# Help: lightning photography?



## TrabimanUK (Jul 18, 2014)

Hi guys,
We had a great storm last night with loads of lightning. I tried to take some shots but nothing came out. 

I have a 7d and a 5diii at my disposal along with a canon 24-70, 70-200 is I and a tammy 150-600. I was using the 7d and 24-70 last night.

Could anyone please let me know what sort of settings would be best on which camera and which lens, as we are scheduled for more lightning tonight.

Huge thanks in advance,

Grant


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## Marsu42 (Jul 18, 2014)

TrabimanUK said:


> Could anyone please let me know what sort of settings would be best on which camera and which lens, as we are scheduled for more lightning tonight.



There's a dedicated Magic Lantern motion detect module for this very purpose, see their site magiclantern.fm and google "magic lantern lighting" => results like http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7002555087/lightning-photography-with-magic-lantern


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## Djaaf (Jul 18, 2014)

TrabimanUK said:


> Could anyone please let me know what sort of settings would be best on which camera and which lens, as we are scheduled for more lightning tonight.
> 
> Huge thanks in advance,
> 
> Grant



Well, for starter, the lens to use depends mostly of your view on the lightning storm. 
If you're, say, on a hill with the heart of the storm a few dozens kilometers away, use the 70-200. 
If you're in or close to the heart of the storm, the 24-70 should be better suited.  

Next, find a place that's not under the rain and if possible not too exposed to the winds. (yeah, not that easy in a storm, I know... I find that the back of a car, with the hatchback open, is fine (mostly) if there's nothing better nearby)

Now, concerning the parameters to use : First, manual focus to a building/landmark/etc... near the place where the lightnings strike. 
Next, put your camera to 100 iso, f/5.6 to f/8 and 5 to 10s exposure (this depends on the ambient light. In a city, 5s is plenty enough. In the country, 10s may be a bit too little. The goal is that your picture should be very dark if there are no lightnings on it. You're counting on the lightnings to provide light (think of them as big deported cobra flashes.  ).

Then fire up the magic lantern intervallometer (or do it through the EOS utility, or manually at worst), and go for 10 pics at a time.  

Most of those, there will probably be nothing to see. But on some of them there will be one, two or more lightnings lighting the sky and the landscape.  

Good luck !


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## brianftpc (Jul 18, 2014)

I have a canon 1dx so the settings to the 5Diii should be about the same. Ive only done this at night. I use f22, iso 100-250 and shutter speed 30 seconds. if there is a lightning strike within 30 seconds it will be in the pic. I focus manually on a treeline or the farthest object I can see. I simply point the camera where the most action is coming from, push the button, 30 seconds passes, push it again till Im tired of doing it. I used the 24-70mkii.

1st pic is original second is playing with it in RAW


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## awinphoto (Jul 18, 2014)

Lastly, heed the advice from my photographer grandpa after i sent him pics of lightnings... "lighting seeks out photographers in the middle of storms".... so be safe and be careful.


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## MTL18 (Jul 18, 2014)

Last storm I used f14, iso 100, 30s using my 50mm (f1.8 ) lens on a 60d. Tripod necessary. Got one nice picture in about 25 tries. Takes patience. A remote shutter makes it less annoying. Edited it to make the picture colder (blue). Uploading a JPEG so you can see.


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## niteclicks (Jul 18, 2014)

I use a detector. I tried several and this one works best http://www.togastro.com/toga_ld.html . Mine is one of their prototypes, but I assume the new ones work as well. Really makes it simple, set the camera up where it is protected, then get somewhere where you are safe. Nothing bets a good lightning storm.


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## dhr90 (Jul 18, 2014)

An article I found a few days ago had this piece of wisdom to share: "If you find yourself reaching for your fisheye, then you're too close." ;D

In all seriousness, if you're stood outside, plan a retreat to your car/house/place of safety if you need to make a quick getaway. 

I'd go with something like ISO 100 at f12 for 5-10seconds. Focal length, wider gives you greater chance of catching a strike, but wider risks losing it I the general picture.


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## dbm (Jul 18, 2014)

the advice here is much better than my strategy, which involved anticipatory clicking with a hope of getting lucky


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## Famateur (Jul 18, 2014)

brianftpc said:


> I use f22, iso 100-250 and shutter speed 30 seconds. if there is a lightning strike within 30 seconds it will be in the pic. I focus manually on a treeline or the farthest object I can see. I simply point the camera where the most action is coming from, push the button, 30 seconds passes, push it again till I'm tired of doing it.



This is how I do it, too.

Unfortunately, Magic Lantern isn't available for the 70D, so I do it manually. I once programmed an old TI-82 graphing calculator to act as an intervalometer for my G12, and it worked beautifully. Not sure the cable/jack is the same as for the 70D...maybe I should take a look!


