# Lightning Trigger



## pmgadgets (Jul 9, 2010)

You can visit the following site if you are interested in taking lightning photos.. 

Lightning Trigger

The followings are sample photos taken by using the gadget..


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## Hellhammer (Jul 10, 2010)

Thats pretty neat.


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## Josh66 (Jul 10, 2010)

How exactly does it communicate with the camera?

Does it communicate through the hot-shoe (not sure if that's even possible), or is there some unseen cord it's using?


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## TheSolicitor (Jul 10, 2010)

O|||||||O said:


> How exactly does it communicate with the camera?
> 
> Does it communicate through the hot-shoe (not sure if that's even possible), or is there some unseen cord it's using?



In the videos on the website there is a cord that connects into the camera's interface, so I'm assuming it would plug into the same port that would connect a GPS unit (on my D5000, at least).

Looks like a neat product...I'll have to squirrel away some dollars so that I can afford it!


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## pmgadgets (Jul 14, 2010)

It is connected by a cable from shutter release port of DSLR.


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## pmgadgets (Sep 26, 2010)

A new one..


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## pmgadgets (Sep 26, 2010)

And another one...


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## kundalini (Sep 26, 2010)

Golf in a lightning storm?  Well, I guess that's one way to cleanse the gene pool.

I'm satisfied right now with my little remote and a snort of brandy to capture/watch lighning storms.


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## GerryDavid (Sep 26, 2010)

I used a shutter release last time, pointed the camera at the part of the sky I was hoping to get a picture, set the shutter speed to a few seconds, and pushed the remote all the way to the top so it would take continuous pictures until I stopped it.  Out of 300 or so pictures I got a few keepers. : )  Im thinking this toy might be easier on my camera if I were to try it again.   but I did use my older camera for it.


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## GerryDavid (Sep 26, 2010)

Hmm, so wouldnt you just need an optical slave hooked up to the remote jack?  there should be a DIY or a cheaper way to do this than for $100.

Hmm, wonder if my vivitar cord would fit in a headphone jack.    but id be concerned id fry the camera.  anyone want to try this for me?


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## pmgadgets (Sep 30, 2010)

Hey, it is not $100, just $97 

All the kidding aside, $97 is not too much especially once it is compared with the equivalent products..

Regards..


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## pmgadgets (Nov 26, 2010)

Another great shot by PatchMaster Lightning Capture!

Lightning Trigger


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## KmH (Nov 26, 2010)

You should fix the web site.


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## Sachphotography (Nov 26, 2010)

To be honest I think something like that is a waste of money., IO have been shooting lightning for years and MY shots seam to be much better than the ones shown here. You just need to learn technique. There are better thing to spend your money on than this..
Thats just me though.


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## Buckster (Nov 27, 2010)

Sachphotography said:


> To be honest I think something like that is a waste of money., IO have been shooting lightning for years and MY shots seam to be much better than the ones shown here. You just need to learn technique. There are better thing to spend your money on than this..
> Thats just me though.


Where lightning triggers work particularly well is during daytime shots, where it's more difficult to get long exposures without ND filtering.  Also, even in dark situations, you don't have to take 100's of long exposure shots to get one or two lightning captures.

As for cost, I'd think it should be fairly easy to modify a DIY IR trigger with an optical slave, which would only be a few bucks for parts.


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## pmgadgets (Jan 3, 2011)

I believe you will find the following review very useful.

StormscapesDarwin information on storms, TVN,tours, tips, cyclones - LIGHTNING TRIGGER REVIEW!

Regards..


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## GerryDavid (Jan 4, 2011)

is it me or do they not list the price or offer a buy it button, but they do talk about shipping?  perhaps I didnt read it close enough.


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## pmgadgets (Jan 4, 2011)

It can be bought directly from Lightning Trigger including the shipping cost.


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## pmgadgets (Apr 11, 2011)

PatchMaster Lightning Capture! Version 2 is in the market. New version comes with

-a smarter case
-slide switch instead of rocker switch
-enhanced firmware (day/night detection for self calibration)
-enhanced front panel for increasing the sensitivity

Lightning Trigger


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## mortovismo (Jul 7, 2011)

Tried it today in several storms...not a happy camper. Didn't even pick up bolts from a couple hundred yards.


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## Buckster (Jul 7, 2011)

Bad unit?  Dead battery?  Faulty connection to camera?  Facing toward storm?  Is the red LED lit when you turn it on?

I decided to get one of these things and try it out too.  I got it a few months ago, and it works very well for me.  As soon as I got it, I tested it by flicking a lighter a few feet in front of it, and it worked.  Then I tried it on a storm and it worked just like it's supposed to:


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## mortovismo (Jul 7, 2011)

Hi buckster. The unit isn't faulty, I tested it with the TV remote a lá the Youtube vid before I went out yesterday. Worked no problem. But when I got out it just didn't work....and I mean this thing wasn't picking up bolts from, what was for me at times, uncomfortably close distances. Now I know they say it works best at night time, but they claim that it also works during the day. Not yesterday it didn't. 

Just tried your lighter method...in a pitch black room. Didn't even catch it. Maybe it is faulty.

EDIT: Okay its catching a few.

But I bought this thing for daytime lightning..and when I say daytime I mean in a situation where the sky gets dark dark dark and allows you to get pretty close to the optimum camera settings.


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## Buckster (Jul 7, 2011)

I did the lighter thing in my office with the lights on and it worked.  I think maybe you got a faulty one.  I'd contact them and get it replaced.


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## mortovismo (Jul 7, 2011)

Might do that. Thanks for your input Buckster...much appreciated.


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## pmgadgets (Feb 28, 2012)

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