Point & Shoot Fireworks - Post 'Em If You Got 'Em!

[Big Hands]

Just thought I'd get a thread started where we could all see what our point & shoots are capable of when aimed at fireworks. Please ID the camera and settings if possible.

Here's some i took with my SX100 taken on a tripod in Scene Mode on 'Fireworks' setting. I used a custom timer set for 1 second. It takes three consecutive shots and then you can press the shutter again for three more. I felt it best to do it that way to avoid any camera shake as opposed to going manual since the SX100 will not accept a shutter release cable.

1-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2947.jpg

2-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2953.jpg

3-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2975.jpg

4-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2998.jpg

5-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3024.jpg

6-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3021.jpg

7-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3029.jpg

8-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3027.jpg

[papadon2000]

Big Hands-

Really nice shots. I just got a Canon S3IS Wednesday, so I didn't have much time to play with it before the fireworks. I didn't even know how to change resolution or how to set continuous shots, but I did okay. Lower resolution will help keep my image size down for the site, right?

This is only the second digital camera I've ever owned (the first was one of the first Sony Mavicas with a floppy drive, and that was like a hundred years ago).

I used the Night Setting on a tripod that I'm just learning how to use (yes, I AM an extremely novice "photographer"). I've got almost a full year to learn how to use the fireworks setting, which I found after the show, darnit.

Anyhow, here's a few.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0107.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0132.jpg

My favorite:

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0146.jpg

And one more- not fireworks, but I've never taken a picture of the moon like this (big-time zoom):

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0100.jpg


Tonight I plan on taking some more moon pics. Just to get a better feel for the camera. I'm also reading through the manual as I write this.

And that's what I got!

Don

[Big Hands]

Hey,

Nice work Don.

I always shoot with the highest quality setting. I reduce the size during post processing if I am going to post them on the web.

Prior to heading out yesterday, I did some manual reading, read some more on the web about fireworks shooting and made some notes on a 3x5 card which I took with me.

The manual is some pretty dry reading, especially if I try to read it just for the heck of it, but I try to refer to it when I am going to try something new and always learn all kinds of things along the way.

[SimpleGirl2008]

Just thought I'd get a thread started where we could all see what our point & shoots are capable of when aimed at fireworks. Please ID the camera and settings if possible.

Here's some i took with my SX100 taken on a tripod in Scene Mode on 'Fireworks' setting. I used a custom timer set for 1 second. It takes three consecutive shots and then you can press the shutter again for three more. I felt it best to do it that way to avoid any camera shake as opposed to going manual since the SX100 will not accept a shutter release cable.

1-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2947.jpg

2-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2953.jpg

3-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2975.jpg

4-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_2998.jpg

5-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3024.jpg

6-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3021.jpg

7-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3029.jpg

8-
http://photos.imageevent.com/johansen01/landscapesnature/4thofjuly2008/IMG_3027.jpg


I love 1, 4, 6!!

[SimpleGirl2008]

Big Hands-

Really nice shots. I just got a Canon S3IS Wednesday, so I didn't have much time to play with it before the fireworks. I didn't even know how to change resolution or how to set continuous shots, but I did okay. Lower resolution will help keep my image size down for the site, right?

This is only the second digital camera I've ever owned (the first was one of the first Sony Mavicas with a floppy drive, and that was like a hundred years ago).

I used the Night Setting on a tripod that I'm just learning how to use (yes, I AM an extremely novice "photographer"). I've got almost a full year to learn how to use the fireworks setting, which I found after the show, darnit.

Anyhow, here's a few.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0107.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0132.jpg

My favorite:

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0146.jpg

And one more- not fireworks, but I've never taken a picture of the moon like this (big-time zoom):

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/papadon2000/07-04-08/IMG_0100.jpg


Tonight I plan on taking some more moon pics. Just to get a better feel for the camera. I'm also reading through the manual as I write this.

And that's what I got!

Don

I love 2 and 3!!

[mullhawk]

nice shots!
This was my first time trying to shoot fireworks, also I posted these in another thread somewhere but here ya go :D
S5is
4" f8 iso 80
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1789.jpg

1.6" f8 iso 80
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1792.jpg

same
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1882.jpg

1/2" f8 iso 80
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1904.jpg

.6" f8 iso 80
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1918.jpg

same
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_1930.jpg

it was a lot of trial and error, and I think the next time I do it they will be better...

[HuskerTony]

here are a couple of mine. Both where taking using the fireworks mode. F8, 2 seconds exposure.

[_aravena]

Guess that setting works really well.

