innershield Loc: phoenix, az

what are the settings on a d7100 and a 17-55 f2.8 to take images of blurred water features ( dancing fountains ) in the bright sunlight.

twowindsbear

Aperture Priority
Lowest ISO
Smallest lens opening / largest number f-stop
Add a ND filter if the water isn't blurred enough for you
Use a tripod

Shoot earlier or later in the day, when the light is not quite so brite

Good luck!

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Without knowing the current light levels, it's hard to say. Use the lowest ISO your camera supports & set your aperture to at least F11. You will need a neutral density filter still but how much darkening depends on your current light levels. The ND will slow your shutter speed down so as to soften the water. I wouldn't go past F11 as diffraction sets in & can rob the image of sharpness. As I stated though, in the intense light of midday, a ND filter will be needed, and yes, a tripod is required.

innershield Loc: phoenix, az

thanks

Resqu2 Loc: SW Va

You will have to have a nd filter, I tried a similar photo, ISO 50, every F stop all the way to f/22 but on a bright sunny day any shutter speed that started to blur or freeze the water was blown out by the light.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

A 10 neutral density filter is a good place to start. ISO 100 and small f number. It bright sunlight at ISO 100 the exposure would be 1/100 at f16. The the exposure with the ND filter about is about 1000 times as long. This will be 10 sec at f16. I find 2stop, 4 stop and 10 stop useful.

See an exposure chart at http://shuttermuse.com/nd-filter-long-exposure-charts/

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The trick to that effect with moving water is to use long shutter speeds. Depending upon how strong an effect you want and how fast the water is moving, you might need anything from 1/30 to several seconds of exposure. Due to the long shutter speeds you will definitely need a tripod and may want to take other long-exposure precautions, such as mirror lockup, remote release (or use the camera's self-time to delay release), etc. Also check your long exposure image noise reduction settings.

The problem is that unless light conditions are low, you may have trouble making a long enough exposure, with the range of settings of your camera. Try the lowest possible ISO (probably 100) and the smallest sensible aperture: f/11... maybe f/16 maximum (as Scott already noted above, any smaller than this and diffraction can become a real problem... how much of a problem depends upon how large you'll be printing the image).

If light conditions are too bright to get the shutter speed you need, then you'll need to add a Neutral Density filter to your lens, just as several previous responses have suggested.

For still photography (as opposed to video), all that's typically needed are one or two fairly strong ND filters, to "shift" the exposure range possible with your camera. A 10-stop filter is very strong. Might be better getting two: a 3-stop and a 6-stop, which you can also stack for 9 stops of light reduction, if needed. A pair of filters like this can give you more flexibility for use in different lighting conditions. (Note: Video has less range of in-camera settings, less flexibility, so may need more filters or even a Variable ND filter for more precise adjustments... But a simpler setup is usually all that's needed for still photography.)

For example, let's say you've set the lowest possible ISO (100) and smallest aperture you're willing to use (f/11) and still are only able to use 1/60 shutter speed due to current light levels. That isn't slow enough to give the blur effect of moving water that you want to see in your image. Add a 3-stop ND filter and you'll be able to use 1/8 second shutter speed for a modest blur so long as the water is moving reasonably fast. Or, add a 6-stop filter and you'll be able to use a full 1 second shutter speed, for much stronger blur, even noticeable with slow moving water. Combine the two for 9-stops total and you'd be able to use an 8-second shutter speed for very strong effect even with very slow moving water. Or, if you wanted something in between these settings, you can simply bump up your ISO or use a larger aperture, or a little of both.