STORM2K

Some of the lightning I took pictures of a week or so ago.

http://www.gather.com/viewSlideshow.act ... umId=31876

I used to spend a lot of time on hilltops in Texas taking lightning photos with my trusty Olympus OM-1 back in the 1970s. These days, cameras are all digital. What kind of camera are you using? Do digital cameras allow for a long time exposure (maybe 30-60 seconds)? Can you stop the time exposure with a remote cable/remote control once lightning is captured? I used a remote shutter cable on my Olympus to close the lens once the lightning flashed.

wxman57 wrote:I used to spend a lot of time on hilltops in Texas taking lightning photos with my trusty Olympus OM-1 back in the 1970s. These days, cameras are all digital. What kind of camera are you using? Do digital cameras allow for a long time exposure (maybe 30-60 seconds)? Can you stop the time exposure with a remote cable/remote control once lightning is captured? I used a remote shutter cable on my Olympus to close the lens once the lightning flashed.

Some point-and-shoots will, but for the most part you need a digital SLR. The specs on some high-end digital SLR cameras will blow your mind with what you can do...I shoot with a Nikon D5000, an 'amateur to advanced amateur' DSLR and it does most everything I need.

What about shutter control. How do you start/stop a time exposure without touching the camera? For example, with a regular film SLR, I'd use a shutter control cable to open the shutter then release it after the lightning flashed. This avoids shaking the camera and ruining the shot.

wxman57 wrote:What about shutter control. How do you start/stop a time exposure without touching the camera? For example, with a regular film SLR, I'd use a shutter control cable to open the shutter then release it after the lightning flashed. This avoids shaking the camera and ruining the shot.

Most digital SLRS now allow you to use a wireless remote to open the shutter. Cables are so 20th century

I have a minolta (now sony) D5. I can take long exposure pictures using my tripod and cable release. It is a manual release and I can take any length exposure. Last time I used it in that manner was for the lunar eclipse......MGC

Yeah, I figured that if there was a way to control exposure time that it might be via a remote control. Even my relatively cheap point and shoot has a remote. I've never used it, though. But Houston's not a good location to take lightning shots. Too many bright lights limit exposure time. Back when I was in school at A&M, I lived with my father in Fort Worth. There were lots of hills outside of the city that made good vantage points, and it was fairly dark. Had to wait days and days and days for the film to get developed to see if I got any good strikes. Would be great to use a DSLR and see the results instantly.