[vectorgraphicschica]

I have an S3is and last year I got much better pictures of the fireworks so I'll post them. I have no idea what I did right because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I did not have a tripod or anything. This year I tried to prepare, used manual settings, brought a tripod, but I just didn't get anything good at all! Nothing to post from this year, but I'd love to hear what settings others used with an S1, S2, S3 or S5. BTW, where is the fireworks setting?!!!

[mullhawk]

on the s5 it is in the scn mode, I wish I would have tried it, but forgot about it till after the show. I used Manual and tried a bunch of different settings. I think on a lot of the shots I took the fact that there was no wind was my biggest enemy, because most of my shots are just filled with smoke...

[vectorgraphicschica]

Thank you! I will find that setting and definitely am going to find ways to practice.

I decided to post a few of my shots from this year. One thing I did wrong was accidentally reduced the resolution and size of the image. Some of these might have been much better. They have been heavily Photoshopped!

[vectorgraphicschica]

Mullhawks, I really liked the composition on this shot, and the fireworks in this one are so lovely the way they arc down. I edited the contrast and brightness a little and I'm sure someone with more experience with Photoshop than I have could probably make this a fantastic photo. I especially like how the lake and the buildings below take on a glow from the light of the fireworks, and the colors are pretty vivid. Nice job!

[vectorgraphicschica]

Mullhawk this is yours too with a little editing. I didn't do any layers with this because I don't have much time, but you could do layers and retain the detail in the original photo and put the more vivid layers over the first. The way I did it makes the image more dramatic, but it loses a lot of depth and becomes a bit flat. I really think you could take your shots and really do some amazing things with them.

I hope I'm not being too big of a buttinsky.....

[vectorgraphicschica]

Bighands, the color is so vivid in your shots! Really stunning. Husker Tony, the second shot is really unique. Love that!

[mullhawk]

thank you, I have not learned how to edit things like light and saturation, contrast, brightness, all that stuff yet. but I see how much better it can make a photo, so I am going to start to figure it out. Thanks for making my shots look so much better :D

[Big Hands]

Bighands, the color is so vivid in your shots! Really stunning. Husker Tony, the second shot is really unique. Love that!

Thanks! I did 'enhance' the saturation in Photoshop along with a few other tweaks and a little unsharp mask.

I like a lot of these images that are being posted. The ones from my SX100 are not as sharp and crisp as the ones I took with my 20D/EF-S 17-55 f/2.8is, but the images are pleasing to me for other reasons.

Keep 'em coming, I'm enjoying the variety I am seeing so far.

[wildabouthorses]

These were taken with my Canon S5 IS in the SCN "fireworks" mode. This is my first time taking pics of fireworks. Enjoyed seeing others fireworks photos!




http://a586.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/59/l_c85dd9a29351c5119693ab8c2c883711.jpg

http://a554.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/56/l_ba4bfcf0ad55b8e6dd7b7cd75d28cc51.jpg

http://a829.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/101/l_c838e373a669d893cd52e213a824ab1c.jpg



http://a432.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/92/l_e127439cb99732042687e39d7a6c382f.jpg

http://a172.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/l_bf692d5165167287fcce41d93d872713.jpg



http://a846.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/60/l_bcdb3294d5c09afc8648a4908453ffd5.jpg

http://a695.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/82/l_f17f0c4d72deecef88f4d3c203286fbe.jpg

http://a990.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/4/l_f98e0bcc1a917984d751930223687b6d.jpg

[Big Hands]

Thanks to everybody that shared their images. I learned a few things from shooting fireworks with both my SX100 and my 20D with a 70-200 f/2.8L lens at the same time.

1) This is one area where the difference in sharpness and overall image quality is easily seen.

2) I don't care if the images from my 20D were much clearer, I am still very happy with the images I got from my SX100. They have a pleasing quality all their own and I glad I used both cameras.

3) It was very easy to use the P&S compared to the 20D to shoot fireworks. Use a tripod if possible (even a small tabletop tripod will do) and just use the SCN mode on the fireworks setting. Takes all the guesswork out of the shooting and it works quite well.

Thanks again everyone taking the time to post and thanks for sharing.

[toronado455]

I'm going to try that SCN/Fireworks mode on my SX100 tonight.

[jasonstiller]

Good shots! Im so mad right now. Crappy tripod and a spot right under a flood light was the best I could do this year. Needless to say mine suck :(

[mullhawk]

here are some of my fireworks from this year, I took these with my rebel so I guess this isn't really the right section, but whatever, I figure it is still a good place to put them.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2745.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2815.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2888.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2809.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2790.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_3006.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2791.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2862.jpg

[mullhawk]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2750.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2764.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2860.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/mullhawk/IMG_2874.jpg