Digital cameras and fireworks??

[shelbyjosh]

I have a Kodak DC4800 and I absolutely love it! Does anybody have any tips on what settings to use to get great fireworks photos? I have played around and cannot find a good setting. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Eponine]

We have a Canon Digital Elph, but we had a Sony CyberShot when we were at WDW. We didn't use any special settings for the fireworks, just turned off the flash. The main problem we had was camera shake...we'll be taking a tripod with us this time. For portability, consider a mini tripod. They're inexpensive, lightweight and will easily fit in almost any tote bag. You'll need a higher surface to set it on, like a wall (or you could just put it on the ground, point the camera upwards, and carefully guard it from being stepped on).

HTH!

 

[#1MMFan]

I have a Canon Powershot. I have some great photos of Illuminations that I could not have achieved with a normal camera (or at least not a normal APS camera). I wish I could show you them, but for the meantime I'll tell you that the way I took them was
1. a steady hand!
2. put camera in manual mode
3. no flash

and 4 - the camera automatically takes a longer exposure thus letting more light in so the fireworks show up bright as you see them in reality, but with the trails because the shutter is open longer.

I'm no photography expert, but I was impressed with the results of doing very little with the camera. Perhaps however, you've tried this stuff already and it's a problem specific to the camera you have at the moment.

John

 

[seashoreCM]

A common problem with video cameras and perhaps digital still cameras as well is washing out of the color of fireworks, Main St. Electrical Parade, Osborne Lights. The camera tries to make the scene look like day and often all the lights come out white.

#2 above, manual exposure, is a must. To start, adjust the camera so the fireworks look best in the viewfinder, people will look too dark. For a digital camera you should be able to proofread one shot after you took it, you may need to fine tune your manual exposure settings, then the same setting should be good for the rest of the fireworks or parade.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm