[kari]

I was wondering if using catch-in-focus might be a better way of getting a lightning shot than by keeping the shutter open and hoping for the best? If the lightning is a few kilometers away and you focus to infinity in the dark, would this work?

[Adam]

I fear that the AF system would be too slow to respond, let alone inaccurate.

[jimr-pdx]

I was thinking of the K-7's time-lapse as a good way to do this - if you have a large enough card, that is! I was going to hunt for meteors this week via time lapse, but I may not get the chance.

[JeffJS]

I was wondering if using catch-in-focus might be a better way of getting a lightning shot than by keeping the shutter open and hoping for the best? If the lightning is a few kilometers away and you focus to infinity in the dark, would this work?

Probably not. Focus trap is fine when you know where your subject is or is going to be but Lightning is too unpredictable and too fast for focus trap to work reliably. Your best bet is to prefocus in the general area and, hold the shutter open hoping for the best.

[Rupert]

I have a friend that shoots Canon as a Pro wedding shooter, but has some great lightning shots. He has a light sensing sensor that he connects to his remote and will fire at the first flash of lightning.......this doesn't address focus, but if you are focused to infinity, it will catch some great shots, at least it has for him.
I need to ask him for more info....I haven't talked with him in a while, and since I have limited interest in lightning shots, I was not a good listener at the time he told me how he got those fantastic shots.
Regards!

[jbinpg]

I think this remote sensor triggering is the way to go. Even the weakest lightning bolt lowers 250 kV to the ground which any sensor can pick up to activate a relay. I doubt the onboard module is made for this type of photography.

[kari]

I have a friend that shoots Canon as a Pro wedding shooter, but has some great lightning shots. He has a light sensing sensor that he connects to his remote and will fire at the first flash of lightning.......this doesn't address focus, but if you are focused to infinity, it will catch some great shots, at least it has for him.
I need to ask him for more info....I haven't talked with him in a while, and since I have limited interest in lightning shots, I was not a good listener at the time he told me how he got those fantastic shots.
Regards!

That sounds interesting. I could probably build something like that or incorporate it into the programmable time lapse remote I'm planning on building for my K-x.

[desertscape]

I've been shooting lightning for 16 years and there are different approaches that work. My favorite is to set the focus on infinity and f/11 w/ ISO 100 setting and with the shutter on "B". If you are setting closer than infinity, you are too damn close to the subject! If the sky is very dark, you need to burn it in with around a 2 minute exposure because the best lightning shots do not have a black sky. For shots at sunset, use a small stop to give you enough time to capture the bolts. Your meter can be used in this case.

[Ex Finn.]

Infinity focus, ISO 200, f 5.6, 13 seconds. I use a DIY wired remote sometimes, hitting the shutter button works as well. Does result in lots of dark frames but I do capture a bolt here and there.
Next time I will try the CIF focus to see what happens.

Cheers, Mike.

[JeffJS]

That sounds interesting. I could probably build something like that or incorporate it into the programmable time lapse remote I'm planning on building for my K-x.

All it would probably take is a photo sensor to act as the shutter release.. Then prefocus your camera, leave it in MF so you aren't waiting for the AF confirmation, and use a shooting mode other than mirror up or 2 sec delay (leave it in the normal mode).. Show us how it works out for you..