Shutter speed.

[Scott™]

Last night I attempted to take a picture of a star trail. Now I had the camera set up on a tripod, pointing to the north star etc. The shutter speed was set to bulb and I had a remote to control the shutter.

So I pressed it and I was away. Now after exactly 30 minutes the camera shutter closed ending my capture... Why would this be? Are there internal settings I can alter to keep it open indefinitely?

Fortunately the picture was w**k anyway due to the moon but I'd still like to know why it shut after 30 minutes. Camera is a Nikon D5000 and the battery was freshly charged and still full. I've seen star trails done for hours.

Scott

 

[Revels]

The max they'll do is 30mins.

My D50 was the same. Haven't tried on my D90.

 

[Scott™]

Serious? I take it the pro models are much longer then. I guess I could open it as soon as it closes every half hour and merge the pictures together?

 

[The Boosh!]

Hasn't it got a BULB setting? You need a remote to use it but you can leave it open as long as you want?

 

[Scott™]

Last night I attempted to take a picture of a star trail. Now I had the camera set up on a tripod, pointing to the north star etc. The shutter speed was set to bulb and I had a remote to control the shutter.

So I pressed it and I was away. Now after exactly 30 minutes the camera shutter closed ending my capture... Why would this be? Are there internal settings I can alter to keep it open indefinitely?

Fortunately the picture was w**k anyway due to the moon but I'd still like to know why it shut after 30 minutes. Camera is a Nikon D5000 and the battery was freshly charged and still full. I've seen star trails done for hours.

Scott

Hasn't it got a BULB setting? You need a remote to use it but you can leave it open as long as you want?

Yerp.

 

[The Boosh!]

Oops sorry its been a long week.

 

[Scott™]

Lol thanks for the reply anyway mate.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Better off stacking images, esp. with the full moon (and the camera pointing away obviously )

30 mins is waaaay too long with the moon as it is now. My 17min on tues was like a bright sunny day haha !

Take numerous 30s/1min/5min/10min exposures.... throw them at photoshop and glue them together into one epic picture !

 

[Nick_P]

I found that the results are MUCH better stacking. I have a D90 and with a 30 min exposure it was noisy and s**t. Its also pretty risky. I leave the camera going taking 30sec photos for an hour or so. And then stacked them using the star trails program (which is free and easy)

 

[Adam.]

Example of what you are trying to achieve?

 

[Nick_P]

This sort of thing?

 

[.Adam.]

Those star pics are superb, gonna have to try this tonight!

EvilGiraffe - Shall i take some more photos of my giraffe for you

 

[Scott™]

I found that the results are MUCH better stacking. I have a D90 and with a 30 min exposure it was noisy and s**t. Its also pretty risky. I leave the camera going taking 30sec photos for an hour or so. And then stacked them using the star trails program (which is free and easy)

Can you set most DSLR'S to take snaps every 30 seconds?

 

[Nick_P]

You can on Canons I think, but I have a Nikon, So I either sit pressing my remote for hours or tape down the button

 

[Andy.]

With Canon you can do it if the camera is plugged into a PC/ Laptop using the Canon software, or you can get cheap remotes from Hong Kong/ eBay that will also do it for you.

 

[gsums]

how do you guys get such a long shutter speed i.e 30 mins? my nikon d3100 only reaches 30s?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

how do you guys get such a long shutter speed i.e 30 mins? my nikon d3100 only reaches 30s?

Bulb mode + remote.

 

[ipodsandguns]

You can get cheap import brand timer remotes from dealextreme.

Plug in the cam and will take a pic every 30 min for 30 min or whatever.

 

[Liquid yellow 182]

This sort of thing?

How are these stunning images achieved? Whenever i've done long exposures at night it always comes out very bright as if it were daytime? So how can you leave it going for 30sec and still get a dark pic with the starts appearing? cheers

 

[dunganick]

I've never shot these before myself. But i would guess that you just have to shoot the highest aperture your lens will allow (F22, F32 etc) and then the lowest natural ISO your camera will do (iso100 or 200). And on a tripod in bulb mode obviously.

It will probably help to try and find somewhere without too much light pollution too.

 

[gsums]

Bulb mode + remote.

i dont think i have bulb mode on my camera? :S if i buy a remote does this help the shutter speed or just the non shake of the camera?

 

[Scott™]

Basically the bulb mode will stay open as long as you hold down the shutter button and close when you let go. Which is mongols without a remote as you will have stupidly bad shake. So the remote stops that. Press to open, press to close.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Go to shutter priority or manual mode, keep turning the speed down, it'll go fractions, seconds, then 5 10 15 20 30 bulb. Something like that anyway.

What camera have you got?

Ly182 - examples needed with exif data to help

 

[Scott™]

Mongols? Stupid f**king iPhone!

 

[Andy.]

Here's an example of a remote that is useful for stuff like this.

http://cgi.ebay.nl/UK-Timer-Remote-...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item3361cab24b

Can do shots on intervals, shots for as long as you want etc etc.

 

[gsums]

Go to shutter priority or manual mode, keep turning the speed down, it'll go fractions, seconds, then 5 10 15 20 30 bulb. Something like that anyway.

What camera have you got?

Ive got a nikon d3100 it only goes to 30s no mention of bulb

 

[Scott™]

Right lads had another crack at this tonight. 60 x 30second captures and then the software to fit them all together. Not happy with the out come tbh. So I think I'm going to go back to just one long shutter speed or maybe 4 long ones. Anyways here it is.... The software has blurred the image btw. And I have no idea where there are stupid little dots.

 

[Liquid yellow 182]

Be awesome if it was clear

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Looks like some (I'm going to say 4 as there's 4 dots) of the shots were pointing in a slightly different angle. Hope you didn't touch the camera during this shoot ? :rasp:

 

[Nick_P]

Highish aperture, long shutter. If the moon is bright you can have difficulty getting a nicely exposed image, but the moon is also handy to light the foreground like in the attempt above. Im still searching for somewhere in the UK where there isnt many streetlights and a great landscape.

There are some great ones from the US of yosemite, well worth checking out

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Nick, see link below. Also, how far are you away from Stonehenge ? Worth a shot if you can find a day when it's not full of hippies !?

http://astronerd.co.uk/astro/modules/tinycontent/?id=1

You can select areas on the red menu (left side) to zoom in a bit if needed.

 

[Scott™]

Looks like some (I'm going to say 4 as there's 4 dots) of the shots were pointing in a slightly different angle. Hope you didn't touch the camera during this shoot ? :rasp:

Funilly enough I hand on heart didn't touch the camera. Not once. It was a bit breezy but its very random lol.

 

[Lee.]

Ive got a nikon d3100 it only goes to 30s no mention of bulb

I've noticed that my d3100 will only seem to go from 30s to bulb when using manual rather than shutter priority.

 

[Nick_P]

Not far from stonehenge actually, might give it ago next time I have time off work

 

[gsums]

I've noticed that my d3100 will only seem to go from 30s to bulb when using manual rather than shutter priority.

I havent even realised 'bulb' mode on my camera how do you get it on the d3100?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Put it in M mode (manual) rather than shutter prio.

Bulb mode will only be in full manual as it won't know how long you want to take picture for, so cant adjust aperture etc to suit an (almost) infinite time scale of exposure :evil:

 

[Scott™]

Finished article

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Trés bien mon ami !

:approve:

 

[Scott™]

Merci mon bon monsieur

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Mange tut, Rodney. Mange tut.