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Question From Jessica: “I have a Canon Rebel T3i, at night during a lightning storm, how can you get the camera to focus enough to actually get the lightning? I know how to set it to keep the shutter open, but it can’t focus and won’t let me take a picture. I’m trying to get one of those shots where you see the whole bolt across the sky “
Brandi: i did some reading on this a month ago I think you need to open your appiture or put it in appiture priority mode (if you have that setting).
Stephanie: I use manual focus and set it to infinity
Lori: Manually focus
Chris: put it in manual . and put the lens on manual focus and put the focus on infinity .
Cortney: Manual focus
Leona: How would you do this if your using a Rebel T3?
Monica: Use Manual… (M)
Kristine: Set it to manual..n I did the same.thing n I was beyond frustrated lol
Melanie: If you can, find a point of light along the horizon (like a radio tower light or similar) and focus on that. THEN put the lens to manual focus. Also, make sure you don’t shoot wide open (f/2.8), otherwise the bolt will blow out.
Della: Make is a long exposure too
Karen: Jessica, maybe try to set your lens to infinity, lowest ISO your camera will go, use a tripod and turn your IS off, always use manual focus, aperture around f3.5-8.0 (my personal preferences depending on how far away the lightening bolts are), and I always have another subject in my pictures with the lightening, i.e. trees, buildings, towers, mountains. Experiment and have fun! But stay safe, the most important thing!
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