Sony A7iii long exposures, but not BULB?

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Sony A7iii long exposures, but not BULB?

With the Sony A7iii is there a way of doing long exposures (4 minutes for example) but without using the Bulb feature. Nikon have a 'Time' feature on the main dial in that when you press the shutter button their is a 1 second delay before the 4 minute exposure starts, then 4 minutes later it stops by itself.

I don't really want to have to buy a remote cable with a locking switch just to do 4 minute exposures.
 
hunnymonster, you missunderstand. I need to take a 4-minute exposure with 15-stop ND for smoothing out water, multiple shots is not something that can do that.
 
I don't have an A7III, just an ancient A7 which under Drive Mode has a Self Timer with options for 2 or 10 seconds delay. I assume there's something similar in the A7III's menu?
 
hunnymonster, you missunderstand. I need to take a 4-minute exposure with 15-stop ND for smoothing out water, multiple shots is not something that can do that.
Actually you can simulate long exposure with multiple exposures in post. You stack them using average (or is it mean).
But to answer your question, I believe Sony (like most cameras to be honest) limit you to 30 second exposure without the use of bulb and an external trigger.
 
Have you tried using Sony's play memories app to control the exposure time?
 
I think bulb is the way forward.

I have experimented with taking multiple exposures and blending in post. I think this is also a good option.

btw - 4 mins might be overkill to smooth out some water, well i guess it depends on what the water is like but a few seconds can be enough,
 
Definitely not blending in post as leaves on trees move in the wind and you always end up with fuzzy leave and blurring in leaves and leaves that multiply etc. I want a four minute exposure of a lake to make the water look like fog.

Nikon cameras have a 'T' for time as well as 'B' for bulb, the former allows you to set the time of the exposure for as long as you want, over the 30 second bulb limit.

I have not tried Play Memories app, newbie1, but I do have the Imaging Edge Mobile app, which does nothing but take photos, no way of setting up a 4 minute exposure.
 
Do the Sony cameras not have a time feature? I just checked my Fuji and on the T position, I can set 30sec, 1min, 2, 4, 8 & 15 minutes.

Seems like a strange oversight.
 
but I do have the Imaging Edge Mobile app, which does nothing but take photos, no way of setting up a 4 minute exposure.
It can be used. Set up camera on bulb mode, then on the app, slide the B button to the left. When finished slide it to the right.
You will need to do it manually, and will need a separate timer, as when you come out the app to start a timer, it closes the shutter again.
I use a seperate intervalometer though as it's easier.
 
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hunnymonster, you missunderstand. I need to take a 4-minute exposure with 15-stop ND for smoothing out water, multiple shots is not something that can do that.
Actually you can simulate long exposure with multiple exposures in post. You stack them using average (or is it mean).
But to answer your question, I believe Sony (like most cameras to be honest) limit you to 30 second exposure without the use of bulb and an external trigger.

As @LC2 says - blend. You can try it for free, and if it doesn't do what you want then buy your shutter release.

What do you think is happening on the sensor when you do a long exposure?
 
Sure but it is averaging/blending during each exposure for the exposure duration on a per pixel level.


Exposing each pixel is like filling light buckets if you want to think that way. Filling 8 buckets for 30 seconds each will net you approximately the same as filling 1 for 4 minutes... Tip all 8 into 1 bucket (blend) and something approaching the same effect as a 4 minute exposure.
 
Sure but it is averaging/blending during each exposure for the exposure duration on a per pixel level.


Exposing each pixel is like filling light buckets if you want to think that way. Filling 8 buckets for 30 seconds each will net you approximately the same as filling 1 for 4 minutes... Tip all 8 into 1 bucket (blend) and something approaching the same effect as a 4 minute exposure.
Same effect, but not the same....
 
There is no T mode per say in Sony cameras. 30s is the highest you get.
Considering you have a FF camera worth a fair amount of money, I don't think it'd too much of a stretch to say you can afford a remote shutter that costs £15-30 off amazon. I use one for these for setting the timer for exposures longer than 30s.
Its one of my pet peeves with many cameras because I don't see why its so hard to just add a custom timer to set in camera or give options going into many minutes instead of just 30s.

anyway, I am also a great fan of blending because sometimes you just don't know if you need say 4 minutes or 3 minutes. I could take two shots (but it never ends at just two shots though does it? :p ) or just take 8 shots in the same amount of time and decide later how many I blend. Also weaker ND filters have less of an effect on IQ (sharpness, colour casts etc) than really strong ones especially >10stops.

Definitely not blending in post as leaves on trees move in the wind and you always end up with fuzzy leave and blurring in leaves and leaves that multiply etc.

Long exposure will do this for you anyway. you are not really avoiding this one way or another unless you shoot at high shutter speeds fast enough to freeze motion.
 
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