Need help trying Long Exposure

[wblanchard]

Silly question, but i've never actually shot a long exposure before. There is a fair with rides down the road from me and I wanted to try some shots tonight of the colorful lights on the rides.

I've always loved those long exposure images. Im taking my D-Lux 4. Just dont know how to set it up. Im thinking manual mode..f.2 1/2000 or something like that?

If anyone could help me out here, i would appreciate it.

Will

 

[flip]

I don't do long long exposure, but I do like most of my night-time nature shots with exposures of around 20-30 seconds. Naturally, the ISO is down and the aperture closed. Your numbers seem to go the other way - fast and open. You need manual mode. If you trust the camera, it will open the aperture to speed the shot. which I don't like.

I never would have gotten in this habit if not for my Canon 20D, which allowed me instant feedback about the different results. The upshot was that shorter times / high ISOs produced a color shift to the golds which I found irritating - in addition to lighter skies.

 

[wblanchard]

thanks for your help everyone a mate with a leica d-lux 4 told me, just set it for fireworks mode and time it 2 seconds on a monopod. but i will try it manual settings with your suggestions as well.

 

[LeicaMSeattle]

You might consider adding two more legs to your monopod (tripod) and remove any filters on the front of the lens before doing long timed exposures.

 

[robklurfield]

handheld 28mm wide open at 2.8 four sec exposure at 1250 iso; panned to follow subject as he crossed street.

Play around. You might surprise yourself.