Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 35: Shooting Lightning

[GauravPandeyPhoto]

Also, if we set the Shutter at 30" seconds. would I not observe noise?

[GauravPandeyPhoto]

Hi - In your video you mentioned there are some attachments (sensors) which can detect lightening and then trigger the camera. Could you point us to a few of them.

[fujimeira]

I have a canon 60D and tried this 30s metod the other day... but i just couldn´t capture any bolt. Right after the picture is taken my camera keeps processing and the buffer is filled. Should i try to reduce the resolution to reduce the processing time aswell? Any other tips?

[ttmartin]

@fujimeira - A 30 second exposure time shouldn't take any longer to clear than a regular photo. It should write to your card in fractions of a second. Be sure you are in (M)anual mode, and your shutter speed is set at 30". You then press and then immediately release your shutter. The camera's shutter will stay open for 30 seconds then close.

[ttmartin]

If your buffer was filling up, I'm guessing you were in a multishot mode, may have had your shutter speed set to 1/30, instead of 30”, and held you shutter button down for 30 seconds. So you were trying to take 60 pictures in 30 seconds, instead of one picture in 30 seconds.

[fujimeira]

@ttmartin I did everything right... manual mode... exposure 30s, f/16, iso 100, raw, tripod and so on. But right after i take the shoot, the red led of processing is lighthen and the camera won´t shoot for a while saying it´s busy...

It´s a canon 60D... If you say that it should record that fast, there must something wrong with my cam or there is another configuration that i´m missing.

But thanks anyway

[cfdeastwood]

@fujimeira - I could be wrong here but I think the 60D has built in noise reduction. Try going into the settings and turning that off and see if it helps. You can always reduce noise(if needed) with software later on.

[fujimeira]

@cfdeastwood REally thanks, man. I guess it was the case. Now i can properly shoot... too bad that the storm season in my region is now gone... I hope for the next year lol

[TheAntonioOcana]

Your not gonna be very close *hopefully*

[valleyboy314]

This is a good video. Tips are very similar to shooting fireworks, which is ALSO a good video. Thanks Mark !!

[mark4prez20]

Any tips on protecting the camera from rain and other weather without spending too much money?

[vashibhavin]

"Getting zapped by lightning would not be very wise." lol

[pooleroes]

hopefully!! LOL

[leotv71]

you rock Mark!!!

[RayneRaven1]

I think that just depends on the camera.. mine really doesn't go any slower than that...

[kamakazi6890]

I'm surprised he said only 30 seconds

[15sony]

A little tip I think will be useful for those who don't have cable release is that they can put their camera on a 2 sec self timer... that will help them click the shutter button but before camera starts to click the picture it will be all stable...

[czrobert]

Another reason for using low ISO settings is the noise on nightime long exposures.

A wide angle lens has a greater depth of field that helps you if you want to include a cityscape or landscape in your shot. It is nice to have foreground and background in focus.

[jsmith2793]

Great video

[Dimacheari]

Tip 9: When using a tripod, turn off the VC / IS. Sometimes it tries to stabilize the vibrations in your surroundings (bouncing leaves), instead of your shaky hand or camera.

[NoSoldat4u]

1 person doesn't have a camera with the 30 sec. shutter function, LOL

[terenas1986]

@NoSoldat4u hahaha! that was hilarious comment! :DDDD go for Bulb mode xDDDD

[logankipgen]

who is the f%&king idiot who gave this video a thumbs down?

[soloam]

Mark, I would like to thank you for this great set of movies! I've been following you for a long time in youtube, and I must say that this set of tutorials are really very good! Hope some day I have a chance to met you in person and see to one of yours workshops! Chears from Portugal!

[wuddlknuddel]

lol how can someone thumbs down this video o_O

[gilegraam]

nad not to forget to turn off VR or IS since they wil actually make tripod photos blurry (at least compact cameras and older lenses)

[RaphaelBenDor]

great tips for shooting lightning! Thanks Mark!

[ClankyRochet]

I am a little confuse about using autofocus. I am using canon 7d and I have only been using a single point focus setting. I also have been try to use other type of focus setting but sometime the picture did not come out right. I want to shoot a multiple subjects or a large group of people, which focus setting should I use? May be this could be the next subject you could make a video about. Thank

[sharkman0616]

mark

when do we know our lens need calibration, Im going to buy a 24-70L and i heard there are a few bad copies out there.