Real simple question and for some reason I can't figure it out. I see a lot of photos on here, and a lot are taken on bright sunny days outside. I noticed that some of you shoot at 2.8, 1.8, 2.2 and what not. The question is when I try to shoot at 2.8 during the day it says my shutter speed is HI and can not expose properly. How do I fix this?

I have a D50 with a tamron 28-75 f/2.8 attached most of the time.

See if you can select a lower, e.g. 100 ISO setting. If your camera is already set for its lowest ISO setting, you can affix a neutral density filter to the front of your lens. A neutral density filter reduces the amount of light which enters the lens without changing the color balance of the light... at least in good quality ones. You may want to read some reviews and posts as to what is a good quality filter and what is not, since some of the poorer ones do adversely affect image quality.

Cal

Shooting pics in bright sun is a good recipe for poor photos. You get harsh shadows and people squinting. It is often best to find shade or shoot early in the day or late in the day.

My lowest iso is 200 on my camera. The only filter i have on it is a UV filter. Would a ND filter allow me to do this?

First thing, make sure you have the ISO set to the lowest setting - maybe 200 on the D50?

Let's see, using the sunny 16 rule - you'd be at iso 100 at 1/100 sec at f16. f11 would be 1/200, f8 1/400, f5.6 1/800, f4 1/1600, f2.8 would be 1/3200 without a Neutral Density (ND) filter. So, if the lowest ISO setting on the D50 is 200, you're gonna need 1/6400 max shutter speed to shoot wide open.

If that doesn't do it, add a neutral-density filter - .3 is one stop, .6 is 2 stops. I have a .9 3 stop that I use when it's really bright out. Using the above, that'd bring you down to 1/800.

Ha, I just wrote out the sunny 16 rule but eric john got there first.

So, the only extra advice I've got is move to Britain, the sun only comes out for one week a year so you can pretty much shoot all the time

BTW a circular polarizer will knock two stops off the exposure value (EV).

so basically i'm guessing that my camera will now shoot that fast of a shutter speed then? What kind of ND filter would you recommend .3, .6, .9 ? I typically follow the sunny 16 rule i'm out side..but once i get wide open on my lens, that's when i run into the problem.

The D50 highest shutter is 1/4000th.

I guess that solves problem number 1.

Next step i guess would be to get a ND filter. what power(?) i'm guessing is the correct term of filter .3, .6, .9?

Get a .3 and a .6 then you can stack them togeather to get ot .9 unless you shot WA

Thanks for the help guys.

P.S.

I guess i can always buy a new camera. I am open to Donations if anyone wants to pitch in!

The ND filter solution will work well, if you buy good filters. If 1/6400 sec @f2.8 ISO200 is correct, then .3 ND will bring the ss required for proper exposure down to 1/3200, .6 ND to 1/1600, and .9 to 1/800. You can indeed stack .3 and .6 to get .9 if your lens is not so wide as to cause vignetting ( darkening in the corners).

Of course if you are looking for a good excuse to move to UK, or to buy a new camera, you now have one. If all your subjects/models are very fair-skinned, you might talk them into staying indoors except for early morning and late afternoon, too, unless it is a cloudy day.

cal

Ha, thanks for the help.

I think i'll stick to taking photos of people afraid of the sun until i can get my hands on a d300!