Another dumb question from an inexperienced photographer?

Question

How do I get to the bulb setting from the manual mode on my camera? I own a Digital Canon Rebel EOS 350D XT. I want to take star trail pics and someone told me that I need to use the bulb setting, but my manual doesn't say anything about that. (Or maybe I can't find it.) Please Help!!!

Answer 1

Set your shutter time to the longest. (ie, go past one second, 10 seconds, thirty seconds, etc to the end.)

The shutter will stay open as long as you hold the button. Tho you better be steady... I suggest a tripod. (and a remote shutter... or at least use the timer to kick off a 2 minute photo)

Answer 2

Hi, it's not a dumb question, no-one knows anything without reading or being told it.

I have the Canon EOS 400D, and when in manual mode the bulb setting is found by moving the small wheel on the top right hand side as you hold it all the way until it stops. Not sure if it is in the same place on the 350D but its the control which changes the shutter exposure time. Keep turning it, increasing the time all the way into full seconds. Keep turning through 1, 2, 10, 20 etc and the very last one is BULB.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

The bulb setting allows you to control manually how long the shutter is open (how long the exposure is) because the shutter remains open as long as you hold down the shutter button. I have the same camera, and yes, there is something in the manual about it. There should be a little lightbulb or something on the dial, and that is the bulb setting.

Most important: Whenever you use any kind of long exposure, make sure that you use a tripod or some other stable surface to set the camera on. If you try to hold it in your hands, minute shaking will turn the pic into a blurry mess!!! And try not to use a flash if you can help it.

Answer 4

When you switch the camera to manual mode you will be able to adjust the Time Value setting. While I own several canon bodies, I do not have the 350D. Most are very much the same though. Typically, a thumb-wheel is used to adjust the time. Turning one way will make the exposure short, while turning the other way will increase the length of exposure. At the longest end of the exposure setting will be a "B" setting. I am guessing it will be right after 30 sec.

Answer 5

there should be a setting on your shutter speed dial that says "B". This setting makes it so that as long as you hold the button down, the shutter will stay open. Here's a good technique I used to use for trail shots.

1. Set up your camera on a tripod pointed straight up.
2. Make sure you are not near any bright lights that will take away from the stars.
3. Get a small piece of duct tape or any other strong tape.
4. Set your shutter speed to B, and your apature to the highest number on your camera. (this will close your apature down as much as posssible so you don't have too much burn in).
5. push down the shutter button, and quickly (but without bumping the camera too much) tape the button down.

Leave the camera out for as long as you like. If you set this up somewhere in the middle of the desert where it is pitch black, you could leave it all night. The more ambient light, the less time you should leave it out to avoid having a washed out picture.

When you are ready to end the shot, quickly remove the tape to release the button and release the shutter.

Experiment with how long you leave it open. If it is VERY dark where you are and you leave it for 5 or 6 hours, and you point the camera straight up, you wsill see rings from the rotation of the earth. It's pretty neat. Sometimes you even get shooting stars.

This is also a fun technique to try with lightning storms....tho only hold the shutter open for about 10 min at a time....and make sure you are somewhere dry and safe! ;)

Answer 6

If you mean the trails that are made with a long exposure of the night sky. It is very high setting, and long exposure

If you are talking about catching a "falling star" it is about the same. You need to keep the camera very still ( Tripod, no wind ) have the camera aimed in the direction, open the lens and wait.

Answer 7

Its not a dumb question...its actually something alot of people have no friggin clue how to do. Number one, dont use your flash. Buld setting is typically when your flash is delayed to get a quick stop after a blur of something moving...ie, those runners that are blured then perfectly stopped and framed. For star trails and moon shots and such, and flash will destroy your shot. Just set it on a shutter for the time that your looking for and experiment with the trail lengths. I do alot of these actually, and if you want drop me a line on email and i can send you some with the specs with it (exposure, film, etc.)

Answer 8

szadyl@ is right. You can only get to Bulb on a Canon by setting it to manual and going throught the shutter speeds to longer and longer exposures until you reach B.