Exposing for that unseen cloud passing over?

[KenG]

I'd like to get some pointers on how to handle a situation where exposure in Pro mode is set good for a hyperlapse that is taking 8 minutes to shoot and then halfway through the shoot a large cloud blocks out the sun and makes the remaining shoot very dark. Viewable, but really dark. I understand shooting in auto would have mitigated this but everything else I have done in Pro mode comes out so much better. Aircraft is an Air 3.

How do you pro's approach a situation like this?

 

[Meta4]

Viewable, but really dark. I understand shooting in auto would have mitigated this but everything else I have done in Pro mode comes out so much better. Aircraft is an Air 3.

Correct exposure is correct whether you set it or the camera's metering does.
There's nothing magic about manual exposure settings.
You've already explained that under intermittent cloudy conditions, your results aren't better.

In your situation I'd look at locking in the ISO setting, but allowing the camera to vary the shutter speed that's appropriate for the light at the time of each shot.

 

[akdrone]

No simple solution. Using Auto would dramatically lower the overall exposure when the bright cloud entered the scene. Shooting LOG and using Pro sounds like the best and only real option.

 

[KenG]

Meta4 has given me an idea. I think I need to keep the shutter speed constant as I want the motion blur for traffic so I see the aircraft, A3, allows me to keep the shutter speed constant and let the ISO auto adjust. Of course, for the next 50 attempts there will probably not be a bright day where one lone cloud sneaks over the sun.

 

[Vic Moss]

Meta4 has given me an idea. I think I need to keep the shutter speed constant as I want the motion blur for traffic so I see the aircraft, A3, allows me to keep the shutter speed constant and let the ISO auto adjust. Of course, for the next 50 attempts there will probably not be a bright day where one lone cloud sneaks over the sun.

Yes, you want a constant shutter speed, not ISO if you want to fly in auto exposure mode and maintain the correct exposure.

But, if you want to maintain a good exposure in manual mode, you have to change the exposure as you fly. I suggest you fly with the histogram on, watch the exposure, and change ISO as you need.

 

[KenG]

Yes, you want a constant shutter speed, not ISO if you want to fly in auto exposure mode and maintain the correct exposure.

But, if you want to maintain a good exposure in manual mode, you have to change the exposure as you fly. I suggest you fly with the histogram on, watch the exposure, and change ISO as you need.

Hmmm. I may be interpreting this wrong but are you suggesting I can adjust while a hyperlapse is in progress? Can I do that?

 

[Vic Moss]

Hmmm. I may be interpreting this wrong but are you suggesting I can adjust while a hyperlapse is in progress? Can I do that?

I would assume so, but I don't shoot them, so I'll leave that up to those who do. If you can't, that's a major flaw in the app.

 

[Arnold LeVine]

Which is why I prefer a camera with variable aperture, like my old P4Pro V2, Mavic 2 Pro, and Mavic 3.