I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get
some winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
capture? http://www.flickr.com/photos/silvermoon/2051967191/
Digital SLR seems so scary compared to the the old IXUS 800.
I was lucky mom gave me the manual so I have studied up so hopefully I
will be comfortable when I start.
Does anyone else here use the 400d and am I able to ask some questions
if i need advice?
The Flickr 400d group is very helpful also.
"Luke Carroll" <spookylukey@hotmail.com.REMOVE> wrote in message
news:5spvbgF1ah6ejU1@mid.individual.net...
>I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get some
>winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
> This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
> capture?
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/silvermoon/2051967191/
>
> Digital SLR seems so scary compared to the the old IXUS 800.
> I was lucky mom gave me the manual so I have studied up so hopefully I
> will be comfortable when I start.
>
> Does anyone else here use the 400d and am I able to ask some questions if
> i need advice?
> The Flickr 400d group is very helpful also.
The best way to photograph lightning is to use an HD video camcorder to
record the storm.
Later you can do a frame capture on your computer to get the best shots.
On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:33:15 -0700, "~~NoMad~~" <nomadjpegs@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>"Luke Carroll" <spookylukey@hotmail.com.REMOVE> wrote in message
>news:5spvbgF1ah6ejU1@mid.individual.net...
>>I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get some
>>winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
>> This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
>> capture?
>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/silvermoon/2051967191/
>>
>> Digital SLR seems so scary compared to the the old IXUS 800.
>> I was lucky mom gave me the manual so I have studied up so hopefully I
>> will be comfortable when I start.
>>
>> Does anyone else here use the 400d and am I able to ask some questions if
>> i need advice?
>> The Flickr 400d group is very helpful also.
>
>The best way to photograph lightning is to use an HD video camcorder to
>record the storm.
>
>Later you can do a frame capture on your computer to get the best shots.
>
>
>NM
>
>
Yeah, keep listening to these resident-troll morons. Virtual photographers
playing with their virtual cameras handing out virtual advice, they win their
imaginary "power points" if they can trick you into believing they've ever
touched a camera, which they then hand in for their virtual blow-up doll reward
each week.
Do yourself a favor. Dump that image jarring POS DSLR and go put CHDK on your
IXUS800 with motion detection built into it. Then use the motion detection
feature to trigger each shot by the lightning strike itself.
"Pat" wrote:
> It's simple. Go set up a really big mirror a long ways in the
> opposite direction of the storm. Point the camera into the mirror.
> Wait for a lightning strike. When you see it, hit your shutter and
> capture the picture. Because the light goes to the mirror and bounces
> back at you, you'll have plenty of time to get ready for it.
>
That was pretty funny. What about the issue of constantly having to
wipe the rain off the mirror?
Suddenly, without warning, Quadibloc exclaimed (12/18/2007 11:10 PM):
> On Dec 18, 6:13 am, Luke Carroll <spookylu...@hotmail.com.REMOVE>
> wrote:
>> I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get
>> some winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
>> This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
>> capture?
>
> My understanding is that photographing lightning is difficult even
> with film cameras.
>
> The way you have to do it, IIRC, is make a long exposure, and hope
> that a lightning bolt happens *during* the exposure, because a
> lightning bolt is over by the time you have reacted to it to press the
> shutter. This may be a little bit more awkward with a CCD, but
> probably not that much.
>
> John Savard
This is the method I used to get some nice lightning shots. This one
was the best: http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelcat/2121555864/. It
wasn't taken with a DSLR though; at the time I had a Nikon Coolpix 8700,
which Nikon described as "DSLR-like". At any rate, these are the
settings I used:
Original date/time: 2006:12:01 20:56:32
Exposure time: 800/100
F-stop: 2.8
ISO speed: 50
Then, I'd just keep hitting the shutter button each time the previous
exposure finished. I took probably 30 frames, and ended up with 5 or 6
usable lightning images.
Haven't had an opportunity yet to try with my 400D/Rebel XTi.
Luke Carroll wrote:
> I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get
> some winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
> This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
> capture?
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/silvermoon/2051967191/
>
> Digital SLR seems so scary compared to the the old IXUS 800.
> I was lucky mom gave me the manual so I have studied up so hopefully I
> will be comfortable when I start.
>
> Does anyone else here use the 400d and am I able to ask some questions
> if i need advice?
> The Flickr 400d group is very helpful also.
It's quite easy, you set up the tripod and set the exposure to bulb.
Lock the shutter with the cable release. Have a beer, once you have seen
a few good strikes release the trigger. Repeat.
Annika1980 wrote:
> On Dec 18, 8:40 am, Quadibloc <jsav...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>
>> The way you have to do it, IIRC, is make a long exposure, and hope
>> that a lightning bolt happens *during* the exposure, because a
>> lightning bolt is over by the time you have reacted to it to press the
>> shutter.
>
> Not if you are quick.
>
> http://www.pbase.com/bret/image/62735361
> http://www.pbase.com/bret/image/54799895
>
> They also make a lightning trigger which will trigger the shutter when
> lightning appears. I don't know how effective these devices are,
> however.
>
On Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:10:54 GMT, "mcsteve" <mcstevex1350@verizon.net>
wrote:
> "Pat" wrote:
> > It's simple. Go set up a really big mirror a long ways in the
> > opposite direction of the storm. Point the camera into the mirror.
> > Wait for a lightning strike. When you see it, hit your shutter and
> > capture the picture. Because the light goes to the mirror and bounces
> > back at you, you'll have plenty of time to get ready for it.
>
> That was pretty funny. What about the issue of constantly having to
> wipe the rain off the mirror?
Have you any idea how quickly light travels? You put the mirror a LONG
way in the opposite direction, beyond the edge of the storm.
If you put another mirror behind you then, if it turns out you missed
the lighting on the first attempt, you can keep turning round to have
another go.
--
Matthew Winn
[If replying by mail remove the "r" from "urk"]
"Luke Carroll" <spookylukey@hotmail.com.REMOVE> wrote in message
news:5spvbgF1ah6ejU1@mid.individual.net...
>I am getting a digital SLR (400D) for Christmas and would like to get some
>winter storms. Are storms and lightning difficult to capture?
> This person explains it as easy, is it really as easy as point click and
> capture?
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/silvermoon/2051967191/
>
> Digital SLR seems so scary compared to the the old IXUS 800.
> I was lucky mom gave me the manual so I have studied up so hopefully I
> will be comfortable when I start.
>
> Does anyone else here use the 400d and am I able to ask some questions if
> i need advice?
> The Flickr 400d group is very helpful also.
Mate...
Alienskin has a "lightning" plugin for Photoshop. Why bother with natural
stuff?
The one I made sure fooled the master of Photoshop in this group
(Annika1980). He thought it was real Cool !!! http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/27848862 LOL
Lightning Photography 
Linear Mode
