auto stills?

[dirtyneedles]

Not sure if this is possible, or already posted in here but I have to get a bunch of stuff ready so I don't have time to do a search.
I'm putting up a fireworks display today and I was going to set up my camera on a tripod on the hood of my truck and get footage or whatever I can. It will be unattended, so my question is does anyone know off hand if there is a built in timer or whatever to get an HV30 to automatically snap still images every so often?

Thanks

[alanz]

Still photos of fireworks typically use "bulb" as a shutter speed... generally 2 to 4 seconds. This way you get the long trails of the burns and multiple bursts. So "snapping" still images implies shorter shutter speeds.

I don't know if it's useful to you, but here's a page I made back in 2000 using a Nikon 990. http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/fireworks2000.htm

I hope this helps.

http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/images/fireworks2000a.jpg

http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/images/fireworks2000e.jpg

[alanz]

I forgot to mention that the HV20 has a "Fireworks" scene recording program mode. It apparently locks the exposure at F4.8 @ 2 seconds, disables the flash, and sets the camera to infinity focus). Perhaps using this with the infrared remote might get you some reasonable results.

[dirtyneedles]

Thanks man, appreciate it. I'll be running around with a torch and throwing switches to put the shells up, that's why I was kind of hoping it could be set to automatically shoot random stills in addition to the footage, lol. I'll try those settings for sure, cool site by the way.
Thanks again!

[alanz]

Maybe you can recruit someone else to man the camera (put it on a tripod if at all possible) so that person can point the camera in the right direction <s>

[Dr. Benway]

Yeah, find a lackey and drill them in the use of the cam, keep it simple. dirtyneedles is a grim name, he he he, maybe the Dr. can hook you up?

[dirtyneedles]

Lacky's aren't allowed near the firing line, or any of the explosive stuff for that matter. I stopped on the way there, picked up some 30 dollar mini velbon something or another. I parked a little too close to the display site, heh.. we had a few "special" shells, and those fkn things rocked everything! Mirrors were moved, rear view mirror was faced as far down as it could get, alarm was screaming, so needless to say... the tripod moved too. I have to pick through the footage and see if anything came out, lol. Thanks for the help though.

[alanz]

So, did you get a chance to review the photos? Anything to share with the class? <s>