EOS 20D and Night Shots - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

07/17/2005 01:43:39 PM · #1

Ok doky, time to school me!
I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to working this camera (which is pretty embarrassing actually) so if anyone could teach me in REALLY easy instuctions (don't underestimate how truely daft I am) how to take really cool night shots (the moon, stars, clouds, etc.) it would be greatly apprecieated- I'll even comment on some of your photos in return.
Thanks everyone!! :)

deapee

Kodak V803

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

07/17/2005 01:44:21 PM · #2

OK...on the top of the camera, there is a shutter button. Click that.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

07/17/2005 01:57:41 PM · #3

Ask me in a few weeks, I'm about to take delivery on my 20D...

R.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

07/17/2005 02:05:04 PM · #4

A good place to start would be read the manual for the camera...at least the quick start guide.

Mount camera on tripod, set to Shutter priority mode (Tv - time value), set length of time to keep shutter open, focus, click. For longer exposures use Bulb mode - night scenes, fireworks, the heavens. Shutter will stay open as long as you keep shutter release pressed. A remote switch helps with this. (To get into Bulb mode, set dial to 'M', set shutter speed to bulb (looking at LCD panel turn the top front dial to select Bulb (next setting after 30)), set aperture value, take pic.

In english version of manual:
Tv Shutter Priority - page 76
Bulb exposures - page 87

Also it is a good idea to turn on in-camera noise reduction for long exposures (page 141 of manual) and set mirror lock-up (page 88 of manual).

Message edited by author 2005-07-17 14:12:16.

art-inept

Olympus C-5060WZ

Canon EF 35mm f/2.0

07/17/2005 02:11:13 PM · #5

center-weighted exposure metering, enable mirror lock up in the custom functions menu, and you must use a tripod

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

07/17/2005 02:22:03 PM · #6

For long exposure night shots, start with a good sturdy tripod and a remote release. Set the camera in manual (M) mode and set aperture as wide as it will go for the lens in use. Focus manually. Experiment with different shutter speeds until you get something that looks good. Using the camera's light metering at night is almost guaranteed to NOT get you what you want.
When shooting the moon, remember it's a sunlit object, and expose accordingly.
When attempting to shoot a starlit sky, you need a relatively fast, wide angle lens and your exposure will need to be both long enough to collect enough light, and short enough to eliminate "star trails" which are formed as the stars move across the sky.
Best advice anyone can give is... go out and experiment! the 20D is a great tool for night photography.

Pixelstate

Apple iPhone

07/17/2005 02:25:41 PM · #7

Well Moon shots are pretty easy.

1/ Buy or borrow a nice long lens, i.e. 300mm or 400mm
2/ Attach this to your camera
3/ wait until night time
4/ is it a clear night (Y/N)
5/ If Y then proceed to Step 7
6/ Do something else tonight!
7/ Mount camera on Sturdy tripod
8/ Point camera at moon.
9/ Take loads of shots varying the shutter speed, keep the aperture at around f8.0
10/ Advanced. - Use custom settings to lockup the shutter, this will help to obtain sharper shots, also under custom settings, turn on noise reduction.

Enjoy.

07/17/2005 04:15:13 PM · #8

.

Message edited by author 2005-07-17 16:15:41.

RayEthier

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

07/17/2005 04:20:05 PM · #9

Originally posted by bear_music:

Ask me in a few weeks, I'm about to take delivery on my 20D...

R.

Fantastic news Robert.... I am ever so happy for you. I do hope you got a few lenses for that beauty.

Ray

roadrunner

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/17/2005 06:07:11 PM · #10

Originally posted by Pixelstate:

so should noise reduction be turned off for day shooting?
this has been really helpful for me to guy's thanks...

07/17/2005 06:13:09 PM · #11

The in camera noise reduction on the 20D is only active for longer exposures - 1 second or longer - even when turned on. So day or night is irrelevant. Exposure time is the key factor. If it is enabled, any exposure longer than one sec. it will do its thing.

EDIT: See page 141 of english version of manual

Message edited by author 2005-07-17 18:14:56.

jseyerle

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

07/17/2005 06:14:22 PM · #12

Here one done with a 70-200mm on a tripod with timed shutter.
I took this at ISO200 so didnt mess with noise reduction. I did lock the shutter.

roadrunner

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/17/2005 06:33:24 PM · #13

Originally posted by jseyerle:

Here one done with a 70-200mm on a tripod with timed shutter.
I took this at ISO200 so didnt mess with noise reduction. I did lock the shutter.

so ( sorry to be so blonde ), but when you say 'Lock the Shutter'...do you mean you've done it all in manual?...
thanks alienyst, but since i've had kids my 'reading' brain won't work with my 'memory', i find it easier for people to tell me or show me...lol.. i have been playing non stop with the 20D since i got it though, and am just confirming what i 've learnt is right with this forum....

07/17/2005 06:35:16 PM · #14

I was wondering what hemeant by that too, perhaps he meant he locked the mirror up.

07/17/2005 06:35:46 PM · #15

Originally posted by deapee:

OK...on the top of the camera, there is a shutter button. Click that.

you crack me up...

roadrunner

Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

07/17/2005 06:38:16 PM · #16

Originally posted by Alienyst:

I was wondering what hemeant by that too, perhaps he meant he locked the mirror up.

oh i hope so , coz i know how to do that...lol...
how can you take double exposure's with the 20D?.. or am i know asking the impossible?.. i would love to play with this idea.....

jseyerle

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

07/17/2005 06:42:24 PM · #17

Opps.. Yes. I meant lock the mirror..
Sorry for confusion.

Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 EX APO IF HSM for Canon

07/17/2005 06:53:37 PM · #18

Originally posted by roadrunner:

how can you take double exposure's with the 20D?.. or am i know asking the impossible?.. i would love to play with this idea.....

I don't know of any way to do that. I don't think you can since the file is written at time of exposure unlike film where you just don't advance it. However, with PhotoShop, or equivalent, there are many ways to get this done.

Mary Ann Melton

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

07/17/2005 06:57:27 PM · #19

I don't do well with manual focus on either of my Canon's the D60 and the 10D. What I do at night is to find something in the distance - like farm lights, street lights and focus on them. I also play with both aperture and exposure and since we get instant results in the back of our camera's it is easy to play with it until things look right.

I've taken shots for 30 sec and longer. I've had my best results with street scenes and night lit buildings and Christmas lights.

RobotBanjo

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

07/17/2005 08:22:54 PM · #20

Wow! Thanks for the lessons everyone- that's what I really like at DPC. (Keep it coming too!) I'm just waitin' for the sun to go down to experiment a bit. Between this and Harry Potter, I really won't be getting any sleep! :p

Oh yes, and deapee- I was getting pretty confused about that button, I wasn't sure if you were suppose to say a magic word, ask it nicely or what, so I'm SO glad you straightened that out for me. Press it?! BRILLIANT MAN! Hehe.

Message edited by author 2005-07-17 20:25:33.

lwkimages