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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 01:28
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shutter speed?
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can someone please tell me (before i go mad!) how i keep the shutter open to photo moving cars, i was trying to capture the lights of the car, it kinda worked but the shutter only stayed open for a few seconds? i wanted to leave it open for 30 second?? im using a nikon d80 and have read the manual on trying to do this and played around but (maybe im stupid) i still cant work it out??? 
thank you
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Dave_Cox
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(old'n'grumpy)
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17/07/2008 06:29
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Re: shutter speed?
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Presumably you're doing this at night. Put the camera in a tripod, set it to a low ISO setting, aperture priority at about f11-f16 and fire it by using the timer or a remote release. Works for me.
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Re: shutter speed?
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I don't have a Nikon but I expect the answer is to set the mode dial to M mode (manual) then using the main command dial/wheel set the shutter speed to bulb. This will keep the shutter open for as long as the release button is kept pressed or, much better, you will need a shutter release cable that is lockable in the on position - and, of course, have the camera mounted on a tripod.
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john_g
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(Pooh-bah Hoo-ha)
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17/07/2008 06:45
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Re: shutter speed?
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I'd say that, if you want 30 seconds and not, say, 8 seconds, then put the camera into shutter priority mode (I assume the set speeds go as slow as 30 seconds, most do) and let the camera set an appropriate aperture. But you might find that, even on the lowest ISO setting, there's too much light coming from street lights etc. - in that case a neutral density (or even a polarising) filter can help to cut the light down and give you the possibility of longer exposures. Oh, and the ISO setting generally wants to be as low as possible, as that will help keep exposures long.
Another thing to try is second curtain flash with long exposures. The 'second curtain' setting means the flash will fire at the end of the exposure, instead of the beginning, and so you can catch the blur of the car with a 'frozen' image of it captured just before the shutter closes. But not a good idea if you're just taking pictures of random cars on a public road!
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 09:12
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Re: shutter speed?
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Thanks everyone.....i did use a tripod, set a low iso and even put it on bulb, but still didnt get the effect i wanted??the sutter stayed open a few seconds? this is the photo i got, not quite what i wanted...
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PhilW
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(Blue Peter Badge Winner)
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17/07/2008 09:28
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
Thanks everyone.....i did use a tripod, set a low iso and even put it on bulb,
The bulb mught be the issue - on my camera, in bulb, you press and hold the shutter, and release aftr your desired exposure - if you just clicked and released that would explain it.
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ham888
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(member)
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17/07/2008 09:42
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Re: shutter speed?
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Snowqueen, I have a D80 also. If its in M then set to bulb then the shutter should stay open for as long as you hold the shutter.
Just tried it in fact and thats what it did. Are you using a remote release it may be different with that?
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 09:42
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Re: shutter speed?
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I think thats what happened in a few? so if i put on bulb and timer would that work or not? if i dont use bulb is there another option?
Thank you 
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
.i did use a tripod, set a low iso and even put it on bulb, but still didnt get the effect i wanted??the sutter stayed open a few seconds? this is the photo i got, not quite what i wanted...
What did you expect? The image is pretty similar to what I'd expect to get with that technique.
Maybe you should try somewhere without high-intensity road lighting 
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PhilW
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(Blue Peter Badge Winner)
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17/07/2008 10:01
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Re: shutter speed?
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The easiest method is to shoot in Shutter priority mode and just select the time you want (up to 30 seconds) as John said above.
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Nod
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(Carpal \'Tunnel)
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17/07/2008 10:08
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
I think thats what happened in a few? so if i put on bulb and timer would that work or not? if i dont use bulb is there another option?
Thank you
For exposures up to 30 seconds, there is another option - in S mode (shutter priority) set the shutter speed to the setting you want (longer settings (over a second) are signified by " after the figure). Same thing in M mode - and here, you'll be able to select the aperture you want as well. You can also use the "B" setting in M mode but you'll need a remote release to avoid camera shake. Using the ML-L3, the first press of the button opens the shutter, the second closes it again. If you have "Long Exposure Noise Reduction" switched on, don't forget that the camera will take a similar time to your exposure to complete its noise reduction.
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 10:20
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
Quote:
I think thats what happened in a few? so if i put on bulb and timer would that work or not? if i dont use bulb is there another option?
Thank you
For exposures up to 30 seconds, there is another option - in S mode (shutter priority) set the shutter speed to the setting you want (longer settings (over a second) are signified by " after the figure). Same thing in M mode - and here, you'll be able to select the aperture you want as well. You can also use the "B" setting in M mode but you'll need a remote release to avoid camera shake. Using the ML-L3, the first press of the button opens the shutter, the second closes it again. If you have "Long Exposure Noise Reduction" switched on, don't forget that the camera will take a similar time to your exposure to complete its noise reduction.
Ive been playing with the camera and ive just found " so set it to 30.......i put a 2 sec timer on and on the first press of the button the timer comes on, but u see nothing in view finder, then after about 8 sec it opens and stays open for maybe 12 seconds........does this sound right? will try tonight when its dark! not ideal in my bedroom!!
thanks for ur help 
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ham888
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(member)
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17/07/2008 10:30
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Re: shutter speed?
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Could you explain what you mean by "2 sec timer"
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Nod
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(Carpal \'Tunnel)
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17/07/2008 10:32
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Re: shutter speed?
