Exposure preview.

J-see

Senior Member
The problem I have at nights is that focusing is pretty hard. I don't always have a clear object in the distance I can use and even when using the live-view zoom, since I work in darkness, anything I zoom in at is pretty dark and grainy. Upping ISO doesn't help much.

Since the LCD does not display RAW, I assume that anything in normal live-view or exposure preview is a compiled JPEG. Does anyone know if changing my settings for JPEG shots (like quality) would have any effect on the live-view and exposure preview my LCD displays?

I'm going to try it during my next night shoot but I'd rather not waste hours imagining I see changes while it would be technically impossible in the first place.
 

J-see

Senior Member
I found out; the setting affect live-view even in exposure preview mode. Sadly it's too minimal to solve my focus problems.

I have to think of something else to solve that.
 
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J-see

Senior Member
Lenses with distance markings is the only thing I can think of that would be helpful.

I about know where my infinity is but it's very hard for me to even guess the distance in the dark. Now I am stuck in a "gamble, check, tweak, repeat" method that isn't fantastic for longer exposure.

I also noticed that there is a point the exposure preview no longer is accurate or responds to changes. Yesterday I was doing a shot and once I hit around 8 seconds shutter, lowering even more didn't result in any change shown in the preview. Even the histogram remained identical.

These shots are not really normal conditions and I probably encounter the limits of what the current technology can do.
 
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480sparky

Senior Member
........... Now I am stuck in a "gamble, check, tweak, repeat" method that isn't fantastic for longer exposure............

Eventually, you'll end up with a better method. It's called using past experience, set this here, move this to here, BAM, perfect!
 

J-see

Senior Member
Eventually, you'll end up with a better method. It's called using past experience, set this here, move this to here, BAM, perfect!

Setting my cam was easy: when very dark, 30 seconds, 100 ISO and wide open and it grabs all I need. Now I only need to fine-tune that some more.

But being able to set the correct focus when blind as a bat will take a whole a lot longer I fear. That's experience I can't get by taking a couple of shots.

Maybe in some years I can say "Yeah, that's how I do it too." ;)
 

J-see

Senior Member
What focal lengths are in play?

It depends but usually between 14 and 35mm but I shoot wide open most of the time which makes for a very shallow DoF. Sometimes that needs to be exactly there where I hardly see it.

Some of my shots are as dark SOOC as I see it in reality and only in post I can pull out what I need.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
The problem I have at nights is that focusing is pretty hard. I don't always have a clear object in the distance I can use and even when using the live-view zoom, since I work in darkness, anything I zoom in at is pretty dark and grainy. Upping ISO doesn't help much.

Since the LCD does not display RAW, I assume that anything in normal live-view or exposure preview is a compiled JPEG. Does anyone know if changing my settings for JPEG shots (like quality) would have any effect on the live-view and exposure preview my LCD displays?

I'm going to try it during my next night shoot but I'd rather not waste hours imagining I see changes while it would be technically impossible in the first place.

First off, Live View will display direct sensor data, which is neither RAW nor JPEG, but if you needed to categorize it then I would say "interpreted RAW data" with the interpretation based predominantly on the camera profile you've chosen. So yes, if you changed that profile then what you are seeing in Live View should change - you only need to change the profile to Monochrome to see that.

With that said, you may want to play with a profile that you might not otherwise use to help enhance night vision. I suspect that with a bump to contrast and perhaps the application of colored filters the Monochrome setting might enable you to better recognize details in dimly lit night shots. You would either need to switch back to a separate profile before shooting or just recognize that your B&W preview image is not what you'll see on import, but if focusing is your prime motivator then this might be your best option.
 

J-see

Senior Member
This is an example of what I see when it is pretty dark. It's not even the worst situation I've been in.

025.jpg
 

J-see

Senior Member
First off, Live View will display direct sensor data, which is neither RAW nor JPEG, but if you needed to categorize it then I would say "interpreted RAW data" with the interpretation based predominantly on the camera profile you've chosen. So yes, if you changed that profile then what you are seeing in Live View should change - you only need to change the profile to Monochrome to see that.

