Help! Need some last minute fireworks capture tips from the experienced!

[crosbyharbison]

If you dont have a remote shutter cable (I wouldn't use enough to justify the 50 purchase for the canon one) you can put your camera to the short timer setting and maybe a 3 second exposure and just spam the shutter untill you get something.





The others got it right but heres a summary:


f/8-f/16


iso 100


tripod, the heavier the better


manual focus infinity


flashlight good to bring


uv filters will cause stray light to 'ghost' on your image

[HiFiGuy1]

Alright, I didn't see some of the replies before I left, but this is what I did:


EOS 40D w/ EF 17-40 f/4 @ f/10 and 40mm. Removed protective UV filter. Decent tripod which seemed stable tonight. ISO 100, manual focus (not sure where, just used a ship's mast that seemed about thesame distance), manual mode, shutter@ 5 or6 seconds for most shots. Had to use the 2 second timer, as I don't have a release yet. I didn't use in-camera noise reduction.


I thought bulb and manual were the same. What is the difference?


I did bring a small LED flashlight, and it was a lifesaver the few times I had to whip it out to make adjustments.

[Alan]

The bulb setting lets you control how long the shutter is open. You press the shutter button (or, remote release) and hold it for as long as you wish, and the shutter stays open until you release the button.


You can set the aperture, then control the shutter speed yourself.


Manual doesn't do it that way.

[HiFiGuy1]

Well that's pretty straightforward! The problem with that mode for, at least last night, is that I don't yet have a remote release, so I'd be risking camera shake since I'd have to press the shutter on the body. I absolutely see the benefit of bulb mode for fireworks, though. That is exactly the kind of control I wished to have when I was shooting last night! Instead, I had to sort of play the timing game and hope that I was in sync with the rhythm of the fireworks, and press the shutter two seconds before the "beat", if you know what I mean. The remote would have made my shots MUCH easier.


Thank you for teaching me something new about photography, though. Now I MUST get a remote release.