Fireworks

[GoGeoFerret]

What are the best manual settings for trying to capture fireworks displays?

 

[CanaanBill]

It's harder than you think. Attached is a screenshot of a movie from Thomas, WV fireworks in 2018. Used wide open lens, auto-exposure, on then, MPP. Trick is to set focus on a point about the same distance as where the display will take place, then lock the focus. Surprisingly, you can't shoot photos as they come out blurry due to the pyrotechnics' rapid movement. I got good exposures at 1/40 sec, but all were blurry. Shoot a movie and grab whatever frame you like, as enclosed, and the result will be much better. Oh, I hovered the MPP about 200 feet up, same height as the display. It's still blurry, but not nearly so much so as the photos. Remember, you're shooting an explosion...things move fast.

 

[Cymruflyer]

On the ground you use about 1/2 a second shutter and maybe f8 but then it depends on your ISO and the brightness of the fireworks to get the best exposure, so you then play around with ISO and f stop to get it right. But always leave a slower shutter speed to ge the best effects and of course a very sturdy tripod. Faster shutter is useless because you will not see the streaks of the fireworks. Even longer/slower shutter speed allows for more exploding fireworks in the same vicinity to be captured on the image. In the air while hovering will depend on the stability of the drone in hover and the wind which would affect that. You will get some nice firework effects but the ground may well be blurred.

 

[GoGeoFerret]

Thanks guys. I saw a great display yesterday evening but couldn't launch due to very high wind. There is another display in the same place this evening. I am hoping the weather stays calm, it's been raining today but has stopped now and the wind has died down. It's I get any good video I will not my settings and post here.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Thanks guys. I saw a great display yesterday evening but couldn't launch due to very high wind. There is another display in the same place this evening. I am hoping the weather stays calm, it's been raining today but has stopped now and the wind has died down. It's I get any good video I will not my settings and post here.

Be sure to always fly up wind of a fireworks display otherwise all you will see if smoke.

 

[mavic53]

In my case remember to remove the 8ND filter first!!!!!