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Cloudy weather setting

sovamoonspark

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Mar 11, 2019
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40
Hi everyone, is there any kind of unique manual settings for cloudy weather? Don't wanna just put on auto mode for pic and videos. If you have any advice or tips please share. Appreciate your comments and thanks :)
 
It depends on current light conditions. All I can say is to set the white balance to cloudy or tune it manually and lock the automatic exposure to avoid sky overbrighting. Turning on the histogram is very useful if you know how to use it.
 
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Thanks for that. I'll try it. Hope for the best :)
It depends on current light conditions. All I can say is to set the white balance to cloudy or tune it manually and lock the automatic exposure to avoid sky overbrighting. Turning on the histogram is very useful if you know how to use it.
 
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Hi everyone, is there any kind of unique manual settings for cloudy weather? Don't wanna just put on auto mode for pic and videos. If you have any advice or tips please share. Appreciate your comments and thanks :)

On cloudy days adjust white balance accordingly. The most important tool to properly adjust exposure is the histogram. Learn how to use histogram and always turn it on for manual mode.
 
Post processing is a must if you want the colours to pop on a cloudy day. Here is an example of an image clicked with Spark before and after post-processing.

Before
After
 
One more point to add,
If you plan on flying for a long duration, you might want to leave it on auto.
Case in point, I was flying in cloudy conditions and adjusted the white balance accordingly.
I flew out a ways and hit the low battery RTH.
I discovered the camera settings are returned to default when you hit RTH.
So my flight was recorded in two exposure settings but I could only work easily with one clip or the other of the video because of the two exposures since they did not match.
I could not even get them to get close to matching in post.
 
One more point to add,
If you plan on flying for a long duration, you might want to leave it on auto.
Case in point, I was flying in cloudy conditions and adjusted the white balance accordingly.
I flew out a ways and hit the low battery RTH.
I discovered the camera settings are returned to default when you hit RTH.
So my flight was recorded in two exposure settings but I could only work easily with one clip or the other of the video because of the two exposures since they did not match.
I could not even get them to get close to matching in post.
Will note that :) Thanks for advices. Will share with you my results later on ;)
 
One more point to add,
If you plan on flying for a long duration, you might want to leave it on auto.
Case in point, I was flying in cloudy conditions and adjusted the white balance accordingly.
I flew out a ways and hit the low battery RTH.
I discovered the camera settings are returned to default when you hit RTH.
So my flight was recorded in two exposure settings but I could only work easily with one clip or the other of the video because of the two exposures since they did not match.
I could not even get them to get close to matching in post.

If you take a long video in auto exposure mode the camera will adjust over and over and over again during the clip. Yuck. The last thing you'd want is the exposure resetting every time you change direction or the sun peaks out a little. That can only be fixed by editing out the footage which will inevitably happen at inopportune times. You never see this happen in a professional video -- that is exactly what you are trying to avoid by learning to use manual mode properly.

Auto exposure is fine for beginners or throw away footage but when you are ready to step up your game manual mode is the way to go.
 
I disagree,
Had I been on auto, I would have been able to make the two clips match.
WB on auto may generate the effect you speak of but nothing can stop the EV automatically adjusting exposure on a Spark.
That is the deal I find annoying trying to get sunrises and sunsets.

By the way, 80% of my vids are Auto WB
 
I disagree,
Had I been on auto, I would have been able to make the two clips match.
WB on auto may generate the effect you speak of but nothing can stop the EV automatically adjusting exposure on a Spark.
That is the deal I find annoying trying to get sunrises and sunsets.

By the way, 80% of my vids are Auto WB

You say "Nothing can stop the EV automatically adjusting exposure on the Spark"

Isn't that exactly what Manual Mode mode does?!?

In manual mode you are locking in shutter speed and ISO (and aperture is fixed as well). Those are the 3 components of exposure
 
You say "Nothing can stop the EV automatically adjusting exposure on the Spark"

Isn't that exactly what Manual Mode mode does?!?

In manual mode you are locking in shutter speed and ISO (and aperture is fixed as well). Those are the 3 components of exposure

Nope,

Manual mode will not stop the EV from changing.
EV compensation will change.
Try it.

I have set a certain ISO and shutter speed on manual and start a sunset at 0.0.
by the end, there would be a +1.0
 
Last edited:
Nope,

Manual mode will not stop the EV from changing.
EV compensation will change.
Try it.

I have set a certain ISO and shutter speed on manual and start a sunset at 0.0.
by the end, there would be a +1.0

Yes, I understand that... The EV setting will change when you go through shadows, point towards the sun, etc. You can't control that. EV isn't a setting - it's more like a light meter.

Adjusting exposure (shutter speed and ISO) manually for a certain scene will allow you to choose any EV - but since you can't control the sun it will vary throughout the shot.

I prefer to use the on screen histogram -- so I don't use EV or even look at that.

I think we are discussing the same thing from different approaches. But talk to some professional photographers - the pros use manual mode for good reason.
 
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I like flying my spark, as most of us do.

But I know that cannot have any "pro" results, with Spark's limited camera. Professionals don't use spark for serious job.

Manual settings are very limited too.
It's like using a smartphone to shoot.

In good light conditions, we can have nice images, but in complicated or difficult light conditions, the results will be poor, regardless of manual or auto settings.
 
I like flying my spark, as most of us do.

But I know that cannot have any "pro" results, with Spark's limited camera. Professionals don't use spark for serious job.

Manual settings are very limited too.
It's like using a smartphone to shoot.

In good light conditions, we can have nice images, but in complicated or difficult light conditions, the results will be poor, regardless of manual or auto settings.

Agreed. I don't even bother flying my camera drones on ugly or windy days. Even though I can't get pro results with Spark I still strive to learn more about videography and apply to my MP1. I try to learn something with every flight.
 
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What's EV?
 
I like flying my spark, as most of us do.

But I know that cannot have any "pro" results, with Spark's limited camera. Professionals don't use spark for serious job.
I've seen good photographers do nice work with low-end equipment, so it is more the photographer than the equipment. That's usually the mark of a good photographer. That said, I won't decrease the value of the ability to do more things and perhaps do them easier by using more expensive gear.
 
I've seen good photographers do nice work with low-end equipment, so it is more the photographer than the equipment. That's usually the mark of a good photographer. That said, I won't decrease the value of the ability to do more things and perhaps do them easier by using more expensive gear.
That true.

But "good" is different than "professional".

Would you ever hire a (good) photographer with a smartphone only, to take photos of your wedding?

And it's not just "easier". There are things, you cannot do at all, if you haven't the "pro" equipment.
 

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