Can a nikon d3000 capture lightning?
I've got £420 of xmas money to spend on a dslr for photographing lightning storms etc would the nikon d3000 be up to the task?
Yes, any camera that allows you to manually adjust the settings, shutter speed, aperture, etc will do, and this shall be one of them.
Of course. As Joe wrote any camera that allows control will do that.
Have you done lightning before? I've done quite a bit and it's always the same, hit and miss. When you hit it's really cool, like this.
The really important thing, and this can take about 30-seconds per shot at a 10-to-15 second exposure, use your 10-second timer because even the movement of you pressing the shutter release will cause movement = blur. Have fun and good luck.
Of course it can. It just takes practice and changing your shutter speed. I myself have the Nikon D3000, it is a great camera and you are able to shoot lightning with it.
It can, but it's not straightforward. Capturing lighting requires you to know how to use the camera.
You'll need more than just a camera, and depends on the time of day:
- Tripod
- Remote shutter release/cable release
- Selection of and filters for shooting during the day
- Experience with the local climate and geography, you don't want to be caught the wrong side of a storm!
- The right photographic skills. Start with learning how to capture light trails, this technique has many similarities.
Yes it would. Any DSLR camera has a 'bulb' mode (where you can keep the shutter open for prolonged periods) and this is what you need.
If you're shooting at night, this is how to do it.
Place camera on tripod, with a wide angle lens (18mm or wider) pointing at an area of the sky where strikes are occurring.
Switch to manual focus & focus on infinity (this stops the autofocus having to 'hunt' in the dark).
Set the ISO to lowest (100 or 200).
Set camera to manual & dial in around f8 - f11 on aperture.
Set shutter speed to 'bulb'.
Plug in a remote release (you will need one).
Open the shutter & wait for a few strikes, then close it again.
If you a trying to take shots of lighting during the day, then long shutter speeds will overexpose, so you'll need to use neutral density filters (and) to cut the amount of light.