Beginner Question > Bulb Timer

[Mc-Fly]

Hi, I'm new onto DSLR Cams and Magic Lantern.
I have a 550D cam and i want to make astrophotography, I realized quick that the standard features of the 550 not offers enough.
That's why i found Magic Lantern with Google search.

Installation and basic use are no problem, but how I get the bulb timer working?

I have read the FAQ and Documentation but there are no exact information how i get this to work.

The camera is in "M" mode and I enabled bulb timer .
But the Icon an the menu entree is red and it tells me "bulb timer works only in bulb mode".

What I doing wrong?
Thanks for your help in advance.

[Led]

Hi, you need to change your shutter speed till it goes past the longest setting (30") and the next one will say 'BULB".
That's what you need the shutter set to to use the bulb timer.
Cheers.

[Mc-Fly]

ohh thank you, it's working now!

I would never have thought to do it that way, but now it makes sense! 

The "bulb timer works only in bulb mode" confused me , I thought it was some main mode (like turning the wheel to "Tv" mode) or something.

Thank you .

[a1ex]

Better help text? (59 characters max)

[Mc-Fly]

For me as a beginner it would be helpful to have a little more hints "where to do what".
But probably for a professional user this "bulb timer" thing would be obvious.

I read also a lot the Documentation ,  probably it would be useful to have there a clearer text.
In the help menu on the cam it's nonessential.

[Led]

I get what you are saying, although in all fairness bulb mode is not a magic lantern feature, it is a general photography feature like shutter time that cameras have been able to do for almost ever, so Magic Lantern can't really be expected to explain all of these kind of things. That is part of the fun of studying and learning photography. Old timers used to have to do it with a shutter release cable that locked down to keep the shutter open. Fortunately for us we have Alex. Here's a good site on bulbing, with some great photos etc..
http://bulbphotography.com/
Cheers.