Capturing Lightning
Jul 11, 2018 11:24:30 #
Chevy with MT Shooter on the board or Carter’s Camera Cottage
Jul 11, 2018 12:13:36 #
So there is a device (lightning trigger - B&H Photo sells them) that will trigger the camera for you. Then there is a lot more laborious method that I have used where I setup my camera on a tripod put the camera in Bulb mode and use a radio trigger (you can use a cabled trigger also) to expose a shot counting to 5 sec each exposure and repeat until I get a lightning strike. If I get a lightning strike I release the trigger immediately. This is only good for night shots though and is very hit and miss. You take a ton of nothing to get one good shot. I have attached a few successful shots that are just okay - nothing special.
gilmorecs wrote:
In CO we have lots of lightning but I have been unable to capture it with my camera. Does anyone have some tips? I use a Nikon D7200./
Jul 11, 2018 15:37:09 #
Every capture of lightening is great! One of the posters says that a trigger needs a return strike to fire. The Pluto does not. It fires in one or two milliseconds from sensing the first strike of lightening. I think it is one of the best for lightening, and is a multi-function trigger for lots of other purposes. Check out their website to see for yourself. I would also download the manual as it fully describes the trigger and what you get. I ordered mine direct and am very happy.
STILLS. TIME-LAPSE. STAR-TRAIL. HDR. VIDEO. SOUND. LASER. LIGHTNING. PROXIMITY. DROPLET. SHAKE. SMILE. MOTION.
http://www.plutotrigger.com?afmc=1g0
STILLS. TIME-LAPSE. STAR-TRAIL. HDR. VIDEO. SOUND. LASER. LIGHTNING. PROXIMITY. DROPLET. SHAKE. SMILE. MOTION.
http://www.plutotrigger.com?afmc=1g0
Jul 11, 2018 17:02:14 #
nikonbug wrote:
Every capture of lightening is great! One of the p... (show quote)
The trigger is not the slow part of photographing lightning. Most DSLRs require something over 30 ms from the contact closure in the trigger to open the shutter, is my understanding. But this is not a problem in most cases.
These two pictures are of the same lightning bolt and were shot consecutively by my camera/trigger. If you look closely you will see the limbs on the extreme lower right side of the image(s) are in slightly different positions. Also in one image the lightning is brighter than the other. So the short story is that lightning lasts long enough to get a photo, maybe two.
Jul 12, 2018 14:00:30 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
gilmorecs wrote:
In CO we have lots of lightning but I have been unable to capture it with my camera. Does anyone have some tips? I use a Nikon D7200./
Here is what Nikon has to say about capturing lightning.
https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/how-to-photograph-lightning.html
Jul 12, 2018 14:21:34 #
Down and dirty and cheap.
Remote cable release and a tripod.
Set the camera to manual exposure: bulb and 1/2 open aperture. Point the camera where the flashes are happening at that time. Focus on the clouds. Press and hold the release for about 30 second or until you capture or almost capture a strike. Release trigger after strike has concluded as you may capture multiple hits, reframe and try again. Occasionally "chimp" the monitor to check focus and exposure. Move around as the storm progresses. Adjust f-stop as ambient lighting gets darker. Experiment with ISO for the best results.
D70s and 18-35 af-d.
And o'yeah - Shoot in Raw.
Remote cable release and a tripod.
Set the camera to manual exposure: bulb and 1/2 open aperture. Point the camera where the flashes are happening at that time. Focus on the clouds. Press and hold the release for about 30 second or until you capture or almost capture a strike. Release trigger after strike has concluded as you may capture multiple hits, reframe and try again. Occasionally "chimp" the monitor to check focus and exposure. Move around as the storm progresses. Adjust f-stop as ambient lighting gets darker. Experiment with ISO for the best results.
D70s and 18-35 af-d.
And o'yeah - Shoot in Raw.
Jul 13, 2018 03:09:23 #
gilmorecs wrote:
In CO we have lots of lightning but I have been unable to capture it with my camera. Does anyone have some tips? I use a Nikon D7200./
If it is night or very dark out you can sometimes get good shots by setting the camera mode to bulb (B) and keeping the shutter open til there is a lightning strike. It can take some practice and luck and you need to use common sense about keeping the shutter open too long but I have gotten some very good results doing this.
Jul 13, 2018 03:59:24 #
BlackRipleyDog wrote:
Down and dirty and cheap. br Remote cable release ... (show quote)
This is an impressive shot BlackRipleyDog !
Jul 13, 2018 09:23:24 #
My camera is a Canon SX 50. I've downloaded a program called CHDK which has a motion detector capability. Seems to work good with lightning.
Jul 13, 2018 10:21:37 #
Geezer wrote:
My camera is a Canon SX 50. I've downloaded a program called CHDK which has a motion detector capability. Seems to work good with lightning.
Very interesting. Which user written script did you end up going with for the motion/lightning detection feature?
Jul 13, 2018 10:32:42 #
Oh, by the way, using a trigger your not limited to night time for lightning photography. Here's one from yesterday evening before sunset.
Jul 13, 2018 10:56:39 #
pdsdville wrote:
You could use a Lightning Trigger made to detect
lightning and fire your camera much faster than
you can. Works in daylight and dark.
You could use a Lightning Trigger made to detect
lightning and fire your camera much faster than
you can. Works in daylight and dark.
There is another version of this, depending upon
your particular model of [fairly new] camera. I'm
not sure which cameras have it, so check the user
manual for your own.
The feature involves continuous hi rez video in a
loop. It's not a mode for lengthy video capture. It
just maintains a brief video buffer and when you
hit the shutter release it saves the most recent
short clip, which acoarst includes the few seconds
before you hit the release. So, you see lightning,
hit the release ... too late for normal capture due
to the usual reasons ... and then you save your
desired moment from BEFORE hitting the release,
as a still image.
Jul 13, 2018 11:18:45 #
DaveC1 wrote:
Very interesting. Which user written script did you end up going with for the motion/lightning detection feature?
So far I've only been using Motion.bas. Here at camp the Chipmunks and the birds take their own "selfie". Got many great shots!!
On the website chdk.wikia.com, I found a new script dedicated just for lightning. I'll have to try it out.
Jul 14, 2018 20:38:15 #
gilmorecs wrote:
In CO we have lots of lightning but I have been unable to capture it with my camera. Does anyone have some tips? I use a Nikon D7200./
I didn't read far enough into this post to see all what was recommended, but a device called the MIOP will capture lightning, sound, lazier trigger. Does a great job. A little on the spendy side, but hey what is a picture worth.
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