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Archive 2023 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

eyal
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

Curious if anyone has experience with lightning triggers and particularly in the more challenging daytime or sunset times vs at night. Bonus if have used with success for fireworks.

The patented Lightning Trigger seems great but also nearly $400...

Reviews for alternatives including Pluto, Miops, Strike Finder 2 at better price point $100-200 are all over the place

Appreciate any insight!

May 08, 2023 at 12:53 PM

Adam Schallau
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

I have owned three lightning triggers over the years. I started with the AEO Lightning Strike II, then the MK Controls Lightning Bug, followed by the LT-IV by Stepping Stone Products. I just returned from the 2023 Nature Photography Summit and ended up upgrading my Lightning Bug to the Lighting Bug Plus and I’m purchasing 6 more to use as loaners on my workshops.

I’ve had nearly equal hit rates between the LT-IV and the Lightning Bug, but what I have really come to appreciate is the quality of the people behind the Lightning Bug Plus. They are great to work with.

May 09, 2023 at 12:37 AM

eyal
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

Thanks!

Great price point.

Emailed them to confirm would work with fireworks as well.

Appreciate it.

May 09, 2023 at 06:31 AM

Adam Schallau
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

Happy to help.

The Lightning Bug Plus does have a fireworks mode.

May 09, 2023 at 08:45 AM

Greg Campbell
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

The local monsoon chasers here in Arizona say that the Lightning Trigger is fractionally more sensitive, but that it is also quite fragile. Both the tripod mount and the 'special sauce' cable are prone to breaking for no particular reason. Not really acceptable for a ~$500 toy. Several people use the Lightning Bug to good effect.

FWIW, I forego a trigger and instead 'machine gun' daytime and sunset bolts with a 6 stop ND filer. Using the A7s electronic shutter avoids grinding the mechanical shutter to dust. The down side is that I get home with thousands of images! Plugging the SD card into a fast reader, I can use one of several apps to very quickly zip through the images. Those with bolts jump out quire well. The up side is that I usually catch all of the very brief flash as the stepped-leader tree discharges to ground. This happens within the first few milliseconds. Trigger and camera latency often mean that the camera misses some of the branches, leaving you with one bare bolt. (Pencil lightning.)

My camera can shoot 1/3 second RAW exposures indefinitely. Going with the shortest possible exposure produces better contrast between lightning and sky. The slowish shutter scan time means I do get an occasional 'torn' or rolling shutter artifact. Looking to get an A9 soon that should minimize this issue.

Jun 08, 2023 at 12:08 AM

rji2goleez
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

I have and have successfully used the MIOPS trigger in lightning mode. It definitely works but I often struggle with the finding the most appropriate sensitivity settings and therefore get many blanks.

Jun 15, 2023 at 06:56 PM

Greg Futral
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

I have had what I believe is substantially more success with the patented Lightning Trigger by Stepping Stone than the Lightning Bug. I've used them side by side on at least one occasion. The Trigger has a 15 year guarantee. I believe with the Bug you need to use fresh batteries. I like the gentleman at Stepping Stone. I think his name may be Rich. I've spoken with him a few times over a few years and he has always been cool, patient and insightful....very helpful! He 's in Colorado, and every time I called he picked up the phone. The Bug phone is for sales only. I got a recording today which indicates for support you need to email and I haven't heard anything back from my email a couple of hours ago. I believe at least one of my emails was unanswered in the past.

Aug 01, 2024 at 10:17 AM

Greg Futral
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

Today I got different results. Today I was shooting at two in the afternoon. Both the Lightning Trigger and Lightning Bug got the same number (46 vs 45) exposures and captured the same bolt. I was shooting at the factory setting for the Lightning Bug, the one when you hold down the on button for two seconds. I had the Lightning Trigger on the Multi Mode where it detects the stepped leader phase of lightning ground flashes. Perhaps I should have used the Single Mode, but that was triggering the camera when no flashes were around the other day. I was shooting at 1/15 second and ISO 50 and ISO 100. I've read that the average bolt lasts 1/20 second, but it seems many recommend 1/15 second. I did not hear back from my email the other day with Lightning Bug, but there is a Facebook page, and I got an immediate answer.

Aug 06, 2024 at 03:08 PM

Todd Warnke
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

Thanks for the updates, Greg.

Aug 06, 2024 at 03:42 PM

Greg Futral
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

My pleasure. I also came across this comparison.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lightning+trigger%2C+lightning+bug%2C+miops%2C+stike+finder+review&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgFEEUYOxjCAzIJCAAQRRg7GMIDMgkIARBFGDsYwgMyCQgCEEUYOxjCAzIJCAMQRRg7GMIDMgkIBBBFGDsYwgMyCQgFEEUYOxjCAzIJCAYQRRg7GMIDMgkIBxBFGDsYwgPSAQoxMDQwNmowajE1qAIIsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a962d8da,vid:tjM45qkmvXY,st:0

Aug 07, 2024 at 05:55 AM

Greg Futral
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Any experience with lightning triggers?

My Pleasure. Let's try this. I came across this comparison by someone very experienced.

Aug 07, 2024 at 05:58 AM


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