This is a guide covering bulb mode in photography.
Have you ever wanted to capture stunning low-light photographs but struggled to get the right exposure?
If so, you may want to explore the world of Bulb Mode photography. Bulb Mode is a powerful feature found on many cameras that allows photographers to take long exposures, capturing incredible details and light that is not visible to the naked eye.
In this article, we will dive into the world of Bulb Mode photography, explaining what it is, how it works, and how to use it to capture stunning images.
With that being said, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is Bulb Mode?
The bulb mode is a shutter speed option accessible in manual mode on your camera. The bulb mode allows your shutter speed to be as long as you want, one minute, five minutes, 15 minutes, it’s your choice! The bulb mode keeps the shutter of the camera open as long as you hold the shutter release.
Each camera has a limit to how long it can use the bulb exposure, the biggest factor is battery life. One of the longest bulb timers can last for 99 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
Many photographers that use bulb mode will have an external shutter release button or use the timer feature. They will also use their tripods to decrease motion blur as much as possible.
What Does Bulb Mode Do?
Previously, in our shutter speed article, I explained how your shutter speed will affect your photo.
To easily recap, you need a fast shutter speed to capture fast-moving objects. A slower shutter speed can be used to shoot slow and stationary objects.
Shutter speed helps increase/decrease your exposure. The faster your shutter speed, the darker the image becomes. Longer exposures help you take in more light, making photography in low-light conditions a breeze.
Bulb mode allows you to use a longer shutter speed, which helps you take sharp photos in low-light conditions.
It also helps you explore long-exposure photography. Long-exposure photography combines shooting stunning stationary objects complimented with trails of moving elements.
When Should You Use Bulb Mode?
Bulb/time mode is best used for long-exposure photography.
Although it can still be used for a faster shutter speed, it won’t be as effective and you’ll be better off by selecting your desired shutter speed.
You should only use bulb mode when you are in low-light conditions with your subject. You should also make sure that your subject/object isn’t moving too much. Moving too much will make them appear blurry and “disappear” in the final image.
Have you seen images that have funky light trails or trails of light made by fireworks around them? Well, they are using long shutter speeds to get that effect. Such as the image we showed above.
Why is it Called Bulb Mode?
The name bulb mode came from the time when people used to shoot using box cameras, view cameras, and folding cameras (in the 1800s).
Those devices came with a detachable pneumatic pump/shutter release equipped with a rubber bulb on the end. The word “bulb” refers to the rubber bulb part.
If you search for images of those box/view/folding cameras, you’ll know what I mean.
The part that looks like it’s made from rubber and squishy, yeah that’s the bulb. Pressing the pump will hold the shutter open and only close it after you release it.
Now that technology has improved, for some reason, they decided to limit the shutter to 30/60 seconds max.
It is only after going through the specified time that it is called bulb mode, maybe because it resembles how the bulb is actually used.
Press, hold and release it, that’s basically bulb mode.
Unfortunately, releasing the shutter button does risk shaking the camera. The shaking will probably give your image a slight blur, ruining all your time and effort poured into that photo.
You can use a wire cable shutter release, the wireless version, or even an intervalometer.
More information on how to use each of these is below.
Bulb vs. Time Exposure Mode
With bulb mode explained, I guess it’s time to talk about its competitor, Time Exposure Mode.
You can call it bulb mode, but it’s better.
The feature is not available in most cameras, but some models, such as the Nikon D5600, have it. It comes in handy, yet not every camera has it for some reason. But hey, maybe they just didn’t need it, considering that there are remote-release shutters.
Time exposure mode allows the user to simply press the shutter button to start and press it again to end it.
That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. It has all the benefits that the bulb mode has without the drawbacks, but this shouldn’t be a problem anymore if you already have a remote shutter release.
You can access this mode the same way you accessed bulb mode. Shift that shutter speed beyond thirty seconds and search for the time exposure mode labeled with a “T.”
How to Use Bulb Mode?
To access bulb mode, just set your camera to manual mode and shift to the longest shutter speed. After you go past the 30-second mark, the “B” symbol should appear.
Voila, you have now entered bulb mode.
In general, your DSLR and Mirrorless camera might have bulb mode, which is indicated by its “B” symbol.
Maybe you’ve tried and used it for a little bit but find it rather confusing. The bulb modes’ exposure is based on how long you hold the button.
If you just press the shutter release button as you normally would, you’ll probably get ½ a second of exposure or even less.
Professional photographers will rarely use the bulb mode if they aren’t planning to use it for exposures longer than 30 seconds.
While using bulb mode, you will also need to worry about the camera shaking.
Holding down the button while hand-holding the camera for an extended period of time is tiresome. It’s next to impossible to keep it still for more than 30 seconds, so professionals bring their tripods and remote shutter release with them.
