Lightning photography just got drop-dead simple

Darren Addy

Darren Addy

EF5
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
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Kearney, NE
Just became aware of the CHDK project via this Metafilter thread (as I write this the thread has been marked as a Favorite by over 150 people). CHDK is a free download that allows you to temporarily change inexpensive Canon digital cameras firmware to add the following capabilities:
  • After loading of CHDK program you can get the following functionality:
  • Shooting in RAW
  • Live histogram (RGB, blended, luminance and for each RGB channel)
  • Zebra mode (blinking highlights and shadows)
  • DOF-calculator
  • Battery indicator
  • Scripts execution (exposure/focus/... bracketing, intervalometer and more)
  • File browser
  • Text reader
  • Calendar
  • Some fun tools and games :)
Of particular interest is the automatic motion detection firing of the shutter (as used for lightning photography) with the MX3 firmware. This looks unbelievable, particularly when you look at the inexpensive Canon cameras that it works with.

Read the FAQ. Read the Forums. This is AMAZING stuff.
 
I'd heard about this on a photo podcast I listened to but had originally written it off as marketing fluff by the programmer -- it turns out it's everything it claims to be. :) I suspect Canon doesn't build this sort of thing into their cameras' shipping firmware in order to motivate people to purchase higher-end SLRs. The motion detection is a brilliant idea -- wish I could get that on my 20D.
 
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The whole Motion detection is a good idea, yet I cant imagine getting the full Lightning Leaders and bolt altogether. I am sure someone will eventually prove me wrong but I always thought that Exposure in seconds is the best method of getting lightning. Would be nice if this Program was available for all Camera models then I could give it a shot.

I would like to see anyones photos of lightning if they use the Motion Detector.

-gerrit
 
Wow and I was just retiring my A640 to the wife. Guess i better pull it out of the bag and back in the field!
 
Gerrit Gulden said:
The whole Motion detection is a good idea, yet I cant imagine getting the full Lightning Leaders and bolt altogether. I am sure someone will eventually prove me wrong but I always thought that Exposure in seconds is the best method of getting lightning. Would be nice if this Program was available for all Camera models then I could give it a shot.

I would like to see anyones photos of lightning if they use the Motion Detector.

-gerrit
Click to expand...
Yeah I would agree that there is probably little chance of getting the entire strike. A lot of the point and shoot cameras have 5-15 second exposures and if your wanting to get lightning with those type of cameras that would be the way to go. You probably could get lightning with a trigger/motion detection but your gonna miss that initial stepped leader... Just a couple days ago I got a great example of why that you don't want to do that:

initial stepped leader strike:

03130803.jpg


I was doing really short exposures at this point (1/3 sec) and for the first time I got the same lightning on a subsequent strike.. this is what 99.9% of pictures using a trigger/motion detector would look like.
03130804.jpg
 
I'm certain there is a way to get the script to allow a slightly longer exposure to get the entire bolt. I just got back from Best Buy with a new card reader to move the files to my memory card. We're in for some storms tomorrow and Monday so I'll have my A640 out in the underwater case on a tripod running till the 8Gb memory stick fills up. I will definitely keep everyone posted on my results.

Well I'm having some issues of getting the scripts to run. Hopefully someone answers my plea for help on their forums.

edit: It's working now where that's thunder storm at!
 
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I was out in the field today at 5am. It calmed down so I'm just stopping in to get some breakfast between storms. The last storm that passed over was mostly internal cloud to cloud strikes so all the camera really captured was clouds. Lots and lots of clouds. 1" was too long of a exposure as well for these fast moving storms. I'm going to setup in my front yard and let it rolls for a while.

The trigger on the motion detection is super fast. I'm talking waving your hand across the field fast as possible and it will trigger. So I think it will pick up. Give me some time. I surely will have some results better than clouds before tomorrow. :)
 
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