# D90 long exposure in bulb mode



## biswajitdey13 (Apr 5, 2010)

I am facing a strange problem. I had my new D90 a few months back. Since then I've gone through each and every menu options and changed them according to my convenience. I have also gone through the manual to know what every menu option does.

After some time I wished to shoot start trails. I bought a remote release and tripod. But the problem is that my camera does not allow long exposures in bulb mode more than 30 minutes. It automatically closes shutter after 30 minutes when I have triggered the camera with remote release in Bulb mode.

Now I remember changing some settings in the camera not to allow long exposures past 30 minutes assuming such long exposures won't be required. But I don't remember where that option is. I browsed through all the menu options, searched through the entire manual, but could not find that. 

Can anyone help to restore that setting?

P.S. I tried doing 'Reset all custom settings', but it did not help.


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## burnws6 (Apr 5, 2010)

Its the limit. 30 is all you get my friend.





.........wait.....doing some research.....


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## burnws6 (Apr 5, 2010)

ah yes...you need a wireless remote. Camera only is 30 minute.


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## Pure (Apr 5, 2010)

For star trails it is best to stack images, multiple images of the same duration, right after each other for x minutes.  Lets say you wanted an hour long star trail.  You'd take 30 exposures at 2mins each or whatever exposure you want, then in PP you'd stack the images on top each other, and it'll look like one long exposure.


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## biswajitdey13 (Apr 6, 2010)

burnws6 said:


> ah yes...you need a wireless remote. Camera only is 30 minute.


 
I do use ML-L3 Remote Control for trigerring the D90 in Bulb mode and it closes the shutter after 30 minutes....the in-camera bulb mode supports only upto 30 *seconds.*..


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## biswajitdey13 (Apr 6, 2010)

Pure said:


> For star trails it is best to stack images, multiple images of the same duration, right after each other for x minutes. Lets say you wanted an hour long star trail. You'd take 30 exposures at 2mins each or whatever exposure you want, then in PP you'd stack the images on top each other, and it'll look like one long exposure.


 
Yes you are right....but in that case, you can see dots of stars instead of continuous star trails....I feel the continuous star trails with a single long exposure shot looks better than stacking option which produces dot-effect in star trails...


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## Garbz (Apr 6, 2010)

Not true. Stars don't suddenly move

Even with 25seconds on 5seconds off you can only just see dots on the original zoomed at 100%. If you start the following exposure straight after the previous one the only thing that may screw up is a passing plane or satellite.


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## KmH (Apr 6, 2010)

I think Nikon limits the bulb time to 30 minutes to eliminate possible image sensor overheating.


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## Felix 222 (Apr 11, 2010)

KmH said:


> I think Nikon limits the bulb time to 30 minutes to eliminate possible image sensor overheating.


yep, but it is less likely with CMOS censors.


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## KmH (Apr 11, 2010)

Felix 222 said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > I think Nikon limits the bulb time to 30 minutes to eliminate possible image sensor overheating.
> ...


Nikon doesn't seem to take as cavalier a stance.

After all, they designed the sensor and will have performance data based on the specific application that is the Nikon  D90.


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## Felix 222 (Apr 11, 2010)

KmH said:


> Felix 222 said:
> 
> 
> > KmH said:
> ...


Cavalier? CMOS sensors are less likely to overheat...I meant nothing more than to share this simple fact. I didn't tell him to keep his sensor open longer than 30 minutes


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