D3100 fireworks

[TadMan]

I am looking to get the experts opinion on the best settings for fireworks photos on my D3100. Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Jim Laux]

Use a tripod, turn off autofocus and VR (prefocus before dark if possible but be prepared to adjust through the viewfinder or Live View once the show starts), shoot at ISO 100-200, aperture F8-F11 exposing for 2-8 seconds (longer is OK if it's a quiet show, but you'll probably run into noise reduction delays). If you don't have a remote shutter release, try using timer mode on a 2 second delay to avoid camera shake.

 

[learnerguy]

How to manually prefocus before dark? I did not understand this point.

I am planning to carry my heavy gear for the show. I think 55-200mm VR on D3100 will be better for fireworks, mounted on tripod, VR turned off. But I did not get why should we turn Autofocus off? Then how to focus in sky on the display?

Use a tripod, turn off autofocus and VR (prefocus before dark if possible but be prepared to adjust through the viewfinder or Live View once the show starts), shoot at ISO 100-200, aperture F8-F11 exposing for 2-8 seconds (longer is OK if it's a quiet show, but you'll probably run into noise reduction delays). If you don't have a remote shutter release, try using timer mode on a 2 second delay to avoid camera shake.

 

[dave1812]

Jim's suggestions are right on the money. You can't focus on the sky at night. In fact, you can't focus on clear sky at any time. If you have a lens with a distance readout window, all the much better, as once you learn exactly where infinity is (somewhere around the infinity marking), you'll be able to prefocus manually on infinity. Do NOT simply rack the lens all the way to the stop, as that's NOT precisely infinity and all your shots will be OOF.

I have two lenses with the focus window and 2 without. It bugs me whenever I am using the lenses without and in fact, I tend to avoid using them (18-55, and 35 1.8). My Micro 85 and 70-300 have it.

I am planning to carry my heavy gear for the show. I think 55-200mm VR on D3100 will be better for fireworks, mounted on tripod, VR turned off. But I did not get why should we turn Autofocus off? Then how to focus in sky on the display?

Use a tripod, turn off autofocus and VR (prefocus before dark if possible but be prepared to adjust through the viewfinder or Live View once the show starts), shoot at ISO 100-200, aperture F8-F11 exposing for 2-8 seconds (longer is OK if it's a quiet show, but you'll probably run into noise reduction delays). If you don't have a remote shutter release, try using timer mode on a 2 second delay to avoid camera shake.

--
Dave

Dee fifty one hundred

 

[dave1812]

oops! I wrote "focus window" when I meant the distance scale window. DOH!!

 

[Jim Laux]

By prefocusing, I mean to set a focus point on some object that is more or less the same distance away as the likely location of the fireworks, and hold the shutter down halfway to autofocus on that object while there's still enough light to avoid focus hunting. Then turn off autofocus and don't touch anything until the fireworks start. With a fast lens or a bright grouping of fireworks, you might get good autofocus lock during the show, but I wouldn't count on it.

I am planning to carry my heavy gear for the show. I think 55-200mm VR on D3100 will be better for fireworks, mounted on tripod, VR turned off. But I did not get why should we turn Autofocus off? Then how to focus in sky on the display?

Use a tripod, turn off autofocus and VR (prefocus before dark if possible but be prepared to adjust through the viewfinder or Live View once the show starts), shoot at ISO 100-200, aperture F8-F11 exposing for 2-8 seconds (longer is OK if it's a quiet show, but you'll probably run into noise reduction delays). If you don't have a remote shutter release, try using timer mode on a 2 second delay to avoid camera shake.

 

[TadMan]

Thanks for the advise Jim. The big show is tonight and hopefully I will have some great shots when it is finished.

 

[mountws1]

I am also shooting with the D3100 and had my first attempt at shooting fireworks on Saturday night. Unfortunately, I was about 1 mile away from the show and had houses and trees in the foreground. Given the obstruction, I was not able to salvage all of the shots, but I think I came away with a few decent shots considering it was my first attempt. I tried to keep exposure time at or below 6 seconds as I found I was getting two things with longer exposure times: 1) too many fireworks cluttering the picture and 2) too much smoke. Also, after reading recommendations on this board, I kept ISO in the 100-200 range and also worked in the f8-f11 range. I shot with the 55-200 VR, tripod mounted of course and without remote.

I also shot RAW and during pp in NX2, I adjusted exposure and contrast to make the obstructions in my view (houses and trees) as dark as possible to bring out the colors of the fireworks. Unfortunately, I wasn't working with a great skyline as a back drop for the show, so I wasn't worried about saving that. These are by no means great shots....they are what they are.