Opening Post has been updated to provide instructions and the latest code available.
I have only written this guide, all the hard work by g3g00 and mk1174!
I still have not take a single frame of a bolt!!
Thanks for all the professional testing and updates. Sounds like there is a future for the old bolt_rec and the new raw_rec or maybe mlv_rec whatever version g3g00 uses!
I will have to add my personal features to that version when it is updated though cause after shooting storms myself I gradually had ideas that could be of use and added them little by little to make it quicker and better for me to set up.
My favorite feature I added was Autoexposure option, not sure if it works on any other camera though, but works perfect on the 550D, this allows me to walk away and control my video cameras while the autoexposure feature adjusts the trigger line right above the graph by controlling the aperture value and I made it slow so it does not re adjust when a flash happens, only when the sky changes gradually during a storm. Without this feature you have to watch the trigger line the whole time, if you want a bolt captured your goal is to keep that trigger line right above the graph to catch even the weakest bolts and since you have to do this, you will have to keep adjusting the aperture manually to keep the graph under the trigger line. The only thing you have to remember, is I set it to react slow, so when you first set your cam up at the sky you have to give the feature a chance to settle the graph under the trigger line, once it does, then you can start recording.
If the sky has a dark cloud layer and a medium grey layer it is best to use 1 scan line because the module will see the dark clouds and will adjust brighter which is bad cause then sky will get over exposed, that is why I added ability to see scan lines so you know what the detection lines are aimed at, if you have a nice even gradient sky, and it fills your view then you can use all scan lines with no issues.
The way I have it set up now allows me to turn it on and walk away and when I come back I have many bolts to enjoy without even touching the cam. So when used correctly which will take practice in my experience, it works really well.
All these features are a must for me and hopefully I will be able to add them to the updated version when it comes out.
The timelapse is a neat feature I added to it, but not always used, I only use it when I get really cool textured skies that I know will be worth a timelapse, it just saves a frame by itself while it captures bolts, it basically just sets off a false detection every so many seconds. Post gets harder because you have to manually separate the timelapse captures from the bolt captures so you don't get uneven motioned timelapses.
Well, thanks again for your tests and posts, maybe more people will see the posts and make use of the good old bolt trigger!
