Using Bulb Mode on K5

Skipper74 · 04-30-2013, 03:20 PM

Just curious if anyone had any advice on using the Bulb mode on the K5. I was hoping to try and get some star shots but I have never used it.

**jatrax** · 04-30-2013, 03:46 PM

There is a setting in the menu that determines whether the remote operates as: press to open shutter / press again to close shutter OR press and hold remote button and release when you want to close the shutter. Set this as you prefer.

Not much other advice, except have fun.

vladimiroltean · 04-30-2013, 04:13 PM

Hi, for long exposures, you need a sturdy tripod, a remote control and a lot of patience

Basically, for anything longer than 30 seconds, the camera automatically takes another picture of same length, but shutter closed, so it gets a black frame, but with the same noise pattern. Then it subtracts the noise from the first picture and you get a clean frame. This is called dark frame subtraction and can take a lot of time, so the K-5 also has the option of bypassing it (it's called slow shutter noise reduction in the menu, I believe), but at the cost of getting slightly noisier pictures. It's your choice

**JimJohnson** · 04-30-2013, 04:19 PM

Dark Field Extraction .... when you take a long exposure, the camera by default will take an equally long exposure with the shutter closed. The camera can then identify any pixels that show exposure when they shouldn't and use that data to subtract those pixels from the exposed image. The goal is to reduce noise. There are lots of posts in this Forum where photographers didn't realize this and thought their camera had died.

AussieTrev · 05-01-2013, 01:57 AM

If you set the long exposure shutter mode to one press to open and one to close you can use the infrared remote to operate the shutter which removes any chance of shake. Also experiment with mirror up, which is another menu choose, this is another area of camera shake. Also turn noise reduction off, it just takes too long and use a noise reduction plug in for Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop. I use both Topaz and Nik Software and either use one or the other or both.

em-tx · 10-01-2013, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by AussieTrev

If you set the long exposure shutter mode to one press to open and one to close you can use the infrared remote to operate the shutter which removes any chance of shake. Also experiment with mirror up, which is another menu choose, this is another area of camera shake. Also turn noise reduction off, it just takes too long and use a noise reduction plug in for Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop. I use both Topaz and Nik Software and either use one or the other or both.

Hi, I was wondering about mirror lock up. I looked up in menu and it seems to me connected with sensor cleaning which is moment I can not take a pictures. Can you please share how to work out mirror lock up? Thank you.

**JimJohnson** · 10-01-2013, 07:14 PM

The K-5 may have an actual mirror lock-up for exposure function (as opposed to locking it up for sensor cleaning), I don't know. On the other hand, the entire line of current Pentax dSLRs has a short self-timer function. The purpose is to lift the mirror and keep it up a couple seconds prior to activating the shutter. This is supposedly enough to dampen normal camera movement during the exposure.

**jatrax** · 10-01-2013, 07:59 PM

K-5 has true "mirror up" it is under the drive mode button. When set first press of the shutter button lifts the mirror and second press takes the exposure. It can be set to use a remote or the shutter button.

123jippo · 10-02-2013, 04:43 AM

i use irremote with 3sec delay much. When press remotecontrol button mirror is locked up and after 3sec shitter is opened automatically. in bulb mode shutter is open as long as i press remotecontrol button again. no cable causing camerashake with irremote. highly recomended to get cheap one button pentax ir remote. i not use my cable remote anymore, no need to openclose rubberdoor in body anymore, i cound not do that when using L-plate anyway...

**jbinpg** · 10-02-2013, 03:22 PM

I use IR remote and mirror lockup with first press and shutter open on second press for astrophoto work. The only way to ensure all vibrations have damped down before activating shutter. It may take more than 3 seconds at times.

Jack

123jippo · 10-03-2013, 04:43 AM

Jack, how many secs delay is needed to make 100% sure there is no shake left anymore?

**jbinpg** · 10-03-2013, 04:21 PM

Many factors will determine that: tripod stability, wind speed, tripod head, camera mount, bumping the whole setup (this happens more often than you would think). Trial and error will be your guide. I rarely need to wait more than 5 seconds with my setup.

Jack

Barry Pearson · 10-04-2013, 01:30 AM

Originally posted by 123jippo

Jack, how many secs delay is needed to make 100% sure there is no shake left anymore?

Originally posted by jbinpg

Many factors will determine that: tripod stability, wind speed, tripod head, camera mount, bumping the whole setup (this happens more often than you would think). Trial and error will be your guide. I rarely need to wait more than 5 seconds with my setup.

I often rely on the standard 2-second delay, after firing by hand. But I know professionals who think it should be much longer. (And I use an IR or cable release where convenient).

But trial and error can be tricky. After all, if wind is a factor while waiting for the shot to start, it is still a factor while the exposure is being made.

