BULB

Stephen Ramsay

Stephen Ramsay

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Simple...probably?

For long exposures i can only reach 30 seconds before it goes to bulb...

How exactly does bulb work as when i go to hold it down it doesnt last long....usually 1-2 seconds if that :(

I have a remote on order which i hope i can just set off the trigger and then tell the camera when i want it stop by pressing a button....

Any response here would be appreciated
 
A trigger release is essential for bulb shooting. Stabbing at your shutter button will only introduce shake to the picture (even when on a tripod). My unbranded release has a lock button and the point of the cable is to remove vibration from activating the shutter. However, the motion of the mirror inside the camera can cause vibration, thats why you should use mirror lock up when shooting bulb and wait a few seconds after the mirror goes up before starting the exposure.
 
mid_gen said:
Try holding your finger on the shutter :)
Click to expand...

Thats what i tried to explain....when i hold my finger down it only lasts 1-2 seconds even when im holding is :|

I ordered a remote but it had the wrong input :( so i am getting a refund on that and waiting to get an infra-red one from Jessops.

The remote bit is what i expected but my main query was as to why my shutter isnt staying open on bulb when i hold the button down?
 
As Clud says. Press once to open. Wait. Press again to close.
 
put it on bulb, so it says - buLb

press and hold the shutter down for as long as you like (or connect shutter release, and press the shutter button down and slide to lock it)

done

(p.s. not sure on this rule for all but understand infra red one's do not allow shutter lock as it's not hardwired to the camera?)
 
Burgers said:
As Clud says. Press once to open. Wait. Press again to close.
Click to expand...

That's a different function altogether which sadly we're not provided with on modern cameras. As has been said, select the 'bulb' setting' and hold down the shutter as long as you like, or preferably fit a locking cable release which will enable you open and close the shutter without touching the camera.

Cameras used to have both a 'Bulb' setting (usually marked as 'B') and a 'T' (TIme) setting. On the 'T' setting you could indeed press the shutter once to open it, and again to close it.

If anyone is wondering about the rather strange use of the word 'bulb' it comes from the early days of photography when remote releases were literally a bit of tube with a large rubber bulb on the end, rather like an old car horn.

br5000_1.jpg
 
all the above makes sense
T can be B with a locking release
B usually is push open push close on the shutter release

i dont have any on my toy
 
Bulb shooting
You can take a picture with a bulb exposure time in which the shutter stays open
as long as you hold down the shutter button (up to 8 minutes). Set the shutter
speed to [bulb] in the M mode.
Bulb shooting can also be done using the optional power battery holder and
remote cable

Extract from manual

http://resources.olympus-europa.com...F028683C1256F6F00367FDC_D4041_En_Advanced.pdf

Page 51

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
Bulb shooting
You can take a picture with a bulb exposure time in which the shutter stays open
as long as you hold down the shutter button (up to 8 minutes). Set the shutter
speed to [bulb] in the M mode.
Bulb shooting can also be done using the optional power battery holder and
remote cable

Extract from manual

http://resources.olympus-europa.com...F028683C1256F6F00367FDC_D4041_En_Advanced.pdf

Page 51

Realspeed
Click to expand...

Well on bulb setting you should be able leave the shutter open as long as you like - a week if necessary.

The problem is that with a modern DSLR the shutter is held open electronically so it's a massive drain on battery power. The 8 minutes limit seems to be peculiar to Olympus and is no doubt to limit battery drain. There's no such limit with Canon, but it would eventually run the battery down very quickly, probably around half an hour, but I've never tried it.
 
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
 
Well with bulb you can control exactly the exposure, alot of cameras will go in steps or automatically set exposure time, and under the automatic setting only have a 30 second limit.

And its there so you can experiment I guess, if you want to take a 8 minute exposure you can!
 
TG. said:
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
Click to expand...

I use Bulb on my D40 at night for Star Trails (only taken a few), but for the D40 I brought a wireless remote from ebay for 90p (inc delivery :D ) and set the Camera to bulb. Get my focus and settings done and press the button on the irDA remote once to open the shutter, walk away for 15+ mins then walk back and press the shutter button on the remote again. Honestly can't think of any other use
 
TG. said:
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
Click to expand...

Well using my 50D as an example. If I was night shooting the longest automatic exposure I coud get is 30 seconds in AV Mode. It's very easy to exceed that time especially with smaller apertures. Photographing stars is an obvious example, but there are plenty of more earthbound subjects where light levels are low enough for much longer exposures.

