poprock48

Not having success establishing the correct settings when trying to use the internal interverlometer in my D500. Searched Google / YouTube / Nikon Manual without much success in resolving my issues. I’m missing something in the translations. Looking to take 100 pics in one second intervals. Camera in Manual, ISO 500 shutter open for 20 seconds. Any help and suggestions are appreciated

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Just a wild guess here. I don't think the internal unit works by the second, only by the minute.

That why the plug-in timers are so popular.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Awwww, cute Basset Hounds!

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

According to your figures, you want to take a series of photos at 20 seconds each and you want 100 of them to be taken in 1 second. What sort of quantum mechanics did you study? 100 shots at 20 seconds = a total of 2,000 seconds or 33.333 minutes. This does not account for the lag time in between shots where the camera needs to write the data to the card and prepare for the next shot.

Interval = the amount of time in between each shot (when the shutter is activated)
Exposure time = the actual time for each exposure (the actual exposure time)
Lag time = the time needed for the camera to write the data to the card and prepare for the next shot ( the remaining time before the next shutter activation)
Number = the number of shots you wish to take in total. 300 shots will give you a 10 second video at 30 fps.

Example: Interval is set to 20 seconds, Exposure time set to 15 seconds and the lag time will be 5 seconds.

Exposure and lag must equal the interval. Exposure (and lag) can not exceed the interval time.

You set the interval and exposure time only, the lag time takes care of itself. In the above example the 5 second lag time is ample for the camera to get ready for the next shot.

To start with you will need to know the longest exposure time required, add several seconds to that and you have your interval time. If you want to take 1 photo every second you better have a "really" fast card or be prepared for buffer over runs which will kill your TL. Most of the time a max exposure time will be between 5 and 30 seconds unless you are shooting at night and then the time can increase to minutes. For most exposure times you will require a lag time of 2-3 seconds which is what most cameras can handle to transfer the data. (unless you're shooting with a 50 MP camera)

Linary Loc: UK

Maybe I have totally misunderstood, what I think you said was that the shutter will open for 20 seconds, but you want one new image every one second.

Are you really saying you want one new image every 21 seconds, or something else?

Linary Loc: UK

I was posting at the same time as you.

I set my D200 to shoot 25 images at 1 second intervals at 1/125sec. This old camera handled that fine. I then set it to shoot 25 images at 1 second intervals at 20 seconds per image. One image was taken and that was it.

Cany143 Loc: SE Utah

Not familiar with the intervalometer settings on the D500, but I assume its the same as on my D610 and D5300. That said, I just tried to set up my D610 with the settings you describe, and it wouldn't work. Which didn't surprise me. Looked at the Nikon manual, and as you experienced, it was no help, so I looked the manual for my Vello II Shutterboss, and it stated: "Choose an interval time that is longer than your exposure time." Makes sense, doesn't it? A 20 second exposure would require a 21 second interval setting to achieve the one second lapse between images.

Bill_de Loc: US

Set either start now, or date and time to start

The next setting is interval between shots = 21 sec

Next is the # of intervals = 99

Shots per interval = 1

The 20 second exposure is set as usual in Manual or Shutter priority.

After reading above I set interval at 21 seconds and it is working on my D500
--

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Just a brief outline:

Your internal date/time is correct?
Specify begin time/end time
Set interval between exposures
Highlight /number of intervals times the number of shots/intervals and press the right directional button....Note that the interval can not be shorter than the shutter speed.

Rather lengthy and from David Busch's "Nikon D500."

Keep in mind at times you must utilize the OK button to enter.

poprock48

Thx to everyone for your input and suggestions. Little more info. Trying for star trails. Think my issue was the wrong interval time being less tha the 20 second exposure time. I’ll change my settings and give it a try. Thx again

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I do read prior post so I do not duplicate thoughts, guys, but it took me a while to post and many are quicker than I am.

Bill_de Loc: US

I edited my post to read 21 second interval.

--

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

You’ve discovered the problem with the Nikon intervelometer.

Get yourself a Neewer or Vello plug in for your Nikon. All these 3rd party intervelometers look almost identical, so somebody must rebrand them. Do not get one of the WiFi remote triggers, as you will be incredibly frustrated.

Bill_de Loc: US

There is no problem. We just had to figure out how to use it. Crazy to buy something when what you need is built in.

---

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

'Zactly!