Filming the Sun

[Joe Taylor]

Have a stock footage client who is requesting shots of the setting sun. I've looked around and have not found any concrete answers, but I fear that this could damage my sensor. I'd probably use only 1 filter, since stacking cause reflections, a high shutter speed and low high stop- f32 or better. Still, this for those in know-- am I risking damage to my camera?

 

[Robert Berger]

Why should it damage your sensor with proper iris and ND if needed. It's not a laser your shooting at. Be more carfull with you eyes Don't go to f32 it wil soften your image, try to stay below f11. If you have no moving objects between you and the sun go for a high shutter. It all depands on what moment of the sunsetting you are going to shoot !

 

[Jaakko Rinne]

I would aim for between f/5.6 and f/11 and use a strong enough ND to achieve that. With the strength of ND you're going to be using, you'll need to look at IR filtration as well.

 

[Russ Fill]

Something else to add in to the mix is I used HDRX while shooting a couple of sunsets with great results. And +1 on the hot mirror ND.

 

[Björn Benckert]

My advice.

Use 360 shutter and 10 fps or such and large mag. Then you can adjust exposure in post with frame summing. The sun does not eat your sensor as mentioned above thats what lasers do. If you want to up your game a bit you add a moco focus motor and program it to run the lens towards a lower Fstop troughout the take, if done correctly you get a perfect mid range exposure troughout the take and can "set the sun" in post without noise or over exposure. I got some r3d sunsets uploaded on youtube.com if interested. Those all have full coverage in the blacks and whites so it's possible to grade anything from daylight to full darkness.




As they are all shot from my boat there is some stabilisation needed. But nothing that affects the footage quality as the movement is very slow.

Edit: those links that I pasted before did not work at all...

Hmm, reduser turns the links to youtube links... thats odd.

But go to: iris 32 dot com

no space in the name and there is some of mine and others sunsets.

Nothing spectacular, sunsets in the swedish archipelago if you need them I can see if I still have source files. If not I guess you have to go trough the link above.

 

[Johnny Friday]

Bjorn, none of your links are available...

 

[Joe Taylor]

Hey Bjorn. Really want to check out your work but cannot connect!

 

[Björn Benckert]

Hey Bjorn. Really want to check out your work but cannot connect!

Hmm, reduser turns the links to youtube links... thats odd.

But go to: iris 32 dot com

no space in the name and there is some of mine and others sunsets.

 

[Joe Taylor]

Great shots Bjorn. And thanks for the advice! Here's the shot I captured. I applied a "bleach bypass" preset that is still a work in progress. It's supposed to reflect my lead character's failing condition after getting a poisoned arrow in the leg.