Shooting lightning?

[Geekybiker]

So in a couple weeks I'm going on a storm chasing trip. Lots of chances to shoot lightning, funnel clouds, etc. Thing is that I've never shot any of this stuff before. I'd appreciate any tips from people experienced in shooting weather and lightning.

[Noisychip]

I tried to shoot lightning once, it is actually pretty easy. All you need is a slow shutter speed, at least a couple of seconds. The longer the exposure, the better your chances of having lightning in. Meter with the available light, and start the exposure.

I haven't tried a ND filter, the scene was dark enough for a multi-second exposure, but this might be an idea if the environment is to bright.

Results can be really awesome if you manage to capture multiple lightning strokes at once

[procyon]

I read somewhere (here ? ) that it's possible to wire a flash optical slave sensor to the camera so it acts like a remote. Sudden flash (=lightning) and it triggers the camera.

[Noisychip]

Originally Posted by procyon

I read somewhere (here ? ) that it's possible to wire a flash optical slave sensor to the camera so it acts like a remote. Sudden flash (=lightning) and it triggers the camera.

I seriously doubt this would work. A wireless trigger is quick enough to start a second flash unit within the shutter time (so not shorter than 1/180s). I don't think it will be quick enough for a lightning strike of 0.00001s or so. Think of the shutter lag of the camera...

[user440]

One of my ex-coworkers created a power point how to do this and how to build a cheap lightning detector. I don't feel comfortable posting it on the web, but if you want a copy feel free to PM me here.

[Lowell Goudge]

Originally Posted by Noisychip

I seriously doubt this would work. A wireless trigger is quick enough to start a second flash unit within the shutter time (so not shorter than 1/180s). I don't think it will be quick enough for a lightning strike of 0.00001s or so. Think of the shutter lag of the camera...

There is a site in the UK, not sure exactly the name now, but they modify your cable release to trigger from lighting just like a remote flash trigger

here are the DIY instructions

Lightning Activated Camera Shutter Trigger

There is also a lot of data on lightning, and the duration of an event. While lightning may be an event that (from a voltage point of view when it hits something) has a rise time of about a microsecond, and time to half value of 50 micro seconds, the duration of a total lightning event from streamer growth to ground strike to return strike is quite long.

[Noisychip]

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

There is a site in the UK, not sure exactly the name now, but they modify your cable release to trigger from lighting just like a remote flash trigger

Wow, this is a remarkable project! Seems like I was pretty wrong with my guess of 0.00001s .
That's a great thing for bright days, otherwise shooting with mulit-seconds exposures works quite nicely as well

[ve2vfd]

Great link Lowell! I may have to build one of those... it's sad we only get 1 or 2 tunder storms in the summer here... I LOVE lightning.

Pat

[Lowell Goudge]

Originally Posted by ve2vfd

Great link Lowell! I may have to build one of those... it's sad we only get 1 or 2 tunder storms in the summer here... I LOVE lightning.

Pat

Pat

I am looking at a simpler process.

I'm sure everyone has a flash slave?

I am thinking that if you had an old flash that you did not care about, just pop the shoe connector off the flash (i.e. canabalize it) and hook up the slave to the shutter release plug on the camera. You might even be able to make this as an IR trigger.

I will look into it a little more, just to make sure the polarity is right, and maybe put a sketch of the cable between the flash slave and the shutter release plug.

Note for this you would need to preset focus, and turn AF off, so the shutter will trip when the slave tells it to.

[Ron Boggs]

Night lightening shots are easy. Use bulb to hold shutter open and wait for a flash of lightning. Stop the exposure and play with composition when you see what lights up. Try to position yourself to get interesting silhouettes backlit by the lightning.

Easiest way to shoot daytime lightning (without being McGuyver), is to buy a Lightning Trigger that is synched to the shutter lag of your camera. I had he Lightning Trigger folks modify a unit to work with a PZ1p several years ago. If they are still in business, they can probably do something for digital bodies. The only thing they needed was shutter lag specs. which Pentax provided for the custom unit I have (and a "spare" cable release for that camera). I loaned my trigger and PZ1p to 35mmfilmuser for his contest in Texas, but sadly, no lightning in the area he's shooting.

I'm too hurried (going to shoot in W. WA for a week, leaving in an hour) but you should be able to find the Lightning Trigger company with a quick search. They provided good info and general tips for lightning work back when I found them the first year they were in business. They were located in CO as I recall...

Also, because lightning often occurs simultaneously with wind and rain, check into rain hoods or even "baggy" methods to keep your gear dry. Some of the most spectacular lightning storms are unshootable without some sort of rain protection.

I use a waterproof (snorkeler's) type sealed case with a Pentax point and shoot digi for ridiculous conditions. Can't remember the name of the case, but it's a custom fitted one with external buttons and knobs so all camera functions can be utilized. Outdated point and shoots and accessories like this case should be pretty cheap on the used market? Heck a used waterproof Pentax point and shoot wouldn't be a bad idea for the trip. Sell it when you are done so you aren't out anything...

[Venturi]

Originally Posted by ve2vfd

Great link Lowell! I may have to build one of those... it's sad we only get 1 or 2 tunder storms in the summer here... I LOVE lightning.

Pat

Sent the link to my father inlaw. He's got more time and more recent experience tinkering than I do. Also discussed with him the possiblilty to add in a sensitivity knob to the circuit to allow adjustment for daytime storms.

[amoringello]

"the duration of a total lightning event from streamer growth to ground strike to return strike is quite long."

Still, what is the shutter lag time on, lets say, the K10D? I would think even if the shutter was triggered immediately on the lightning strike, you'd likely catch only the tail end if anything by the time the mirror flipped up and the shutter actually opened.

I think you still need special hardware to keep the mirror up so that the shutter is the only mechanism that needs to open when triggered. Still, I'm not sure 1/180s is fast eniough to catch any but the largest lightining strikes.

Hard to say... I have no way of measuring how long the strikes last, but I know the burn-in time for my eyes is longer than the actual ligtining strike lasted. So some of them do seem to last a long time.

[Ron Boggs]

It sounds like you are skeptical and have "theoretical" issues with trying to capture lightning strikes. Rest easy! I just checked the Lightning Trigger site (google it, I'm not smart enough to link it for you) and it's filled with great info and tips plus dozens of daytime lightning photos. They have charts of camera models with shutter lag stats and such. They build triggers for several Pentax bodies including the *ist series digital bodies. Apparantly, not enough of us have asked for triggers for updated digital bodies. One quote from their site, "Depending on the storm, lightning flashes can last for several hundred milliseconds and contain dozens of strokes each occuring approximately 40 milliseconds apart." These guys know their stuff!

Timing a shutter to a lightning bolt is not theory! I've done it and the folks at Lightning Trigger do it professionally. Check their website, it's quite informative! And no I'm not affiliated with them in any way. I paid them to build me a unit nearly 10 years ago...

[Dale]

Lightning trigger
$329 USD 10% discount for camera club orders.

[Ron Boggs]

Dale,
Thanks for the link! And hey, since I am so computer illiterate, is that the smiley face for "man you must be daft!" or "Dude, your surfboard must've hit you in the head"? Appreciate the extra help!