Police photoraphers use open flash a lot at the scenes of car crashes at night, where they lock the shutter open on 'B' setting.(camera on a tripod obviously) then simply walk around the scene manually firing the flash till they've illuminated the whole scene. As long as they keep movng they don't record themselves in the image. Something you could easily try yourself in a dark location.
 
TG. said:
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
Click to expand...

Bulb is very useful for any exposure over that allowed by the "normal" shutter speeds available on the camera, usually 30 seconds. I've used it for light trails, star trails and light painting, as you've guessed, often with a smallish aperture.
 
Luke_ said:
Well with bulb you can control exactly the exposure, alot of cameras will go in steps or automatically set exposure time, and under the automatic setting only have a 30 second limit.

And its there so you can experiment I guess, if you want to take a 8 minute exposure you can!
Click to expand...

Thanks Luke, that makes sense i guess, the only thing i'm thinking on something like an 8 minute exposure wouldn't it be massively over exposed ? although i guess this is where the experimenting comes in, perhaps i need to get out and try it :)
 
CT said:
Well using my 50D as an example. If I was night shooting the longest automatic exposure I coud get is 30 seconds in AV Mode. It's very easy to exceed that time especially with smaller apertures. Photographing stars is an obvious example, but there are plenty of more earthbound subjects where light levels are low enough for much longer exposures.

Police photoraphers use open flash a lot at the scenes of car crashes at night, where they lock the shutter open on 'B' setting.(camera on a tripod obviously) then simply walk around the scene manually firing the flash till they've illuminated the whole scene. As long as they keep movng they don't record themselves in the image. Something you could easily try yourself in a dark location.
Click to expand...

Nod said:
Bulb is very useful for any exposure over that allowed by the "normal" shutter speeds available on the camera, usually 30 seconds. I've used it for light trails, star trails and light painting, as you've guessed, often with a smallish aperture.
Click to expand...

Thanks guy's, this is something i'm definately going to have a go at :thumbs:
 
TG. said:
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
Click to expand...

if you wanted star trails across the sky you have to wait a couple of minutes for the earth to move it,s quite big you know :lol::lol::lol:
 
dinorock said:
if you wanted star trails across the sky you have to wait a couple of minutes for the earth to move it,s quite big you know :lol::lol::lol:
Click to expand...

The earth has moved for me in the past, but not for quite some time now :lol:
 
dinorock said:
if you wanted star trails across the sky you have to wait a couple of minutes for the earth to move it,s quite big you know :lol::lol::lol:
Click to expand...

Try the moon then. On my 50D with a 2x convertor and 100-400 lens at 400mm and liveview zoomed to 10X it was really surpring to see how quickly the moon tracked across the screen.

as for bulb, how about 76s at F11 for a shot in a churchyard that really didn't seem that dark.

92971190.jpg
 
Byker28i said:
Try the moon then. On my 50D with a 2x convertor and 100-400 lens at 400mm and liveview zoomed to 10X it was really surpring to see how quickly the moon tracked across the screen.
Click to expand...

yeh i noticed that, had to keep reframing every minute - amazing stuff :thumbs:
 
TG. said:
Silly question, but i'm going to have to ask as i've never used the BULB setting, what is the point in it ? i mean even with night time dark shooting conditions would you really need to keep the shutter open for 8 + minutes, and if so what sort of conditions would you use it under ? also i'm guessing you would use with a small aperture setting :thinking:
Click to expand...

With Fireworks night looming, October to December around here :) try getting a few sparklers and open up on the bulb setting and get the kids to write their names or do some circular patterns then just before releasing the shutter fire off your manual flash to get the kids faces lit up with spectacular results.
 
I did also try to use the bulb setting on my d200 and the shutter released itself after about 30 seconds. I did have a look in the manual to see where I was going wrong but can't see any reference as to why the shutter is closing itself. It will be user error I'm sure though.
 
CGeezer said:
With Fireworks night looming, October to December around here :) try getting a few sparklers and open up on the bulb setting and get the kids to write their names or do some circular patterns then just before releasing the shutter fire off your manual flash to get the kids faces lit up with spectacular results.
Click to expand...

Great Tip. Will try this one with my Kids :thumbs:
 
Does reciprocal failure ever become an issue with digital sensors?
 
subseasniper said:
Does reciprocal failure ever become an issue with digital sensors?
Click to expand...

Nope..... the good news is you no longer have to worry about it. The bad news is noise becomes more of an issue though with longer exposure times.
 
Yeah, thats what I thought. God I miss film sometimes.
 
Prime example of BULB mode Linky

On my D40 I wouldn't have had enough time without BULB as its got a max 30sec shutter speed
 
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