With that said, you may want to play with a profile that you might not otherwise use to help enhance night vision. I suspect that with a bump to contrast and perhaps the application of colored filters the Monochrome setting might enable you to better recognize details in dimly lit night shots. You would either need to switch back to a separate profile before shooting or just recognize that your B&W preview image is not what you'll see on import, but if focusing is your prime motivator then this might be your best option.

Thanks for the info. I didn't think about going monochrome but it might make things easier. I can switch between picture controls when using live so I could tweak one purely for night shots and select that in live to have a better idea what I'm doing and change back before the shot if needed. I'm going to test too if Dynamic lighting has any effect on the LCD.
 

J-see

Senior Member
Do the lens you are using have focus distance rings?

Yes but even if they'd be very accurate, my guessing the correct distance is not. It's very hard to even see something let alone know how far it is.

If tweaking the picture control helps, I can zoom in during live and adjust. If not, I'll just keep practicing.

Maybe even something like the color sketch might help here. It's an effect I'd never use but it could strengthen outlines at night.
 
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Eyelight

Senior Member
It depends but usually between 14 and 35mm but I shoot wide open most of the time which makes for a very shallow DoF. Sometimes that needs to be exactly there where I hardly see it.

Some of my shots are as dark SOOC as I see it in reality and only in post I can pull out what I need.

14mm @ f/1.4 focused at 7m has a DOF that extends from 3.49m to infinity. (7m is slightly beyond the hyperfocal distance)

35mm @ f/1.4 focused at 45m has a DOF that extends from 22.08m to infinity. (45m is slightly beyond the hyperfocal distance)

If you want the far distance in focus and your lens has a DOF scale you can use it to maximize what's in focus. If you want to blur the distance, just set the focus inside the hyperfocal distance.

If your lens does not have a DOF scale, you need one that does for the night work.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Yes but even if they'd be very accurate, my guessing the correct distance is not. It's very hard to even see something let alone know how far it is.

If tweaking the picture control helps, I can zoom in during live and adjust. If not, I'll just keep practicing.

Maybe even something like the color sketch might help here. It's an effect I'd never use but it could strengthen outlines at night.


Even if the distance markings on the ring is wholly inaccurate, at least you have a gauge to go by. Once you figure out where infinity truly is on the ring, then all you need to set it with is a flashlight. Same for any other distances.
 

J-see

Senior Member
I'm going to use a combination of all these tips and then adjust to what works best.

I'll check my markers during daylight tomorrow and maybe measure the real distance to compare that to what the lenses show. It's only two or three lenses I use at night so that's not too much work.
 

J-see

Senior Member
Btw, since it's Q&A time; does anyone use the time function to shoot?

According the manual, if I press it, it starts the shot until pressed again or 30 minutes. But whatever I do (wrong), it stops exposure after some seconds into the shot.
 

Eyelight

Senior Member
Btw, since it's Q&A time; does anyone use the time function to shoot?

According the manual, if I press it, it starts the shot until pressed again or 30 minutes. But whatever I do (wrong), it stops exposure after some seconds into the shot.

This is a guess. It's cutting short to preserve battery or keep from overheating circuits or otherwise protect itself.
 

J-see

Senior Member
This is a guess. It's cutting short to preserve battery or keep from overheating circuits or otherwise protect itself.

There's something going on and possibly simply a matter or disabling or enabling something but I can't find anything in the manual. I take 30 second exposures all the time so the length shouldn't be the problem.

This prevents me from taking longer exposures. I could use Bulb but keeping the button pressed during exposure isn't the best idea unless I buy a cable to activate the shutter.
 
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wornish

Senior Member
There's something going on and possibly simply a matter or disabling or enabling something but I can't find anything in the manual. I take 30 second exposures all the time so the length shouldn't be the problem.

This prevents me from taking longer exposures. I could use Bulb but keeping the button pressed during exposure isn't the best idea unless I buy a cable to activate the shutter.

I just tried the Time function on my D810 and it works as per the manual.
Go into Manual mode, rotate command dial past Bulb to get the Time symbol - - .

Press shutter once
after 50 seconds I pressed it again and the shutter closed.

Which camera did you try it on he D750. The only time it might not work is if you have a low battery. Mine was about 1/3 charged and it was fine.
 
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