Magic Lantern firmware....

[Buckster]

Drat. not for my camera ;(

You might want to check this: MagicLantern.fm - Magic Lantern on 7D ? YES !

 

[PlanetStarbucks]

Good question since its only a small file that gets saved to the SD card. It doesnt affect the firmware of the camera at all. But the benefits it gives the camera are extremely useful.

Really? That's it? I thought it was a full install which is why I hadn't done it yet. I definitely am intrigued by the feature set. The expanded bracketing makes me drool, and if I remember right there's an in camera anomalimeter or something...you can set it to take a picture when the exposure changes. Sounds epic for lightning photography.

 

[swiftparkour94]

Really? That's it? I thought it was a full install which is why I hadn't done it yet. I definitely am intrigued by the feature set. The expanded bracketing makes me drool, and if I remember right there's an in camera anomalimeter or something...you can set it to take a picture when the exposure changes. Sounds epic for lightning photography.

"Just get it" is what everyone in forums were saying about it, and it's what I'll tell you. just.get.it

 

[zombiemann]

Really? That's it? I thought it was a full install which is why I hadn't done it yet. I definitely am intrigued by the feature set. The expanded bracketing makes me drool, and if I remember right there's an in camera anomalimeter or something...you can set it to take a picture when the exposure changes. Sounds epic for lightning photography.

It has a "motion detect" shutter release that basically monitors for contrast changes. I honestly don't know how well it would work for lightning photography, it takes a split second for the change to register and the shutter to actuate, and I wouldn't be supprised to find that by the time it did its thing the lightning was already gone

 

[swiftparkour94]

It has a "motion detect" shutter release that basically monitors for contrast changes. I honestly don't know how well it would work for lightning photography, it takes a split second for the change to register and the shutter to actuate, and I wouldn't be supprised to find that by the time it did its thing the lightning was already gone

Yea I'd say the same. I noticed it when I was testing that tool, about half a second or a tad bit more off, but it didn't bother me because for lightning shots I'd just use my tripod and a remote shutter

 

[Buckster]

It has a "motion detect" shutter release that basically monitors for contrast changes. I honestly don't know how well it would work for lightning photography, it takes a split second for the change to register and the shutter to actuate, and I wouldn't be supprised to find that by the time it did its thing the lightning was already gone

Yea I'd say the same. I noticed it when I was testing that tool, about half a second or a tad bit more off,

Out of curiosity, what did you use to determine that time of "about half a second or a tad bit more"?

but it didn't bother me because for lightning shots I'd just use my tripod and a remote shutter

What's the remote shutter do for you as regards lightning shots?

By the way, some people are capturing lightning with the Magic Lantern firmware. Not that it's the best thing for the job, but it's being done. That would seem to confirm that it's not impossible.

 

[zombiemann]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying it was "impossible" just that with my camera it seems to be a less than ideal solution. There are a number of factors that can play a part outside of software/firmware that can contribute to it being slow on my camera such as sensor, aperture (wider means more light hitting the sensor faster helping to trigger the shutter) . I guess I could have worded my post a little better. IF I were to attempt it my mindset would be : Set up tripod, set exposure settings for as long of an exposure as feasible, set motion detect, hope for multiple strikes close together to further chances of getting a decent capture. Unfortunately I wont be testing this feature any time soon. I don't have a place to set up where my camera is safe that gets a good enough view of the sky.

 

[Buckster]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying it was "impossible" just that with my camera it seems to be a less than ideal solution.

What camera do you use?

 

[zombiemann]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't saying it was "impossible" just that with my camera it seems to be a less than ideal solution.

What camera do you use?

T2i with the kit 18-55 F3.5-F5.6 lens

I should also note that I am a Magic Lantern fanatic, almost evangelistic. TBH anybody that has a camera capable of running it that isn't using it is seriously missing out on some really nice features Just in my particular unique situation the motion detect seems a tad slow. It might work fine in real world for lightning photography, but I have no way of personally verifying that it would work.

