Need help with time lapse please

[iPhoto17]

first off im using a nikon d3000 and basically i want to point it at the night sky and hold the shutter open for about 2 hours or longer, i bought a remote for my d3000 but it doesnt work on bulb settings and i just cant sit there with my finger on the shutter release button for 2 hours or more and shake the camera, would a cable release work with this if i can find one or what?

 

[Mbnmac]

Wait, time lapse or long exposure?

Time lapse is lots and lots of photos taken over a period of time and made into a 'movie' that's super fast.

What you want to do will make the stars look like streaks across the sky, which is a cool effect, but on a D3000 I'd be careful of the sensor having hot spots, something I've seen mentioned here when doing long exposures on that camera, but I wouldn't know from frist hand experience.

(look up tme lapse on youtube to get an idea)

 

[iPhoto17]

Wait, time lapse or long exposure?

Time lapse is lots and lots of photos taken over a period of time and made into a 'movie' that's super fast.

What you want to do will make the stars look like streaks across the sky, which is a cool effect, but on a D3000 I'd be careful of the sensor having hot spots, something I've seen mentioned here when doing long exposures on that camera, but I wouldn't know from frist hand experience.

(look up tme lapse on youtube to get an idea)

i meant long exposure, and what do you mean about hot spots on the sensor, the sensors have a problem heating up if used too long of periods at a time?

 

[Mbnmac]

Again, I'll say that I'm a newbie but here's a link;

Overheating sensors limit video recording time in dSLRs - Digital Cameras - Crave - CNET Asia

It's for video, but yes the sensor can heat up while in use. I think it depends on the sensor how long it takes to 'overheat' but I've seen long night exposures with little 'hot pixels' that stick out a bit.

A way around this is taking several maybe 20 minute captures, then layering them to make one image put together to give the look of a continuous streak. Not 100% sure how best to do that though.

 

[Blake.Oney]

Your remote should work fine. Go past a 30 sec shutter speed until it says bulb. Then from your shooting screen hit the zoom in button, or go to your menu by hitting menu and change your capture mode to remote. When you go back to the shooting screen the shutter speed should say "time" instead of bulb. With the shutter speed set to "time" the first click of the remote opens the shutter and the second click closes it. If you try to hold it, it will just continuously shoot.

 

[Boomn4x4]

On the D3000, Bulb mode only works with the shutter button, no remote will work in bulb mode.

To do this you have to shoot in what Nikon calls "Time" mode....

See page 72-73 of your manual.