Almost every popular camera will have a compatible remote shutter release. Both Nikon and Canon cameras have their own wireless remote control; a quick search on the online market will reveal all of this info.
If you own a different model, just type your camera model followed by “remote release” and voila.
Bulb mode is normally used in the following way:
1. Remote/untethered Shutter Release
- Turn on your camera
- Press the drive button located on the camera body
- Press down on the multi-selector and choose a remote commander.
- Then press the center part of the multi-selector
Always make sure that you’re pointing the remote control at the Infrared sensor at the front part of the camera to operate it.
This piece of equipment is considered a luxury since it offers flexibility and versatility at a price—well, expensiveness, although some are under 20 dollars. Also, bring extra batteries, just in case.
2. Cable/tethered Shutter Release
- After plugging it into your camera’s port, push the release down. This will lock it, leaving your shutter open.
- When the desired time has elapsed, simply release it.
The wired version is a much more affordable option for photographers.
Purchasing this version requires you to choose its range/length; we recommend choosing the longer ones.
Longer cables lessen the possibility of you shaking the camera.
Please note that there are remote and wired releases. Some may have other interesting features that you may not need if you just need them for bulb photography.
There are specifically made remote shutters that trigger automatically when lightning strikes, an animal passes by, and many more.
These specially made shutters will help you shoot scenes/phenomena that are hard to predict, don’t occur when you are present at the location, or have the potential to disturb the subject.
Different release models will also have their own mechanisms (automatic locking mechanisms, one press to start, another to end, etc.).
Some cameras even allow you to trigger bulb mode from your smartphone.
If you have secured your remote release, you can easily capture superbly sharp photos using extra-long exposures.
Can You Use Bulb Mode in Daylight?
The bulb mode is at its peak functionality when used in situations with little to no ambient lighting. Ambient lights are the lights that the photographer didn’t add or are simply natural existing lights.
Shooting using bulb mode in daylight holds almost no value and functionality (unless you have extremely good ND filters). The best time to try using bulb mode is at night.
Dark locations where everything is dark and only lit by the moon or street lights. If you force yourself to shoot using bulb mode in daylight, prepare yourself to witness the brightest photo ever. Unless you have those god-tier ND filters that can block the ambient light.
To further expand on how to use bulb mode, check out this in-depth video by the Photo Genius and read the tips below:
Final Remarks
In this article, we explained the bulb mode definition and explained around bulb shutter speed. To recap this article:
- Bulb mode is a setting used for long-exposure photography. This mode allows you to have shutter speeds exceeding 30 seconds and up to as long as your battery can survive.
- Bulb mode can catch huge amounts of exposure since you can open the shutter for so long. It can also leave a trail of lights via the magic of slow shutter speeds, giving a sense of movement to a photo.
- I highly suggest using Bulb mode in low-light conditions. Using the mode in normal conditions will just result in a perfectly white image.
- The name “bulb mode” originated from the old camera rubber bulb attachment that was used to hold and close the shutters.
- Time mode is basically everything bulb mode has to offer without drawbacks.
- To use bulb mode, go to manual and crank the shutter speed to over 30 seconds. The Bulb/Time mode should appear. I also suggest using a tripod and a remote/wired shutter release to prevent shaking the camera.
- And yes, you can use the bulb mode in daylight. Although it may not have good applications, it’s a good way to flex your expensive ND filters.
Keep on practicing and trying new photography disciplines, long exposure photography, bulb mode, and experimenting with various shutter speeds will help you in your development. Practice and study diligently, your results will show soon after.
Have fun!
Why is it called bulb mode?
Bulb Mode is named after the old-style bulbs used in cameras to control the length of exposure. In this mode, the photographer manually controls the shutter speed by holding down the shutter button for as long as necessary to capture the desired amount of light, just like holding down a bulb to control the flow of electricity.
What is the difference between bulb and time mode?
Bulb Mode and Time Mode are two manual exposure settings found in many cameras. In Bulb Mode, the shutter remains open as long as the shutter button is held down, whereas in Time Mode, the shutter opens when the shutter button is pressed and then closes automatically after a pre-set amount of time.
How long does bulb mode last?
Bulb Mode can last as long as the photographer holds down the shutter button. This means that the exposure time can range from just a few seconds to several minutes or even hours, depending on the photographer’s preferences and the available light.
Nate Torres, with over seven years of professional photography experience, founded Imaginated, an educational platform designed to teach photography enthusiasts. Nate Torres is also a professional portrait and headshot photographer in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas. He specializes in portraits of individuals, couples, groups and headshots. Nate Torres is also a photography writer and content creator and educates other photographers on exposure, photography composition, photography editing, photography gear, and photography business. You can find his content on his personal website, social media, and YouTube Channel, as well as on blogs such as Fstoppers, Photofocus, and SLR Lounge.
