D90 and using Bulb

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I have a Nikon D90, and am an experienced photographer. I mostly hang out in the Classic Camera forum because my modern cameras are so trouble-free and easy to use.</p>

<p>But....</p>

<p>How do you use the Bulb setting on the D90? There's no screw-in for a cable release. And if you use the remote IR trigger, it won't let you use Bulb. With manual film cameras, I've shot at night with exposures of up to 20 minutes, and would like to be able to do the same here.</p>

<p>It looks like Bulb is only usable if somebody holds the shutter button down. Can that be right?</p>

<p>It's not slowing me down terribly, but I'd like to have more than 30s of exposure time...</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

<p>Probably some gaffer's tape (or a large rubber band) to hold the shutter button down....</p>

<p>And if you plan on using the noise-reduction feature in the camera, you may need a equal amount of time for the image to undergo *treatment* before you can take your next shot. No noise reduction could result in a nice long exposure with noise throughout.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>You know, the gaffer's tape might work, with some sort of a rubber plug on top the button. I could put something black in front of the lens, open shutter, remove the black cover (lens cap), and the exposure begins then.</p>

<p>You need the remote release cord <a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Product/Remote-Cords/25395/MC-DC2-Remote-Release-Cord-(1-meter).html">MC-DC2</a> from Nikon, which allows you to hold the exposure release button.</p>

<p>I don´t know about third party products, but there might be some.</p>

<p>I bought a product for that situation about ten years ago for a film camera with no thread in the shutter for a cable release (Friggin' Nikon trying to sell $95 electric cable releases didn't include a simple threaded hole) Anyway, it was a leather strip not quite a half inch wide that went around the camera like a belt with the ends held together with velcro. It has a button inserted in it with a thread hole. The botton goes over the shutter button. The cable release is threaded in to the button. When the cable release pushes down onto the threaded button, it pushes down on the camera's shutter button and works the just the same. It's just a button on top of a button held in place by a strap. You can do bulb mode or whatever.</p>

<p>It was relatively cheap, maybe 15 bucks at the time. It was mildly cumbersome and usually didn't slip off center and worked fairly well.Considering bulb mode isn't usually done super quick like sports shooting, I never lost any shots because of it. I'm sure the expensive Nikon release was better but the strap was worthwhile overall especially considering the price. I still have it but I have no clue what its called and there is no company name on the product. You might be able to find something like it with a Google search.</p>

<p>EDIT: I didn't see Francisco's post before posting mine. $50 is better than $95. Maybe there are third party electric choices. Anyway, now you have leads.</p>

<p>I use the mcdc2 on my d90 and it works great. Tried an aftermarket cable and just didn't work. Nikon is much better quality.</p>

<p>I'm told the ML-L3 will allow you to click once to open the shutter and then click again to close it when you're done, at least in bulb mode.</p>

<p>Chris Nielsen is right. The ML-L3 is the easiest way to go. It costs next to nothing, it's very small, it's wireless and it's very simple to use. When in Bulb you click once to open the shutter and then once again to close it.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I'm told the ML-L3 will allow you to click once to open the shutter and then click again to close it when you're done, at least in bulb mode.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This.</p>

<p>But 30-second exposures on DSLRs can sometimes be problematic.</p>

<p>BULB does work with the ML-L3. Cick once to open, and once to close. Works on my d90 just fine. </p>

<p>Bulb does indeed work with the IR remote control on a D90. Just to make sure: you must be in M-mode.</p>

 

<p>Thanks, all.</p>

<p>I'm feeling stupid. You're right, the ML-3 does work for Bulb. I didn't think it did, because when I was in M-mode, Bulb, and rolled the "Trigger" option to "Remote", the word Bulb went away on the menu on the top right of the camera. I'd assumed when that happened, that Bulb wasn't available.</p>

<p>I have the ML-3, so I'm all set.</p>

<p>Apologies, for being ignorant and wasting time. Thanks to all for giving the time.</p>

<p>Don't apologize for not knowing something, that's what foru'm's like this one are all about, to help eachother out and learn something when you need too.. :-)</p>

 

<p>I think Bulb is not limited in duration, but D90 page 85 implies the ML-L3 remote is limited to 30 minutes in Bulb. 30 minutes is a long time though.</p>

<p>Thanks, CPM & Wayne.</p>

<p>Agreed - 30m is forever. Most I've ever gone is 20m, and that was proper exposure for a full moon on snow. Most of the time I've never gone beyond 2-3 minutes.</p>