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Not sure about the D80 - got the manual downloaded but not the camera - but tried the same thing on my D70. Shutter speed set to 30", self timer on. Press shutter release; after 10 seconds, shutter opens for 30 seconds (viewfinder balcked out). With your shutter speed set to 30 seconds, I would expect your shutter to stay open for 30 seconds.
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 10:41
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
Could you explain what you mean by "2 sec timer"
I meant self timer.....sorry
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john_g
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(Pooh-bah Hoo-ha)
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17/07/2008 10:42
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Re: shutter speed?
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On the D80, is there a safety shift type of thing which will override the settings if that's going to result in over/under exposure? This might be a reason why you tell it to open the shutter for thirty seconds and it does something else.
I'd not use the self-timer at all until you're happy that the camera is doing what you expect - all it does is delay the opening of the shutter and, although this can be useful to reduce camera shake, with a thirty second exposure a bit of movement at the very beginning isn't going to be catastrophic.
Try a thirty second exposure with the lens cap on (instant darkness!) and, if this works as expected, repeat it with the lens cap off and see whether the shutter open time stays the same as before.
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
On the D80, is there a safety shift type of thing which will override the settings if that's going to result in over/under exposure? This might be a reason why you tell it to open the shutter for thirty seconds and it does something else.
Could be right....the headlights in the pic are probably a bit too bright already. It maybe that the scene is simply too bright to allow for a 30 second exposure.
Snowqueen - do you have a polariser? You could fit that to make things darker and give you a longer shutter speed. (ideally a ND (neutral density) filter would be used to darken things for longer shutter speeds but a polariser might do the job).
Another common subject to try longer shutter speeds on is moving water....do you have a stream or river nearby? (although I admit I am a bit of a sucker for blurry water  )
EDIT - also, did you use f/22? Normally I wouldn't want to stop down so far but for this kind of thing I'd make an exception.
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john_g
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(Pooh-bah Hoo-ha)
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17/07/2008 12:42
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
Quote:
On the D80, is there a safety shift type of thing which will override the settings if that's going to result in over/under exposure? This might be a reason why you tell it to open the shutter for thirty seconds and it does something else.
Could be right....the headlights in the pic are probably a bit too bright already. It maybe that the scene is simply too bright to allow for a 30 second exposure.
I looked in the manual on Nikon's website - the camera can be set so that it shifts the ISO sensitivity if needed, but this is off by default and I couldn't see anywhere that it could override the selected exposure settings, so this is probably a maroon mackerel.
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ham888
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(member)
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17/07/2008 13:18
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Re: shutter speed?
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
On the D80, is there a safety shift type of thing which will override the settings if that's going to result in over/under exposure? This might be a reason why you tell it to open the shutter for thirty seconds and it does something else.
Could be right....the headlights in the pic are probably a bit too bright already. It maybe that the scene is simply too bright to allow for a 30 second exposure.
I looked in the manual on Nikon's website - the camera can be set so that it shifts the ISO sensitivity if needed, but this is off by default and I couldn't see anywhere that it could override the selected exposure settings, so this is probably a maroon mackerel.
I think thats called Auto Iso (number 7 on the pencil menu). Must admit I thought that in M mode the camera just did whatever it was told ~ i.e no overide to control exposure
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Steve52
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(old hand)
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17/07/2008 18:29
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Re: shutter speed?
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Hi Snowqueen
I haven't tried this sort of photography yet, so cannot add any advice. However, I thought I'd just say I like the picture, espcially if you crop out most of the black. (Sorry MODS, I know its not Exhibition or Appraisal).
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 18:40
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Re: shutter speed?
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After much playing around, i think ive got it? the shutter stays open for 30 secs (although u see nnothing through the view finder!) and then maybe 12 - 15 seconds to record the image, i sat there in a dark room with a touch turned on and off at different inervals! and it records the light during the first 30 seconds......
so im gonna wait for it to be dark and go out, if the rain stops ! will post my image ( good or bad! )
THANKS EVERYONE FOR TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO HELP
IT REALLY IS APPRECIATED
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snowqueen
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(Queen of the castle)
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17/07/2008 18:55
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Re: shutter speed?
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I dont have a polariser, no....erm...what is it? lol
I did have the camera set to f22............
I think ive sussed it! playing in a dark room with a torch! lol!
thanks for ur help
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john_g
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(Pooh-bah Hoo-ha)
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17/07/2008 20:24
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Re: shutter speed?
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After much playing around, i think ive got it? the shutter stays open for 30 secs (although u see nnothing through the view finder!)
When a dSLR takes a picture, the mirror that reflects the image up into the viewfinder flips up to let the light fall onto the photo sensor. This means that, whilst the shutter is open, you can't see anything through the viewfinder. Normally all this happens so quickly that all you see is a sort of blink in the viewfinder, but set the shutter speed to 30 seconds and you'll have 30 seconds of seeing nothing!
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PhilW
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(Blue Peter Badge Winner)
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17/07/2008 20:41
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Re: shutter speed?
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There is a useful diagram on wiki
on this page
That shows how the mirror reflects the light up to the viewfinder, and how it moves out of the way to take the picture.
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Mojo_66
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(Rain Kat)
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18/07/2008 13:57
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Re: shutter speed?
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Just a small point, but this sort of shot works better at dusk when there's still some detail in the sky, rather than when it's completely dark. Using a polariser or a ND will give you a longer exposure.
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