Filtering

[The PIT]

Come across this problem a few times normally on days which generally are gloomy but provide strong contrasts between land and sky.

Want I want to do is take the picture of the cloud formation without losing the land.

You can take multiple shots but clouds move and this would mess up the shot.

I've been looking at ND filters but suspect I really need a graduated ND filter.

Suggestions please. Got a Nikon D80 and thread would be 72mm

[az]

Turn in-camera contrast down to at least default, or shoot in RAW. Underexpose a little to avoid blown highlights in the clouds, then get the land up to where you want it on the computer.

Try a polarizer, perhaps?

Digital cameras don't have a very large dynamic range, and they clip their highlights rather harshly, so this is a technical limitation.

[The PIT]

Turn in-camera contrast down to at least default, or shoot in RAW. Underexpose a little to avoid blown highlights in the clouds, then get the land up to where you want it on the computer.

Try a polarizer, perhaps?

Digital cameras don't have a very large dynamic range, and they clip their highlights rather harshly, so this is a technical limitation.

Tried Polarizor and this will work sometimes.

Got to admit I've got contrast on vivid as otherwise the general shots look wishy washy by default.

Keep thinking about raw but will need a bigger card. Last time I tried raw with a Dimage A2 they all came out with a huge yellow tint. Haven't tried the D80 as yet.

What about ND filters???

[az]

A graduated ND might work, an ordinary ND will just do the same as you underexposing by turning down ISO or exposure time or closing the aperture further - if the camera is in any kind of auto mode, an ordinary ND will do nothing at all because the camera will compensate for it. Try using exposure compensation first (as I said, underexpose a bit and brighten the landscape on your PC).

Do turn contrast down for shots with a large dynamic range. You can always turn it up again on the PC.

RAW shots can never have a color tint because they allow you to set the white point manually on the PC. Granted, the white point used automatically when displaying a RAW file for the first time might show it with a color cast, but that is exactly the beauty of RAW: You can always change stuff like this in your RAW converter on the PC, without trusting it to the in-camera electronics. RAW files also offer some more dynamic range which you can play with on the computer.

Please don't take this as an insult: Do you know how to use a polarizer? (I have never used one myself, I just know the theory) Experiment with it, I've heard it takes some practice (you have to turn it right to get a good shot).

[The PIT]

Please don't take this as an insult: Do you know how to use a polarizer? (I have never used one myself, I just know the theory) Experiment with it, I've heard it takes some practice (you have to turn it right to get a good shot).

I've used it a few times and got very good results. The angle to the subject also has an effect. However it can't do the impossible too much contrast will still defeat it.

I have messed around with exposure before as the D80 over exposes by default. Played around with this in the past and it still messed up. I think I have it set at -0.3 I'll have to check again.