Night scene photography
www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk
" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".
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K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8
Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8
K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM
I have often wondered why the limit of 30 seconds with the self timer? Surely it wouldn't be difficult to have a camera that you can dial in any length of exposure and still use the self timer. It would save having to remember a remote. Bitter experience I have forgotten mine on more than one occasion.
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
As Chris says.
I have often wondered why the limit of 30 seconds with the self timer? Surely it wouldn't be difficult to have a camera that you can dial in any length of exposure and still use the self timer.
Fully agree, this seems to be a legacy limit that's just continued over the years.
Alternative is bulb mode, set to one push to start, one push to stop. I use a cheap IR remote from China to do this, and a cell phone as the timer, which also doubles as the calculator for exposure when using a 10 stop ND filter...
Note when combining the self timer with exposure bracketing you'll get 3 sec breaks inserted between shots when set to 3 sec delay but no inter-shot delays when set to 10 sec.
I quite like using the IR remote but find it irritating that the camera doesn't respond to it when reviewing an image on the screen (unlike the shutter release button/cable). It doesn't work in Bulb mode so is limited to 30 secs. Setting IR remote mode is also a quick way of disabling shake reduction.
I wouldn't agonise about mirror flap on long exposures (or short for that matter). I'm not sure what sort of speeds it might be useful - 1/2 sec perhaps?
posted at the same time as Mag07
I think on my previous K-5 I'd set 'Remote Control in Bulb' to Mode2, mistakenly believing Mode1 would require two presses on my cable release button.
My Pentax IR remote works in bulb mode! One click to open the shutter, and another to close it.
posted at the same time as Mag07
Well, I've learned something there -- mine does too.
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You simply don't need an external trigger unless you're looking for smarter things, such as bulb ramping during a sunrise time-lapse etc.
For long exposures, often a second extra on say a 1 minute exposure, won't make that much of a difference, so you don't have to be that accurate either. As mentioned earlier, I have a free smartphone app for calculating the longer shutter/exposure time required when adding a 10 stop filter. Put those two together and you're up and running quite cheaply.
another link
Regards Ian
Now that was a big worry, wasn't it ? Do we have reciprocity failure with digital now? (bye the way, I was releaved to find that my smartphone spell checker was working well. .....or was it ... ?)
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
RECIPROCOCITY
Reciprocity
And by all accounts it doesn't appear to be an issue with digital sensors, or at least not as significant as film.
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1455 posts
15 years
Regards Ian