OT: Shooting fireworks for the 4th?!

[rsteagall]

OK OK... So, I've got some help on here about some generic settings for my Canon 350D when shooting fish and corals from Blazer. They worked very well and did me good. I had the opportunity to upgrade to the 400D (xti) and have done so.

I'm no expert, so can someone please recommend some general settings of how to set the camera for shooting fireworks? I know they are tricky, but any suggestions about setup of the canon xt/xti would be nice. Also, lens wise suggestion would be nice too. I have the regular lens that comes with the camera and a 70-300mm EF IS USM as well.

I'm going to the Nashville Riverfront fireworks show tomorrow night and would like to be MORE prepared than what I am now.

Thanks in advance!

-Ryan

 

[nosferatu51]

Completely irrelevant to your topic, but I lived in Nashville not too long ago (went to Vandy). Just thought I'd say hi and enjoy the fireworks.

 

[Blazer88]

Hey Ryan,
Here are some quick tips that I've read in terms of shooting fireworks (keep in mind that I've never done it myself). It seems that people generally use: ISO 100, F/8-11, manual focus just short of infinity, and use a remote shutter for bulb exposure (between three and six seconds). Of course a tripod will be required for this. The longer exposures will give nice light trails and you'll have some trial and error to get the exposure correct. Hope that helps!

 

[ahuxman58]

http://www.garryblack.com/fireworks.htm here is some advice which might help you

 

[ahuxman58]

Here are a couple I took last night a baseball game not great but not bad 8 second exposure F.11 Iso 100.

2

 

[rsteagall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10269354#post10269354 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
Hey Ryan,
Here are some quick tips that I've read in terms of shooting fireworks (keep in mind that I've never done it myself). It seems that people generally use: ISO 100, F/8-11, manual focus just short of infinity, and use a remote shutter for bulb exposure (between three and six seconds). Of course a tripod will be required for this. The longer exposures will give nice light trails and you'll have some trial and error to get the exposure correct. Hope that helps!

got ya.. but I'm not real certain how to set it to "just short of infinity" or using a "remote shutter for bulb exposure". I do have a remote control for it and that 70-300mm EF IS USM lens. Also would I be setting the camera to Av or P when shooting?

 

[Blazer88]

I would use aperture priority. Just short of infinity means using the manual focus ring and setting it to infinity, or just a little before it. You could also just use the AF to lock onto the horizon and then set the switch to manual so it doesn't try and refocus each shot. That will give you plenty of DOF (assuming F/8-11) for the fireworks to be in focus but not having to wait for the autofocus to lock onto a black sky. Have you ever used bulb exposure before? It basically means that you control the shutter speed yourself using the remote. You press the button just like normal but the shutter stays open as long as you hold the button down. That way you can time the fireworks much better rather than have a set shutter speed. Does that all make sense? With my remote, I can press the button and slide it forward so it will stay open as long as I want. You will have to check the first few shots until you get the hang of how long the shutter should be open for.

 

[ahuxman58]

Manual focus ,6-8 second F.8-F.11, ISO 100 or 125 worked for me.href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10277512#post10277512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ahuxman58 [/i]
Here are my fireworks shots.

2

3

4

5

[/QUOTE]