How to take proper light trails?


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I've tried taking light trails...but the effect come out not good and I am not sure how to take proper light trails. I've set a f2.8 and +2 exposure...yes there are light trails lor...but it come out liddat one...

http://mengyeow.mediaobject.co.uk/p6150572.html

Not really one whole tail of light I think...someone enlighten me please~~~ tango yankie~~
 

Easy. Set f8 or higher and with 0 or +1/3 exposure. set ISO to 100 and then shoot... might be able to get better light trails. By the way, before you shoot better to compose at a darker spot then recompose shot.
 

nickmak said:
Easy. Set f8 or higher and with 0 or +1/3 exposure. set ISO to 100 and then shoot... might be able to get better light trails. By the way, before you shoot better to compose at a darker spot then recompose shot.


compose at a darker spot then recompose shot...er...can you explain? I understand the settings part...thnks~~
 

errmm... if u are trying to shoot light trails, u have to expose ur film/sensor for as long as you can without over exposing the shot. This means that when you compose your shot, ie. half press your shutter button, at a darker area of the scene and not the bright areas like the headlights of the car. Hope this helps.

Cheers!
 

u did not mention your shutter speed in your post....
from your photo...another factor should be the shutter speed...
try to set a long shutter speed
best is to experiment with the shutter speeds to achieve the exposure and effect you want
 

To get decent light trails, use a very long shutter speed, something like 20-30secs. Stop down as far down as you can go, use a ND filter if you need to.
 

justarius said:
To get decent light trails, use a very long shutter speed, something like 20-30secs. Stop down as far down as you can go, use a ND filter if you need to.
Doesn't need to be so long... Digital Cameras suffer from noise problems if they are left too long open too..

ASC03633_StreakBlueTaxi.jpg

This one is about 15 secs... I'd suggest 8s to 15s as a start.. you'd have to use manual mode and check the exposure on the LCD as the camera metering is rather unpredictable due to the changing light conditions at different times.
 

Hasegawa_Takumi said:
I'm using a Panasonic FZ10...so if i set the Shutter speed to 1/15, does this mean that its set to 15secs already?

No, that's one fifteenth of a second.
 

Hasegawa_Takumi said:
What would 15secs appear to be then? 1/1500? the shutter settings appears in this fraction method...

Not familar with your camera though, but you should change the shutter speed until there's no 1/xxxx, eg 15 instead of 1/15.
 

yes the max is 8 sec for FZ10
dunno what is the smallest apreture for your cam but set it to the smallest (erm meaning biggest in numeric number)
use M mode
Shutter Speed 8 sec and apreture F8 (i guess should have F8)
 

willyfoo said:
Doesn't need to be so long... Digital Cameras suffer from noise problems if they are left too long open too..

.....

This one is about 15 secs... I'd suggest 8s to 15s as a start.. you'd have to use manual mode and check the exposure on the LCD as the camera metering is rather unpredictable due to the changing light conditions at different times.

Ah, thanks for the clarification :embrass: I haven't thought about the noise issue on digital cameras as I'm a film shooter who uses very SLOW film....

Try to pick a busy spot... that way, you can get better light trails.
 

latmo said:
try to use the smallest aperture you have and the slowest shutter speed

Just to clarify.. you shouldn't always use the smallest aperture.. the aperture controls the thickness of the trails.. depending on how intense the light and how close you are to the lights, you need to vary the aperture..
 

Hasegawa_Takumi said:
What would 15secs appear to be then? 1/1500? the shutter settings appears in this fraction method...


hv used FZ10 b4 ... it should appear 8"
 

depends on speed of the traffic too...have used 5s on a bridge above an expressway and got some nice shots...if can only use 8s, try at a location where traffic move fast :)
 

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