Bulb mode

[EOS Man]

Alright, before hitting the "X" on the top right of the screen, this isn't your regular question about bulb mode:

What I understand about bulb mode is taking an exposure for XX number of seconds or minutes (even hours) by holding down the shutter button. Of course, if you're planning to do it for more than just a few seconds, you should use a fully charged battery and remote release cable (preventing camera shake).

What I'm not sure of is how really long exposures work. If it's fireworks, fine but how about those twilight and stars photos which require minutes (30 minutes is optimal as I've read?). Do you keep holding down the button on the remote release cable for 30 minutes or is there a way to "press once to start, press another time to stop" the exposure?

If it's holding down the button for as long as you need your exposure, then this is the part which really makes me wonder: What do you do while pressing the button and waiting? :confused:

[forno]

Use a rubber band and soemthing under it pressing on the shutter release, then go and have 1 or 2 or 3 beers depending on how long you want. Put a dark cloth over the lens before you press and release the button though

[RebelRat]

I believe the Canon shutter release cable has a lock position.

[RebelRat]

If it's holding down the button for as long as you need your exposure, then this is the part which really makes me wonder: What do you do while pressing the button and waiting? :confused:


Good time to check that your nose is clean? ;)

[D Thompson]

I believe the Canon shutter release cable has a lock position.

You are correct.

[britkev]

Do you keep holding down the button on the remote release cable for 30 minutes or is there a way to "press once to start, press another time to stop" the exposure?




There is a way: spend $15 on the ML-L3 remote (or look for threads describing how to program a universal TV remote - think it uses the same code as a Mitsubishi VCR Power button) and read page 46 of your manual: put the camera in remote mode then you hit the remote button once to open the shutter and again to shut it...

incidentally there's not much point putting the black card/cloth/hat/whatever in front of the lens on any exposure of more than than a minute or two... any longer and the percentage of exposure time that the camera vibrates due to mirror slap is so minimal that no visible blurring will occur anyway.

[Robert Besen]

Back in the good old days some cameras had a T mode in addition to B. You would press the shutter release once to open the shutter and then press it again when you wanted to close the shutter. You could leave the shutter open as long as you wanted. I believe my old Exacta had that feature. There was no limit for how long the shutter could stay open because there was no battery.

[Rhys]

Back in the good old days some cameras had a T mode in addition to B. You would press the shutter release once to open the shutter and then press it again when you wanted to close the shutter. You could leave the shutter open as long as you wanted. I believe my old Exacta had that feature. There was no limit for how long the shutter could stay open because there was no battery.

T is a sadly missed mode. As far as I'm concerned they can take all the fancy program modes and stick them where the sun don't shine. I want the basics of: Manual, Aperture Priority, B and T. I don't need anything else.

[RebelRat]

There is a way: spend $15 on the ML-L3 remote


This is a Nikon part? Does it really work with Canon? It certainly is cheaper.

[Prospero]

T is a sadly missed mode. As far as I'm concerned they can take all the fancy program modes and stick them where the sun don't shine. I want the basics of: Manual, Aperture Priority, B and T. I don't need anything else.

I believe most remotes for dSLRs will work like the T-mode which is described here, opening the shutter when pressed and closing it when pressed again (I know the Nikon remote does, like Britkev said). If you don't have the remote (like me) you can easily keep the shutter pressed down with a piece of elastic chord. Especially with very long exposures, it does not really matter that getting the elastic chord applied causes a few vibrations in the first seconds of the exposure. This is definitly the cheapest option available :D

[TenD]

Canon makes two remote releases for most EOS cameras, one is very basic: it just has a button and yes that button is lockable by a little slider that holds the button down. RS-80N3 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=164276&is=REG&addedTroughType=search)
Then they make a timer remote that can be programmed to click the shutter at intervals, at any length interval, but it's pretty expensive. TC-80N3 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=164271&is=REG&addedTroughType=search)
I believe some have found Chinese knock offs on ebay that they have been very happy with. I own the RS-80N3

[Rhys]

I bought the cable remote release for my XT. I just saw no point in the wireless remote. The cable release was dirt cheap too. No need to buy Chinese junk.

[RebelRat]

I bought the cable remote release for my XT. I just saw no point in the wireless remote. The cable release was dirt cheap too. No need to buy Chinese junk.

The cable release for the XT is a lot better priced than the one for the 30D.
It's almost 3 times the price. :(

[britkev]

This is a Nikon part? Does it really work with Canon? It certainly is cheaper.

Don't mind me, I'm just stupid :o sorry:o