Capturing lightning at night is easy. All you have to do is identify where most of the lightning is coming from in the sky, set the camera on a tripod, set the aperture to f/8 and the ISO to 200, and open the shutter for 30 seconds. If lightning doesn't occur in that time frame, open the shutter for another 30 seconds and repeat until the storm is over. Use a lens in the 150mm focal length range unless the lightning is extremely close -- like over your head. In that case, I would go wider -- anything between 35mm and 75mm. In terms of focus, find a distant street lamp, illuminated window, or city skyline and focus on that manually. Don't use autofocus. In fact, turn the AF off.
I know this picture looks like a composite, but it isn't. I had fallen asleep in a B & B in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico a few years ago when I was woken up by an intense thunderstorm around 10:30pm. I thought I'd try to capture a bolt of lightning, so I set up my camera on the balcony of the room and within a few minutes captured this intense lightning strike above the beautiful cathedral.
6 Comments
Oct 3, 2016, 5:33:54 PM
Jim - Hi Ross, I don't have the 1D Mark IV, and I've not heard about this. I'd be surprised if the camera had this capability, but if it does, I'd like to hear about it. I would call Canon tech support and ask them this question. They are very knowledgeable and quick to answer the phone. Their number is 800 828-4040.
Oct 3, 2016, 5:28:28 PM
Ross Hubbard - This is a great tip when photographing lightning, Jim, but my question revolves around the infrared signature that precedes the strike itself. Since a lightning trigger is sensitive to this and serves to set the sequence in motion for the camera to capture the strike, I have heard that there is a way to set the Canon 1D Mk IV so it can sense this IR burst and trip the shutter. Is that possible?
Sep 6, 2016, 11:35:47 PM
Jim - Hi Daniel, Yes, the lightning triggers work. I have one and it's great. I didn't use it here because at night you don't need it. But in the day you do. Definitely worth it.
Sep 6, 2016, 11:33:26 PM
Daniel Reynaud - Hi Jim. Definitely the easiest recipe I ever read. Thank you. Now, what about those devices that you put on the hot shoe and react to the lightning and trigger the shutter, do they really work ? I never heard any feedback and was wondering if they were worth the $ 140 ?
Sep 5, 2016, 8:17:24 AM
Jim - Thanks, Carlton. When I saw the results after the 30 second exposure, I was blown away by what I'd captured.
Sep 5, 2016, 1:18:32 AM
Carlton McEachern - Awesome