Shooting fireworks

[Evilmerlin]

How do you guys determine the Aperture and Shutter speed settings when shooting fireworks? I know that those have to be set before hand.

I have read the primer on shooting fireworks but have some things which I do not understand.

Long exposure
When I set my camera to bulb mode, does it mean that so long as the shutter release is pressed, the shutter will remain open?

If thats the case, won't it end up over exposing the shot?

And how long should I hold it open for?

What kind of shots will I get with a long exposure? I am kinda hopping to "freeze" the fireworks.

I apologise if these have been asked many times in the past.

BTW I am using a Nikon CP5700, still very new to it and still trying to fiddle with the thing.

Are there any resources that can teach a newbie?

 

[maddog]

Set to F8 or more. And about 2-4seconds shutter. That formula varies from camera to camera. Seems to work for my olympus 2100.

 

[Evilmerlin]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[mpenza]

on a side note, Evilmerlin do you find any problem with the autofocus on the camera?

 

[Evilmerlin]

Problems as in?

I do find that when in low light conditions, the auto-focus is a little slow and when during macro shots, it somtimes focus on the background instead of my subject! But that can be corrected by using the manual focus (which I prefer for Macro shots)

 

[mpenza]

that's probably it. read from the forums at dpreview quite a lot of unhappy comments on the slow and inaccurate autofocus of the 5700 under certain lighting condition. others don't find it a problem though. guess it's just a mismatch of expectations for some.

 

[Evilmerlin]

But then again, I am very satisfied with the camera. Its got enough stuff to fiddle with but does it in such a way that it doesn't overwhelms a newbie like me!