P712 Scene modes

[ac.smith]

Fireworks require a tripod because it takes time for the image to be created. The image is actually moving points of light. You set the aperture based on the ISO to expose the points of light. At your ISOs f5.6/F8 should be in the ballpark. Your first picture was pretty close to the right exposure.

Focus should probably be set at infinity or a least at a far distance. Point the camera in the direction of the likely activity with the lens set to cover the area of interest. You can't "chase" the fireworks. The 2 sec. exposure is probably adequate for a single burst. Set Manual and 8 sec. if you want a chance at multiple bursts. In either case you fire the shutter when you see something start skyward that might end in your field of view. Take lots pictures and experiment with your shutter time and focal length.

Ideal is a camera with a Bulb setting but we don't have that option.

I liked your nightscapes.

[dan279]

FF, you don't need advice- just need a tripod...the camera chose good settings, 2 seconds gets a nice shot, but there's no way without a tripod or at the least a table to set the camera on...my only other thought is try not to zoom so much, so you can capture the whole cascade, you can always crop it later

Dan

[Flying Fossil]

Alan T wrote:

Flying Fossil wrote:

If you'd had a Z712is instead of a P712, and used ISO1600

Or I could have used my Sony A-100 at 3200ISO.
I imagine the Z712 at ISO1600 is kind of like a party, i.e. NOISY.

I think the tripod would have done the trick.

[ac.smith]

Flying Fossil wrote:

Or I could have used my Sony A-100 at 3200ISO.
I imagine the Z712 at ISO1600 is kind of like a party, i.e. NOISY.

I think the tripod would have done the trick.

Doesn't matter what camera, the technique is the same. Using a higher ISO simply means stopping down the lens more. Your shutter speeds are going to remain the same and the camera needs to be rock steady.

[Alan T]

Flying Fossil wrote:

Man, do I need some advice.
Went to a fireworks show on July 4 and took the P712......etc.....

We don't do July 4th in the UK, (ISTR we lost), so I expected to have to wait until 5th November, when we celebrate our long history of political terrorism, to try some fireworks shots, but...

I had an unexpected opportunity on Saturday night to try out some of these methods with my Z712is. A neighbour is a nationally eminent retail businessman and the owner of a huge Elizabethan hall at the other end of our lane. He warned everyone in the neighbourhood with a nice little note that he was holding a wedding party & fireworks display, and apologising in advance for any nuisance.

We were delighted, because we know from experience that we have a grandstand seat, looking straight out of our bedroom window in our rather more modest establishment down the road. Here's what we saw (plus the daylight view). My wife saw the first part of the show as she drove home towards a magnificent show in the sky ahead , and rushed upstairs. Our view is probably better than that of the guests at the Hall, and we don't even get stiff necks through looking upwards.

I hand-held the camera propped on the edge of the window frame and braced against the window stay seen below, with image stabilisation on. It was rather wobbly as I had to tilt the camera upwards for the right angle. The obtrusive telephone wires provided a useful measure of how much I shook the camera.

After this first reply I'll start a new thread with some resized fireworks images with the settings used, and some 1:1 pixel for pixel clips from these frames to show image quality.