04-30-2013, 03:20 PM	#1
Skipper74 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 34	Using Bulb Mode on K5 Just curious if anyone had any advice on using the Bulb mode on the K5. I was hoping to try and get some star shots but I have never used it.

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04-30-2013, 03:46 PM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	There is a setting in the menu that determines whether the remote operates as: press to open shutter / press again to close shutter OR press and hold remote button and release when you want to close the shutter. Set this as you prefer. Not much other advice, except have fun.

04-30-2013, 04:13 PM	#3
vladimiroltean Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bucharest, Romania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,465	Hi, for long exposures, you need a sturdy tripod, a remote control and a lot of patience Basically, for anything longer than 30 seconds, the camera automatically takes another picture of same length, but shutter closed, so it gets a black frame, but with the same noise pattern. Then it subtracts the noise from the first picture and you get a clean frame. This is called dark frame subtraction and can take a lot of time, so the K-5 also has the option of bypassing it (it's called slow shutter noise reduction in the menu, I believe), but at the cost of getting slightly noisier pictures. It's your choice

04-30-2013, 04:19 PM	#4
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	Dark Field Extraction .... when you take a long exposure, the camera by default will take an equally long exposure with the shutter closed. The camera can then identify any pixels that show exposure when they shouldn't and use that data to subtract those pixels from the exposed image. The goal is to reduce noise. There are lots of posts in this Forum where photographers didn't realize this and thought their camera had died.

05-01-2013, 01:57 AM	#5
AussieTrev Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,590	If you set the long exposure shutter mode to one press to open and one to close you can use the infrared remote to operate the shutter which removes any chance of shake. Also experiment with mirror up, which is another menu choose, this is another area of camera shake. Also turn noise reduction off, it just takes too long and use a noise reduction plug in for Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop. I use both Topaz and Nik Software and either use one or the other or both.

10-01-2013, 05:35 PM	#6
em-tx Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 229	Originally posted by AussieTrev If you set the long exposure shutter mode to one press to open and one to close you can use the infrared remote to operate the shutter which removes any chance of shake. Also experiment with mirror up, which is another menu choose, this is another area of camera shake. Also turn noise reduction off, it just takes too long and use a noise reduction plug in for Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop. I use both Topaz and Nik Software and either use one or the other or both. Hi, I was wondering about mirror lock up. I looked up in menu and it seems to me connected with sensor cleaning which is moment I can not take a pictures. Can you please share how to work out mirror lock up? Thank you.

10-01-2013, 07:14 PM	#7
JimJohnson Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Summer:Lake Superior - Michigan Winter:Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,772	The K-5 may have an actual mirror lock-up for exposure function (as opposed to locking it up for sensor cleaning), I don't know. On the other hand, the entire line of current Pentax dSLRs has a short self-timer function. The purpose is to lift the mirror and keep it up a couple seconds prior to activating the shutter. This is supposedly enough to dampen normal camera movement during the exposure.

10-01-2013, 07:59 PM	#8
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	K-5 has true "mirror up" it is under the drive mode button. When set first press of the shutter button lifts the mirror and second press takes the exposure. It can be set to use a remote or the shutter button.

10-02-2013, 04:43 AM	#9
123jippo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 165	i use irremote with 3sec delay much. When press remotecontrol button mirror is locked up and after 3sec shitter is opened automatically. in bulb mode shutter is open as long as i press remotecontrol button again. no cable causing camerashake with irremote. highly recomended to get cheap one button pentax ir remote. i not use my cable remote anymore, no need to openclose rubberdoor in body anymore, i cound not do that when using L-plate anyway...

10-02-2013, 03:22 PM	#10
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	I use IR remote and mirror lockup with first press and shutter open on second press for astrophoto work. The only way to ensure all vibrations have damped down before activating shutter. It may take more than 3 seconds at times. Jack

10-03-2013, 04:43 AM	#11
123jippo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 165	Jack, how many secs delay is needed to make 100% sure there is no shake left anymore?

10-03-2013, 04:21 PM	#12
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Many factors will determine that: tripod stability, wind speed, tripod head, camera mount, bumping the whole setup (this happens more often than you would think). Trial and error will be your guide. I rarely need to wait more than 5 seconds with my setup. Jack

10-04-2013, 01:30 AM	#13
Barry Pearson Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Stockport Posts: 964	Originally posted by 123jippo Jack, how many secs delay is needed to make 100% sure there is no shake left anymore? Originally posted by jbinpg Many factors will determine that: tripod stability, wind speed, tripod head, camera mount, bumping the whole setup (this happens more often than you would think). Trial and error will be your guide. I rarely need to wait more than 5 seconds with my setup. I often rely on the standard 2-second delay, after firing by hand. But I know professionals who think it should be much longer. (And I use an IR or cable release where convenient). But trial and error can be tricky. After all, if wind is a factor while waiting for the shot to start, it is still a factor while the exposure is being made.