Hello,

Curious if anyone else noticed this issue...

Whether using Unlimited number of exposures or a set number of exposures the camera shutter remains open if the shutter is in open state when the timer expires.

Examples: set a periodic interval of 2 minutes (easy to test)
Shots: 10
Interval: 0:14
Exposure: 0:11
Total Time: 2:20

In this example the shutter is open at the 2:00 mark. The 9th image is being taken from 1:52 - 2:03 but the period ends and the shutter is left open.

The same behavior occurs using unlimited as the period will end with the shutter open.

In order to avoid the shutter remaining open it needs to be closed when the period ends, regardless of using Unlimited or number of shots. This being the case, unlimited as an option isn't useful because you have to figure out if the shutter will be open when the period ends. The only way to avoid the behavior is to ensure the shutter is closed at the end of the period - which means configure a period longer than the time to take the number of configured shots. Which leads to the question of what good is the end time anyway if the period end will cause a problem anyway when shutter is open.

You can use Unlimited as long as by chance the shutter is closed at the end of the period. Otherwise you need to enter a period which is certainly longer than the time it takes to close the shutter of the last image you set to take.

Examples: set a periodic interval of 2 minutes (easy to test)
Shots: 10
Interval: 0:12
Exposure: 0:10
Total Time: 2:00

In this case the 10th image will complete (shutter closed) at 1:58 and everything will work as expected.

This post was last modified: 2021-05-26, 13:11 by Gunther.

I will check that. I will check that and fix it in the next firmware if it's a bug.

But why would you use any of the "Bulb" modes for exposures < 30 secs? You should always work in M mode when possible (for any camera I know you can set exposure times up to 30 secs in M mode).
In the LRT PT Timer then you set the Exposure to the shortest value (usually 0.2 secs, that's where it displays "Use M Mode!" or work in Timelapse M mode, if you don't need any of the specific modes.

Could you please clarify in which mode that is happening? Are you really talking about the "Periodic TL" mode? (that one is to shoot in certain time periods during the day).

This post was last modified: 2021-05-26, 15:29 by pisgahtime.

Actually I found the problem using BULB mode and exposures both <30 and >30 seconds. It's just easier to test/debug with the shorter exposures and so I provided the examples to recreate this problem. I am using Periodic TL as I want to capture images during a time period from 9:15 - 11:00 over several days. Also, when scheduling the Periodic TL the PT gives the message 'Use Bulb-Mode!' when you reach 1.0 sec exposure. At 0.9 sec the message says 'Use M-Mode'.

This post was last modified: 2021-05-26, 17:07 by pisgahtime.

I did some further testing and it's confusing to know when to use M or B modes on the camera based on the menu options and choices on the PT. As I mentioned, the Periodic TL menu asks for Interval and Exposure. At 0.9 sec exposure the PT says 'Use M-Mode', for 1.0 sec and higher it says 'Use Bulb-Mode!".

If I set the camera to M and set exposure on the camera then the PT will just fire off a single click and the camera exposure is used. This is true regardless of the choice for exposure in the PT. So it seems the PT can tell M mode is set. If I set B mode on the camera then the PT will fire off an open and a close as specified by the exposure set in the PT, from 1 sec. and higher.

As a user I would prefer the prompt 'Use M or B mode?' during PT configuration and then if B is chosen the PT prompts to set the exposure and offers values only 1 sec or higher. Although I do agree it makes no sense for B mode and exposures 30 seconds or less when you can configure that anyway on the camera.

I also checked the Timed/TL and the menu prompts are the same 'Use M-Mode!' <1 sec and 'Use B-Mode' for 1 sec and greater. However it seems the the same error does not occur as there is no end time which stops the PT from completing the last shutter close.

The PT can't know if the camera is in B or M mode.
As a rule of thumb: set the camera to M mode for all exposure times <30 secs and set the exposure to the shortest possible value in the PT, which is the one that will tell you to use M mode. Only for exposures that you cannot dial in in your camera, you should set the exposure in the PT and use Bulb mode.

The most straight forward would be to not allow any bulb times <30 secs to be set in the PT at all - I'll think about it.

Of course this is independent from the issue that you found, I'll come back to you when I've analyzed it.

I agree about M mode at 30 sec or less (and on Fuji there is manual exposure up to 4:00 even) My confusion comes from the message on the PT to use M-mode and 0.9 sec or use B-Mode which occurs at 1.0 sec and greater. That's why I thought the PT was needing the B-mode for those exposures even less than 30 sec.

This post was last modified: 2021-05-26, 18:48 by Gunther.

No, it just says that it doesn't make sense to use that exposure setting in the PT when you are shooting in M mode. I'll think about on how I could make it more clear.

In both Timed TL and Periodic TL the user chooses exposure. While setting the exposure there is a message on the bottom of the display. At 0.9 sec (lowest possible setting) the message says 'Use M-Mode!' for 1.0 sec exposure and higher it says 'Use Bulb-Mode!' I take this as a requirement of the PT to operate properly (as why else would there be a message at all). As a user I took the message as instruction (indeed even more so because of the "!") So as a suer I would suggest to just remove the message entirely and go with the very reasonable and logical advice found in the manual - use B-mode for exposures greater than the maximum which can be set on your camera.

After testing the behavior myself and reading your replies I understand that the PT simply 'holds the shutter button down' for the length of time configured for exposure, and that this has no negative effect when using M-mode - just like if you hold down the shutter button on the camera while in M-mode, there's no continuous activation unless you happen to also be in a continuous shooting mode.

An interesting use of this behavior would be to set the camera in a continuous mode and take bursts of photos periodically... For instance if I set the camera into Continuous-low-mode and the exposure (manually set on camera) at 1/2 sec then set the PT to exposure of 4 sec I will get 8 images taken at every interval. I doubt this is an intended use-case but might be useful in case you wanted to take a burst of shots at a specific time. You could set the interval for the amount of time you wanted the burst to last, set the exposure as needed for the subject, and set the end time for after the first interval might end. You could use this for something like a rocket launch where you know the time of take-off and want to take a burst of a few hundred shots capturing the moment from a remotely placed camera.

This post was last modified: 2021-06-03, 14:16 by Gunther.

I've just uploaded Firmware 27 beta 1 for the LRT PRO Timer 3 where I've fixed a couple of things regarding to your findings.
I've now removed the Exposure setting from Periodic TL and Timed TL modes - it doesn't make sense there because people will be shooting those type of timelapses in M mode anyway.
Also I've renamed that "Use M Mode". Please check the beta out and let me know: https://forum.lrtimelapse.com/Thread-fir...0#pid48950