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## dcm (Jul 18, 2014)

Lots of advice on the net if you search, even some devices that will trigger on a lightning strike. Didn't find anything useful on Canon sites.

Attended Nikon School of Photography back in my film days even though I was shooting with Canon gear. The Nikon School Handbook is a pretty useful starting point when I'm not sure, but its at home right now. How to Photograph Lightning on the Nikon School site gives some good advice.


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## Famateur (Jul 18, 2014)

Famateur said:


> I once programmed an old TI-82 graphing calculator to act as an intervalometer for my G12, and it worked beautifully. Not sure the cable/jack is the same as for the 70D...maybe I should take a look!


Huzzah! The jack is the same on the 70D as it is on the G12. The cable fits!

I'm going to go dig up my TI-82 and try my luck again...


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## davidcl0nel (Jul 18, 2014)

f/8-f/11, Tripod or safe Windowboard, ISO 100, Wideangle (35mm FF or so) and round about 15 seconds duration per shot. Manual focus to a distant object, tree line or so.
You can watch the storm, where the next lightning stroke has the most possibility, but don't twist the position every lightning you have missed. The thunderstorm will be moving... You propably need 100x captures and if you are lucky you got a wonderful shot. If now? Try next time.... You won't see the 99 other captures of other people, you only see the good picture - so don't be sad...

Afterwards you need to twist a little bit the white balance. Automatic white balance will show you propably a purple sky - which isn't what I want. ;-) Change it to gray or blue, as you like...

My best shot:



Gewitter / Thunderstorm in Berlin by davidcl0nel, on Flickr


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## mdmphoto (Jul 18, 2014)

How do you like the tamron 150-600? I've owned a sigma 150-500 for a couple of years now, but am fiending over the additional 100mm the tammy offers...


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## jrista (Jul 18, 2014)

The trick with lightning photography is to expose for long enough, at a narrow aperture, and do so repetitively, that you capture live bolts. Personally, I use a simple $35 intervalometer with my 7D and 5D III, along with exposures around 10 seconds, ISO anywhere from 100 to 3200, and apertures around f/8 to f/16 (depends on the time of day/night and intensity of the flashes). I usually program the intervalometer to take a few hundred shots, and after pointing both cameras in the direction of lightning activity, I just let em rip.

Here is a recent shot (I have more, haven't processed them all yet):







It's also possible to use lightning preflash detectors to look for the initial burst and dispersal of electrical energy that preceeds the main bolt. These will automatically trigger your camera for you once the preflash has been detected. They are pretty accurate these days, and the nice thing about them is you don't have to expose for a long period of time, which blurs the clouds.


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## Famateur (Jul 18, 2014)

Famateur said:


> Famateur said:
> 
> 
> > I once programmed an old TI-82 graphing calculator to act as an intervalometer for my G12, and it worked beautifully. Not sure the cable/jack is the same as for the 70D...maybe I should take a look!
> ...


Success!!!

The TI-82 intervalometer works with the 70D, just like it did with the G12. I would expect that it will work with all the Rebel/XXXD models, too. Just check to see if the camera input uses a 3.5MM jack and not some proprietary connector.

For anyone who is interested, here's a link to instructions: http://www.instructables.com/id/Turn-a-TI-Graphing-Calculator-into-an-Intervalomet/?ALLSTEPS

Here's the program code specific to the TI-82:

: Prompt A
: While 1
: For (H,1,A,1)
: End
: Send(A)
: End

----------------------

Just choose your camera settings and then start the program, entering the number that will produce the interval you desire. I think 100 corresponds roughly with 1 second. I'm pretty sure it sends the signal to trigger on that interval, regardless of the shutter setting, so you'll want to figure that in when you choose your interval.

I hope this is helpful to someone!


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## Marsu42 (Jul 18, 2014)

mdmphoto said:


> How do you like the tamron 150-600? I've owned a sigma 150-500 for a couple of years now, but am fiending over the additional 100mm the tammy offers...



I'd advice to check the reviews how long these zooms *actually* are, the nominal label doesn't mean much and esp. 3rd party manufacturers like to cheat here. Also the longer the lens gets, the less real life difference 100mm means unless you plan to multiply the effect with a tc.


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## mustafaakarsu (Jul 19, 2014)

You can use something like this as well.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerotrigger/miops-smartphone-controllable-high-speed-camera-tr?ref=users


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## brianftpc (Jul 19, 2014)

Marsu42 said:


> mdmphoto said:
> 
> 
> > How do you like the tamron 150-600? I've owned a sigma 150-500 for a couple of years now, but am fiending over the additional 100mm the tammy offers...
> ...



At over 500mm on the 150-600 I have read nothing but bad things about it


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## brianftpc (Jul 19, 2014)

I left out tripod which is essential on 30 second shutter speeds. I use a wireless shutter if things are too bad outside and just stay inside and control the camera while its in the elements


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