reeaaally long exposures

pilgrim · Jun 13, 2004

I shoot with the digital rebel and was wondering how I can do exposures past 30 seconds.. Im assuming it's something super easy that I should know, or the manual could tell me.. but I could really use your guy's help

photobug · Jun 13, 2004

I read somewhere that you can take shorter exposures one after the other and then stack them as layers in PS. Sorry, don't remember where I read it though.

voodoocat · Jun 13, 2004

Does it have a bulb shutter speed?

Canon Fan · Jun 13, 2004

The digital rebel should have a "bulb" setting. If you trun the shutter speed all the way down it should say bulb. You can then make exposures as long as you want. However you will not be able to do this using the shutter release button without getting shake. I would recommend buying a remote release cable for this.

Found this one for $24

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43454&item=3820323005&rd=1

pilgrim · Jun 13, 2004

hmm, I have seen this bulb option... do have to hold the shutter release down the entire time then? is that why camera shake is a concern? I'll hafta pick up a remote then.
Thanks Canon Fan

Canon Fan · Jun 13, 2004

Yes the "bulb" setting alows very long exposures because you must hold the shutter open the entire time so you really need an external button.

malachite · Jun 13, 2004

No provision for a cable release? If not, check out whether or not it only takes a half push to end your exposure. If that's the case, you just use the timer to start the exposure.

Sharkbait · Jun 14, 2004

P 79 in the manual. Set the control dial to manual ("M"), and you can set the shutter speed to 'bulb'. Manual says you can do exposures as long as the battery will hold out then. :shock:

Rainman · Jun 14, 2004

Cable releases have a little thumb screw that you tighten to hold the plunger down, ie, shutter open, for very long exposures. Otherwise you just keep your thumb on the plunger. It is not at all practical to attempt to hold the shutter button itself when using B even with the sturdiest tripod. You will induce camera shake. If your shutter release does not have the little threaded hole for a cable release I believe I have seen little brackets that clamp over the shutter release so the plunger from the cable release presses directly on the shutter release button.

Sharkbait · Jun 14, 2004

The cable release for the 300D has a button that you can click, then slide to lock it on.

ksmattfish · Jun 14, 2004

Rainman said:
Cable releases have a little thumb screw that you tighten to hold the plunger down, ie, shutter open, for very long exposures.

That wonderfully simple $10 design worked fine for decades, but now all the manufacturers design proprietary cable releases so that you are forced to buy their $50+ release, if they offer a cable release option at all. Someone was on here complaining that their Sigma SLR didn't have a cable release option.

Jeff Canes · Jun 14, 2004

Remote Switch Canon part# RS-60e3
Under 25 USD at Adorama or B&H

Face · Jun 14, 2004

another option... not preferable... I'm not sure of a reason to use it... but my friend took four 30 second exposures using the rebel's multiple exposure setting. it worked quite well. nice picture, actually.

don't you have to worry about the light not affecting the film as quickly during longer exposures? I think i heard somehting about that.

ksmattfish · Jun 14, 2004

Face said:
don't you have to worry about the light not affecting the film as quickly during longer exposures? I think i heard somehting about that.

Reciprocity failure begins to occur in exposures longer than a second or two. This means that while 1/30th sec is twice the exposure as 1/60th sec, 2 minutes is not necessarily twice the exposure of 1 minute. It varies from film to film; for instance Tmax 100 is actually faster than Tmax 400 for exposures longer than a few seconds.

Canon Fan · Jun 14, 2004

Face said:
another option... not preferable... I'm not sure of a reason to use it... but my friend took four 30 second exposures using the rebel's multiple exposure setting. it worked quite well. nice picture, actually.

don't you have to worry about the light not affecting the film as quickly during longer exposures? I think i heard somehting about that.

Unfortunately I do not believe that the Digital Rebel has this option. I know the film version does, but, with digital post editing there is really no need for it to be on camera. I'm not sure though :?