Sony A9 with the MIOPS trigger for lightning

[wildlifeshooter]

Wondering if anyone has experience using the MIOPS trigger (lightning mode) with the A9? I used it yesterday and, although it fired with every lightning strike, it didn't record the bolt due to the shutter lag time (I assume). I had it in E-shutter mode and maybe that was the issue. Any  thoughts or advice?

[gtrabant]

Hello wildlifeshooter.  I have the same problem while shooting with the A7RIII and using the Strike Finder 2 Trigger.  I was told to turn off any image stabilization or anything that might slow down the reaction from when the sensor detects in infrared signal from the lightning and activating the shutter.  I was hoping to find someone that could say all that they turned off and got better capture results.  From what little I've experimented with, what I found out was that:

1.  When using a Tamaron lens, it seems to take longer for shutter activation as I think it has to set the lens aperture to its designated opening.

2.  Using a Sony prime lens seems to get a better capture rate over a variable focus lens however I've had fairly good results using the 16mm-35mm lens.

3.  Setting a longer exposure, when possible, seems to capture more bolts.  Probably due to the bolts that have a longer "hang time".

Would appreciate it if you or anyone else that have suggestions to allow for a better capture to failure rate to add to this thread.

I did get lucky with this one last night.  2 sec at f/9.0, ISO 100, 16mm (FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM)

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[wildlifeshooter]

Thank you. I was told to make sure that both the lens and camera need to be set to manual focus. I had the lens set to manual but didn’t have the camera set to (MF).  Also not sure if mechanical or Electronic shutter is better. I assume mechanical but not sure. Beautiful image BTW!

[gtrabant]

Thanks for the complement.  I'm very tickled to have gotten it as I haven't been shooting lightning for very long.  I've been shooting with the lens set to manual focus but when I try to select manual focus in the camera, that selection is grayed out.  So far as mechanical or electronic shutter, I've used both but feel that electronic might be a little faster at responding and less chance of camera shake on the longer exposures.  However, I'm not sure if it makes any difference.

[wildlifeshooter]

The manual focus on the camera is on the dial (upper left - MF, DMF, AF-C, AF-S. Not in the menus. ?

[gtrabant]

Yes.  I have been shooting with the manual focus setting on the dial which is obvious, just thought that perhaps in the menu option that that would help too.

[wildlifeshooter]

True! I’m trying again this weekend (if storms cooperate) and I’ll let you know if I discover anything special that makes a difference. 

[Chrissie]

Guys,

while I'm a friend of fancy technical gimmicks myself, I can certainly understand both your enthusiasm and also your frustration if things don't work out as expected. That said:

You are probably aware of the fact, that an external trigger like the MIOPS can only react after the fact, that is: after the beginning of the fact. Fortunately lightnings have a duration in the range of up to 100 ms (and also some repeat patterns), and if you (or your external trigger) are fast enough, you may still catch some of the action while it's still going on. The reaction bit involves some sort of a delay, and what you are apparently striving at, and where I can be of no help, is, to keep that delay as short as possible, by means of clever Sony alpha body settings. Fine enough.

If your sole objective is to get some nice lightning shots, I'd like to propose front-running the lightnings, instead of chasing them ?

A technique, which I've read about and employed myself to good results is the following:

Obviously, you're going to setup everything only if you can reasonably expect some lightning strikes within the next couple of minutes. A.k.a.: a thunderstorm approaching.

The front-running technique goes like this:

set up your camera on a tripod and take a shot with the focus on the foreground.

• set your camera to bulb mode (like: 30 seconds) and focus to infinity
• release the trigger and hope for a lightning strike within the next 30 seconds or so.

Repeat as needed

Composite shots of actual lightnings and foreground shot in image processing software.

Good luck, and I'd like to see some results, please ?

Edited August 14, 2020 by Chrissie

[wildlifeshooter]

Thank you. I have seen quite a few spectacular shots with the MIOPS but certainly using your technique with an intervalometer would be cool. I have to Sony bodies so I can set them up side by side and try both techniques to compare.

[Brian5464]

I've done a hybrid of this, manually holding the trigger on an intervalometer for extended periods waiting for lightning.  If there's a particularly good strike I release the trigger and restart the capture so I don't get too many overlapping strikes in one shot.  Definitely had success with both set timing and manual holding and decided against buying a MIOPS - got enough stuff in the bag.

[wildlifeshooter]

Thanks Brian!