb]

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On 11/27/2018 at 11:03 PM, Michael Geschlecht said:

 

Altho, if a photographer wanted to be less conspicuous: It might be advisable to put the gray filter in the front since a red filter in the front might be more noticeable.

 

This would be less conspicuous than standing with your hands in your pockets next to a camera mounted on a tripod for 480 seconds?

 

Ace Ventura you are starting to limit the aperture range you can use with a ten stop filter as the max exposure time is only 240 seconds (and then you have another 240 wait for dark frame subtraction). Whenever I've used long exposure with my MM the most flexible alternative to shooting with a ten stop filter which may necessitate wide f/stops is to use a weaker filter (or stack weaker filters) and be able to stop the lens down. It is the easiest way to tune your exposure and get to the maximum the camera allows. 

Also remember all Leica digital M cameras leak light into them like a sieve around the lens mount during long exposures. You'll need to put a baffle around the lens and body junction to stop stray light causing flare inside the camera and onto the sensor. Some people use a hair scrunchy, but a large lens cloth wrapped around is ok

[AceVentura1986]

Yesterday I took a few test shots of boats by a nearby park at around 4pm. The sun was lower and a bit dimmer by then but it was still plenty bright. I stacked the red filter and the 10-stop ND filter, set the Mono’s ISO to 400 and the aperture to f/8. This yielded a 8 second exposure, obviously well faster than I had expected. I’ll go back tonight or this weekend and try stacking both those solteros along with my other 6-stop ND filter. If my math is correct, this should do the trick. I might even have to shoot at f/5.6 in order not to exceed the 240 seconds. 

[DirkR440]

If you get a good exposure without filter with a shutter speed of 1/90sec, then you should be able to get a nice 4min exposure with the Darkred and the 10stop filter mounted.

Thats just my experience

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello 250swb,

Could you explain a little more about light leaks around lens mounts during long exposures with Leica Digital Cameras?

I don't remember having had such problems with an M3.

Best Regards,

Michael

[250swb]

12 hours ago, Michael Geschlecht said:

Hello 250swb,

Could you explain a little more about light leaks around lens mounts during long exposures with Leica Digital Cameras?

I don't remember having had such problems with an M3.

Best Regards,

Michael

You wouldn't remember it with your M3 Michael, unless it was a Top Secret digital M3?  

I particularly made the point that it is the digital M body that leaks. 

But you can use the Search function on the forum for further information. Light leaks first started to be reported with the M9 and have continued with subsequent models. Simply put they leak where the coding sensor is, and even worse if the sensor overlaps a flange screw on the lens. Long exposures of ten seconds can start to show the leak but it can be shorter if the ambient light is bright or directly onto the camera, and having the camera in portrait format with the coding sensor facing upwards makes the leak even more likely. 

[AceVentura1986]

Took it out again yesterday. I stacked the 6-stop, 10-stop, and a red filter on a sunny Miami afternoon. At f/8, the correct exposure was 240 seconds, the maximum the camera will permit. At this exposure, I got some really good blurring of clouds and water while focused on a bridge to anchor the shot. 

I did experience light leakage, tho, and had forgotten to bring a scrunchie to wrap the base of the lens. Luckily, I was wearing a dark T-shirt so I just took it off and wrapped the camera with it. 

The photo looks good, although I’m not completely happy with it. I’ll post it later today or tomorrow and will greatly welcome any critiques. 

Edited December 8, 2018 by AceVentura1986

[Ken Abrahams]

Depending on the lens in use, stacking too many screw on filters will result with heavy vignetting. Using Nisi 75 system filters is better although one needs to angle the filer holder holder a bit to focus. I use the Bulb setting for long exposures with ND x10 filters. One can count 1001, 1002 ....... or use the timer on the phone to make the exposures. I love doing this method because it feels like the old school of proper photography. Check histogram/light leaks and repeat for effect. 

  

[Likaleica]

Study Dirk's photos.  They're incredible and he has developed a nice, large body of work.

[DirkR440]

Am 8.12.2018 um 14:38 schrieb AceVentura1986:

Took it out again yesterday. I stacked the 6-stop, 10-stop, and a red filter on a sunny Miami afternoon. At f/8, the correct exposure was 240 seconds, the maximum the camera will permit. At this exposure, I got some really good blurring of clouds and water while focused on a bridge to anchor the shot. 

I did experience light leakage, tho, and had forgotten to bring a scrunchie to wrap the base of the lens. Luckily, I was wearing a dark T-shirt so I just took it off and wrapped the camera with it. 

The photo looks good, although I’m not completely happy with it. I’ll post it later today or tomorrow and will greatly welcome any critiques. 

How is it going with this? Any good results?

[AceVentura1986]

19 hours ago, DirkR440 said:

How is it going with this? Any good results?

Yes, some pretty good ones. I do need to post. Maybe later today.