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Night scene photography

philstaff
Posted 07/09/2015 - 16:40 Link
I was wondering when shooting night scenes. Is there any advantage of using a shutter release remote. Over the cameras in built self timmer. To open and close the shutter during the exposure.
Regards Ian
Chrism8
Posted 07/09/2015 - 17:33 - Helpful Comment Link
Yes, the remote release will give you exposures over and above the 30 seconds most camera's will.
Chris

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
Nigelk
Posted 07/09/2015 - 18:32 - Helpful Comment Link
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. It would save having to remember a remote. Bitter experience I have forgotten mine on more than one occasion.
McGregNi
Posted 07/09/2015 - 19:07 - Helpful Comment Link
You can set mirror up in conjunction with remote control release, so first press raises the mirror .... Wait a few seconds .... Squint your eyes ..... Tighten lips together ..... Hold your breath .... Then press again to take the shot.
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
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
richandfleur
Posted 07/09/2015 - 19:57 - Helpful Comment Link
Nigelk wrote:
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...
WaypointCharlie
Posted 08/09/2015 - 13:02 Link
Another advantage of using remote over the self timer is you can catch the moment you want, rather than catch it 3 secs too late.

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?
Gwyn
Posted 08/09/2015 - 13:12 Link
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
Edited by Gwyn: 08/09/2015 - 13:13
Mag07
Posted 08/09/2015 - 13:48 Link
Haha yeah. Deleted mine lol. Thought I somehow missed a post
WaypointCharlie
Posted 08/09/2015 - 13:54 Link
Interesting. It works!

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.
davidwozhere
Posted 09/09/2015 - 00:04 Link
Gwyn wrote:
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.
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

My page on Photocrowd
richandfleur
Posted 09/09/2015 - 00:31 Link
Yep, super easy really. That combined with the internal intervalometer means you can be up and running for longer exposures for very little money really.

example link with free shipping worldwide

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
philstaff
Posted 16/09/2015 - 23:27 Link
Hi guys can someone point me in the direction to buy a shutter release to use for long exposures.

Regards Ian
davidwozhere
Posted 16/09/2015 - 23:51 Link
Both IR remote and "cable" release are readily available on E bay. I've had no problems with mine
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

My page on Photocrowd
McGregNi
Posted 17/09/2015 - 09:34 Link
Just reading through this again and Richards point about not needing to be too exact with timings when it gets so long, suddenly a big word popped back into my head, one that I hadn't seen used in a very long time, but which I used to read about (and think about) a lot .....RECIPROCOCITY FAILURE!

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 ... ?)
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
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
Edited by McGregNi: 17/09/2015 - 09:37
richandfleur
Posted 17/09/2015 - 09:49 Link
McGregNi wrote:
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.
Edited by richandfleur: 17/09/2015 - 09:52

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