 

[Buckster]

This guy's using a T3i:

Lightning Photography with Magic Lantern: Digital Photography Review

 

[zombiemann]

I wish I had a place I could set up to test it. I could very well be wrong, and I truly hope I am.

 

[swiftparkour94]

Out of curiosity, what did you use to determine that time of "about half a second or a tad bit more"?

What's the remote shutter do for you as regards lightning shots?

By the way, some people are capturing lightning with the Magic Lantern firmware. Not that it's the best thing for the job, but it's being done. That would seem to confirm that it's not impossible.

My timing of it is a very rough estimate. The remote shutter is faster for me when shooting on my tripod and avoids camera shake. Of course it's possible to capture lightning with ML, I just wouldn't rely on it because I guarantee my eye is and reflexes are fractions of a second faster. If convenience isn't an issue then I'd feel like I'm cheating because the camera took the shot at the right moment and not me so I wouldn't feel as happy about...that's just me

 

[Buckster]

Out of curiosity, what did you use to determine that time of "about half a second or a tad bit more"?

What's the remote shutter do for you as regards lightning shots?

By the way, some people are capturing lightning with the Magic Lantern firmware. Not that it's the best thing for the job, but it's being done. That would seem to confirm that it's not impossible.

My timing of it is a very rough estimate.

So, it's just a made-up guess of a number you threw out there, and not a tad bit more. Fair enough.

I had a feeling that was the case, since it's already been determined that the speed for motion detection with Magic Lantern is actually somewhere between 200 and 300 ms, and it's even faster with silent pictures. Translated to seconds, that's .2 to .3 secongs (and even faster with silent pictures), not .5 or "a tad bit more" per your claim.

The remote shutter is faster for me when shooting on my tripod and avoids camera shake.

Which is irrelevant when shooting lightning, which indicates that you know nothing about shooting lightning yet. That's okay, anyone who shoots lightning has to learn it first and before they do, they just don't know how yet.

Of course it's possible to capture lightning with ML, I just wouldn't rely on it because I guarantee my eye is and reflexes are fractions of a second faster.

That's just downright funny.

If convenience isn't an issue then I'd feel like I'm cheating because the camera took the shot at the right moment and not me so I wouldn't feel as happy about...that's just me

LOL! And that's REALLY funny!

Get back to me after you've shot some lightning by being Mr. Quick-Fingers on a remote shutter trigger with a reaction time that beats the equipment used for capturing lightning by people who actually do it.

 

[zombiemann]

I gotta go with Buck on this one, I don't see how the remote would help. I can safely say that I get more "lag" with my remote than with ML. Also using tools available isn't cheating, its called maximizing your potential. Just to clarify, I never said that ML wouldn't work, I said I didn't know if it would and simply gave my reasoning for why I felt the way I did. I have since been shown hard data to the contrary (thanks btw Buck) and changed my stance accordingly.

 

[swiftparkour94]

So, it's just a made-up guess of a number you threw out there, and not a tad bit more. Fair enough.

I had a feeling that was the case, since it's already been determined that the speed for motion detection with Magic Lantern is actually somewhere between 200 and 300 ms, and it's even faster with silent pictures. Translated to seconds, that's .2 to .3 secongs (and even faster with silent pictures), not .5 or "a tad bit more" per your claim.

Which is irrelevant when shooting lightning, which indicates that you know nothing about shooting lightning yet. That's okay, anyone who shoots lightning has to learn it first and before they do, they just don't know how yet.

That's just downright funny.

LOL! And that's REALLY funny!

Get back to me after you've shot some lightning by being Mr. Quick-Fingers on a remote shutter trigger with a reaction time that beats the equipment used for capturing lightning by people who actually do it.

Alright when storms roll in I'll get some shots. I have quick reflexes, I'm no one to underestimate. I should add that I tested it in the previous version of ML on a slower SD card in a room with darkness then lighting. That may have been the problem. The reason why I said I'd feel like I'm cheating is much similar to the spray-and-pray method which doesn't take much skill at all. Lightning is the last thing on my list to take photos of but I will test both ML and my reflexes when it comes to the subject matter as I now have a faster card and the newest updated ML version