Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

Check out the website at www.warrensweatherwatch.org.uk for a few photos
near Exeter of the nights lightning.

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

"Warren Radmore" wrote in message
...
Check out the website at www.warrensweatherwatch.org.uk for a few photos
near Exeter of the nights lightning.


Nice. I was hoping to try some more photos too, but the lightning avoided me
like the plague :(

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

"JamesB" wrote in message
...

"Warren Radmore" wrote in message
...
Check out the website at www.warrensweatherwatch.org.uk for a few photos
near Exeter of the nights lightning.


Nice. I was hoping to try some more photos too, but the lightning avoided
me like the plague :(


Been trying this evening to photograph the storm over north London ...
without any success. Maybe its the shutter delay on my digital camera? Is
film the only way to do it?

Geoff

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 21:44:23 GMT, GBH wrote:

Been trying this evening to photograph the storm over north London
... without any success. Maybe its the shutter delay on my digital
camera?

If you are waiting with your finger on the button the lighting is over
before you've even started to press it let alone have the camera think
about it as well.

Is film the only way to do it?

I don't think so you need a camera that has a B shutter setting or
long 30 to 60s exposure times and a means of stopping the lens right
down. Set the camera up on a tripod or other firm mount. Stop the lens
right down and open the shutter, keep it open for a minute or so then
close it and move to the next frame, repeat until youi have a flash
with the shutter open. Close the shutter straight away and RIYFB.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 21:44:23 GMT, GBH wrote:

Been trying this evening to photograph the storm over north London
... without any success. Maybe its the shutter delay on my digital
camera?

If you are waiting with your finger on the button the lighting is over
before you've even started to press it let alone have the camera think
about it as well.

Is film the only way to do it?

I don't think so you need a camera that has a B shutter setting or
long 30 to 60s exposure times and a means of stopping the lens right
down. Set the camera up on a tripod or other firm mount. Stop the lens
right down and open the shutter, keep it open for a minute or so then
close it and move to the next frame, repeat until youi have a flash
with the shutter open. Close the shutter straight away and RIYFB.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



Dave - thanks for that. In retrospect I realise where I was going wrong too,
despite pre-loading the shutter release. Unfortunately my camera (Panasonic
DMCFZ20) doesn't have a 'B' setting. Shame in a way because the CC was
almost continuous....

Geoff

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:58:59 GMT, GBH wrote:

Unfortunately my camera (Panasonic DMCFZ20) doesn't have a 'B'
setting.

What is the longest exposure it will do? Though if you can't stop the
lens down it might not be any use but worth a play to see what images
you get so you know the settings for next time.

Shame in a way because the CC was almost continuous....

I was hoping that the storms might make it this far north in the early
hours but nope. It's just grey, overcast and occasional light drizzle.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 07:58:59 GMT, GBH wrote:

Unfortunately my camera (Panasonic DMCFZ20) doesn't have a 'B'
setting.

What is the longest exposure it will do? Though if you can't stop the
lens down it might not be any use but worth a play to see what images
you get so you know the settings for next time.

Shame in a way because the CC was almost continuous....

I was hoping that the storms might make it this far north in the early
hours but nope. It's just grey, overcast and occasional light drizzle.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail


Maximum exposure is 8 seconds available from 2.8 upto f8. So maybe in just
repeating 8 second exposures I may get lucky ...

After a gloomy start its reasonably sunny and warm here in Chigwell....

Geoff

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 13:09:15 GMT, GBH wrote:

Maximum exposure is 8 seconds available from 2.8 upto f8. So maybe
in just repeating 8 second exposures I may get lucky ...

You may well do. How long does the camera take to cycle from shutter
close to being ready to open again? Is it quicker if you abort an
known duff frame? Sods Law will apply such that either lightening will
only happen when the camera is recycling or if you do capture one the
storeage will be full.

After a gloomy start its reasonably sunny and warm here in
Chigwell....

A bit brighter here but still 8/8ths, cool 13.5C (mid 20's yesteday)
and dizzly.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

You may well do. How long does the camera take to cycle from shutter
close to being ready to open again? Is it quicker if you abort an
known duff frame? Sods Law will apply such that either lightening will
only happen when the camera is recycling or if you do capture one the
storeage will be full.

After a gloomy start its reasonably sunny and warm here in
Chigwell....

A bit brighter here but still 8/8ths, cool 13.5C (mid 20's yesteday)
and dizzly.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



It takes 7 seconds from shutter close to shutter ready again. Once the
shutter release is pressed it runs down the 8 seconds and cannot be aborted.
Like you say, sods law is bound to come into play ... I'll try this out the
next time we get any sferics worth shooting. Its probably asking too much of
the camera....

8/8ths with drizzle started in the last hour and 24C

Geoff

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:25:23 GMT, GBH wrote:

It takes 7 seconds from shutter close to shutter ready again. Once
the shutter release is pressed it runs down the 8 seconds and cannot
be aborted.

Can you abort the 7 second recycle so you can have the shutter open
for longer than 50% of the time.

I'll try this out the next time we get any sferics worth shooting.

I'd have a play before hand so you know how to set the camera up and
the best settings for the iris so you don't get seriously over exposed
frames. Note lighting photgraphs only really work when light levels
are really low like dusk and at night.

Its probably asking too much of the camera....

But worth a try, getting just one decent shot of a lighting bolt is
very rewarding.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Photos of lightning from the 24/6 storms
 

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:25:23 GMT, GBH wrote:

It takes 7 seconds from shutter close to shutter ready again. Once
the shutter release is pressed it runs down the 8 seconds and cannot
be aborted.

Can you abort the 7 second recycle so you can have the shutter open
for longer than 50% of the time.

I'll try this out the next time we get any sferics worth shooting.

I'd have a play before hand so you know how to set the camera up and
the best settings for the iris so you don't get seriously over exposed
frames. Note lighting photgraphs only really work when light levels
are really low like dusk and at night.

Its probably asking too much of the camera....

But worth a try, getting just one decent shot of a lighting bolt is
very rewarding.

Dave
I have been experimenting most of the afternoon ... setting an 8 second
exposure at f8 seems the best compromise between exposure time and exposure
level - so agree with your comment about dusk and night shots being the best
time. I can reduce the recycle time by reducing image quality and/or size -
taking it down to 640/480 gives a 5 second recycle. I cannot abort the cycle
once the shutter release has been pressed, so the timings are .. shutter
open ... 8 seconds ... shutter closes ... frame is copied to SD 8
seconds.....camera ready. So thats an 8 second exposure every 16 seconds. So
now I just need to wait for the next storm. Unfortunately all the current
action seems to be well north of Chigwell at the moment.

Dave I appreciate your time/comments in all this faffing around, much
appreciated!
Geoff