I just downloaded the ebook and time-lapse software and they rock, thank you for all of your work on those!

There was one thing I wasn't able to find an example on the ebook and I was hoping someone could give me some good guide lines on? That is the Holy Grail and an example on how to shoot it?

What I mean is if you shoot a sunset:

1) what manual mode values (Av+Tv+ISO+shooting interval) do you start with?

2) Do you shoot wide open (e.g. f2.8) and use filters, as was suggested in the ebook?

3) When do you change shooting values and according to what, and what values do you change and to what...I quess only the ISO when the photo starts to get too dark or maybe some other too?

4) Is it possible to continue straight from shooting a sunset all the way to when the stars and Milky Way come visible and therefore get all that into a same time-lapse...I guess not because of stars usually require 30 second shooting time which is much longer than the started shooting interval? I'd suppose the shooting interval has to be kept the same in order for the time-lapse to be seamless?

5) What is the difference in setting and changes if shooting a sunrise, when you're starting with almost black sky? What are good starting values (Av+Tv+ISO+shooting interval) when stooting a sunrise and what values do you change then as the light increases?

If someone would have time to give me examples on these, then I'd be VERY happy and I'm sure it would save me many spoiled photos and headache Also I think many others would like to have this kind of example here and also in the ebook?

All the best to everyone and looking forward to your replys and future tips and time-lapses=)

-Markus

Hi Michael,
I'll do my best to try to clarify you questions!

1) what manual mode values (Av+Tv+ISO+shooting interval) do you start with?
2) Do you shoot wide open (e.g. f2.8) and use filters, as was suggested in the ebook?

I normally try shooting wide open to avoid flicker, so normally when starting the holy grail the exposure times are rather short, ISO 100 and aperture open. I don't use ND filters when shooting holy grail because taking them off whilst shooting can ruin your shooting and the issue color casts that are hard to match afterwards to the images without filter.

3) When do you change shooting values and according to what, and what values do you change and to what...I quess only the ISO when the photo starts to get too dark or maybe some other too?

I start lowering the exporsure times in 1EV steps, to find the right time to change I carecully watch the display through the viewfinder, in manual mode on my nikon there is a bar indicating if I'm under or overexposing. As soon as I'm underexposing 1EV I turn the dial to the left 3 times to adjust exposure by 1EV.
After my times reached half of the interval I change to ISO and start changing that by 1 EV as well (double the ISO is equivlent to 1EV.)

4) Is it possible to continue straight from shooting a sunset all the way to when the stars and Milky Way come visible and therefore get all that into a same time-lapse...I guess not because of stars usually require 30 second shooting time which is much longer than the started shooting interval? I'd suppose the shooting interval has to be kept the same in order for the time-lapse to be seamless?

It is possible - I recommend to making a break inbetween. Normally the time between the sunset and Blue hour and the stars appearing is rather uninteresting so just take your time to set the longer exposure, change the memory card/battery and start the star-part. Later you can crossfade both in video and nobody will notice it.

5) What is the difference in setting and changes if shooting a sunrise, when you're starting with almost black sky? What are good starting values (Av+Tv+ISO+shooting interval) when stooting a sunrise and what values do you change then as the light increases?

It's basically the same story in the opposite direction.

If someone would have time to give me examples on these, then I'd be VERY happy and I'm sure it would save me many spoiled photos and headache Also I think many others would like to have this kind of example here and also in the ebook?

Most of these tips actually are in the Ebook but maybe it's good to summarize them again here, so thank you for asking in public!

I hope I could help a bit and please don't hesitate to ask if you (or anyone else) have further questions.

Happy time lapsing,
gunther