Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/19

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Subject: Re: [Leica] What Neutral Density filter should I get?
From: Henry Ambrose <henry@henryambrose.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 07:32:09 -0500

Tritan wrote:

>> What grade Neutral Density filter should I get if I want to try to do some
>> daylight fill flash photos with an M7?
>> 
A 2 stop (4X) ND filter will help. The idea is to drive the shutter 
speeds into the range where they sync, so you are shooting at perhaps 
1/30th instead of 1/125th. But thats all it does -- it can move your 
shutter speeds down into the sync range. Its like loading slower film but 
you don't have to change the film. Using a 2 stop (4X) filter is like 
using 25 speed film instead of 100.

For instance, if you are using 100 speed film, you are outdoors and a 
reasonable shutter speed/aperture combination is out of the range that 
the camera will sync, you put on the ND filter which will then get you 2 
stops slower shutter speed. Lets say you are now at 1/30 and f8, set the 
flash for 2 or 3 stops under exposure either by setting the film speed on 
the flash or adjusting its compensation by -2 or -3 stops. The settings 
depend on what flash you are using - how that particular flash works.

What you get are photos with some light in the possibly hard shadows and 
a generally better more even exposure, cleaner colors without much hint 
of the flash being used.

Best,
Henry Ambrose
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