Live View - Bulb / Photo Booth Manual

[Ben Miller]

Hi there,

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I want to have the live view use the "Bulb" setting, and then when it goes to take the pictures for photo booth, it drops to 1/125, ISO 800.

I'm using the latest version (just upgraded today) of DLSR Pro and I have a Canon T2i Camera.


It seemed like when I used a Canon Rebel (older version) it worked.

Also, I would want it to run on BULB in the videobooth setting as well.

When I have it on External Flash Mode and I go into the photo booth.... I'll start the photo booth and it'll say "cannot use bulb in photo booth" (I'm paraphrasing)


I'd really like to get this fixed before this weekend! Thanks!! (Let me know if you need my profile document)
-Ben

[Ben Miller]

Otherwise the screen is WAY too dark at 1/100-1/125 ISO 800, and I don't want to pour thousands of lumens of light on the subjects in order for them to position themselves in the booth.

[neilneilb]

Hi Ben,

External flash mode is intended to bypass the cameras exposure simulation so that regardless of your settings live view should be bright. There is however an issue where the External flash mode doesn't work correctly when initially entering full screen photo booth mode. Try this:

1. Set your shutter speed, ISO and aperture at what you want them to be when taking the photos and make sure external flash mode is enabled.

2. Enter full screen photo booth mode. (live view is probably dark)

3. Hit ESC and then go back into full screen photo booth mode. (live view should now be bright)

[Chris Breeze]

I can't reproduce this on my system. When external flash mode is selected the camera should be set to manual exposure mode with the aperture you wish to use for the photos. It doesn't matter what the shutter speed is set to provided it is not set to bulb. When live view is displayed the software sets the shutter speed to bulb so that the live images are bright and switches the shutter speed to 1/200 (the flash sync speed) when taking the photos.

Unfortunately my EOS 550D (aka Rebel T2i) is faulty and needs to be sent back to Canon for repair and so I can't check it with the 550D at the moment. What version of DSLR Remote Pro are you using please? Has anyone had similar problems with other camera models?

[Ben Miller]

I really hope this helps. I'd like to figure this out as fast as I can. The camera is set to Manual during this time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de7rAlun3Oo&feature=youtu.be

[neilneilb]

I believe this problem is related to what was discussed in this thread.
https://breezesysforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?4644-Sometimes-black-live-view-when-started&highlight=external+flash+mode

The only difference being that I am using a default profile with live view disabled which forces bulb mode off after the sequence. I am also using a T2i.

So you can probably get around the issue you are having by creating default profile with live view disabled that chooses your other profile or profiles that have live view enabled. You will have to initially start full screen photo booth mode select a profile with live view enabled then exit and re-enter full screen photo booth mode. I have to do this at the beginning of every event but it works all night as long as you don't exit full screen photo booth mode for an extended amount of time.

[Chris Breeze]

Are you using profiles? If so, I think the problem is caused by having some profiles saved with external flash mode enabled and some with it disabled. If you load a profile with external flash mode enabled the shutter speed is set to bulb. Then if you load a profile with external flash mode disabled the software doesn't restore the shutter speed to its original value and will display the error message about bulb mode not being supported when you start the shooting sequence. You can avoid this problem by making sure you use the same setting for external flash mode in all the profiles.

[Ben Miller]

I think this worked! I made a new profile and set it as the default. We're going to try it with all the profiles to see if it'll work that way.


Thanks!
-Ben