Camera Compatibility
The Lightning Trigger is compatible with many commercially available cameras. All that is required is an electronic shutter release, a flash shoe for mounting and a camera with a fast shutter lag time.

The chart below provides a guide for camera lag time compared to a typical lightning flash sequence. You don’t have to have the fastest camera to capture a lightning flash. Depending on the storm, lightning flashes can last for several hundred milliseconds and contain dozens of strokes each occuring approximately 40 milliseconds apart.

Typical Lightning Flash Sequence
Stepped Leader Followed by Subsequent Ground strokes,
from Lightning courtesy of Martin A. Uman
Camera Compatibility: Nikon, Canon, Leica, Bronica, Sigma, Mamiya ... Graphic Showing Shutter Lag Times

Camera   Shutter Lag Time Shutter Lag Time Modified
    (exposure preset (w/o exposure preset) Electronic
    or meter activated)   Release Cable
Sigma:        
SD9, SD10   58 ms -- CR11 / ***
         
Canon:        
EOS 30D   65 ms TBD RS80N3
EOS 5D   75 ms TBD RS80N3
EOS Digital Rebel XT   100 ms TBD RS60E3 / ***
EOS 1Ds Mk II   55 ms TBD RS80N3
EOS 1D Mk II   55 ms 230 ms RS80N3
EOS 20D   65 ms TBD RS80N3
EOS Digital Rebel   128 ms 240 ms RS60E3 / ***
EOS 1D   55 ms 315 ms RS80N3
EOS 1Ds   55 ms 220 ms RS80N3
EOS 10D   80 ms 180 ms RS80N3
EOS 1V/HS   55 ms 191 ms RS80N3
EOS 3   55 ms 191 ms RS80N3
EOS 1   55 ms 200 ms 60T3
EOS 1N RS   6*/55 ms 191 ms 60T3
EOS 1N   55 ms 191 ms 60T3
Elan II/IIe   92 ms 185 ms RS60E3 / ***
A2/A2E   105 ms 146 ms 60T3
T90   75 ms 218 ms 60T3
EOS RT w/GR20   8 ms * -- 60T3
EOS 620/630/650 w/GR20   110 ms 190 60T3
Elan 7/7e   100 ms 230 RS60E3 / ***
DCS-520   TBD TBD RS80N3
D30   TBD TBD RS80N3
D2000   85 ms 150 RS80N3
EOS D60   100 ms 240 ms RS80N3
EOS Rebel Series   ~144-150 ms ~200-230 ms RS60E3 / ***
         
Nikon:        
D200   50 ms TBD MC30/22
D70S   TBD TBD MC-DC1
F6   51 ms -- MC30/22
D70   not compatible not compatible Mech. n.comp.
F100   51 ms -- MC30/22
D1, D1X, D1H   58 ms -- MC30/22
D2H, D2X   37 ms -- MC30/22
D100 w/ MB100   ~60 ms -- MC30/22
F5   20-21**/40 ms -- MC30/22
F4s   28-29**/55 ms -- MC12A/B
F3 w/MD4   55 ms -- MC12A/B
N70   71-80 ms -- MC12A/B
N90/N90s   71-80 ms -- MC30/22
N2000/N2020   96 ms -- MC12A/B
N8008/N8008s   70 ms -- MC12A/B
FE2 w/MD12   100 ms -- MC12A/B
DCS-620   n/a -- MC30/22
N80   not compatible not compatible Mech. n.comp.
CoolPix Series   n/a n/a MCE-U1
         
Hasselblad:        
EL Series 500/553   10-15 ms -- FK30
503 CW/CXI w/winder CW   10-15 ms -- 44123 / ***
         
         
Bronica:        
GS-1   80-120 ms n/a ***
ETRS w/ MD E   n/a n/a ***
SQ-Am, SQ-Ai w/ MD SQi   n/a n/a ***
         
Leica:        
R8, R9 w/MW or MD   50-70 ms n/a Leica 8 Pin
         
Mamiya:        
Pro/TL/Sup   55-90 ms ** 55-90 ms 211-433
645 AF   250 ms 250 ms RE-401
RZ   90-120 ms ** 55-90 ms 211-433
         
Minolta****:        
DiMAGE A1, A2   TBD TBD RC1000L
DiMAGE 7, 7HI   TBD TBD RC1000L
Maxuum 7D   TBD TBD not compatible
DiMAGE A200   TBD TBD not compatible
600si/650si/700si/800si   55- 65 ms 55- 65 ms RC1000L
7xi,8xi,9xi   55- 65 ms 55- 65 ms RC1000L
Maxxum 7   TBD TBD RC1000L
Maxxum 9   55- 65 ms 55- 65 ms RC1000L
X700   80 ms 160-180 ms RC L
X370s   40 ms 80 ms RC L
500si   n/a n/a RC1000L
         
Fuji:        
GX 617 II*****   <10 ms -- ***
GX 680-III   TBD -- Release 3
S3 Pro   TBD -- MC30/22
S20 Pro   n/a n/a Fab USB
         
Pentax:        
*ist D, *ist DS   n/a n/a CS 205
*ist   n/a n/a CS 205
MZ-S   n/a n/a CS 105
645N II   n/a n/a CS 105
PZ-1/PZ-1P *** ***   60-80 ms n/a Cable Switch F
ZX-5N   n/a n/a Cable Switch F
ZX-7   n/a n/a Cable Switch F
ZX-30/50   n/a n/a Cable Switch F
         
Olympus:        
EVOLT E-300   TBD n/a RM-CB1
E-1   TBD n/a RM-CB1
E-20   60 ms n/a RM-CB1
E-10   TBD TBD RM-CB1

What if you don't see your camera listed? If the camera has been recently introduced, the information may not yet be available. Also, the Lightning Trigger requires a camera that utilizes an electronic release connection. This is necessary in order to activate the camera metering system and release the shutter to minimize the camera's inherent lag time. On older cameras, the mechanical plunger style release was used. However, with newer cameras manufacturers may choose to use the old mechanical plunger style to reduce cost or may not provide a release connection at all. Most all of the newer cameras do use an electrical switch that is actuated when you depress the shutter button.

What if your camera has an electronic shutter release connection, but it is still not listed? The shutter lag time of the camera is the second technical consideration when photographing lightning. The shutter lag time of a camera is the inherent period between when the shutter is told to fire and when the shutter is actually released. Some camera manufacturers have published shutter lag times while others consider the information proprietary. In cases where the shutter lag time is not published, suitablilty for use with the Lightning Trigger simply can not be recommended.

What if your camera is listed in the table, but it has a long shutter lag time? The longer the camera's shutter lag time, the more lightning flashes that will be missed. Sixty milliseconds or less shutter lag time is ideal. A general rule to consider would be that a camera with shutter lag time of 120 ms or less will produce good results on photogenic lightning flashes, that is to say flashes with a duration adequate to yield a good image. Short duration lightning flashes of less than sixty milliseconds or so tend not to be very photogenic. Each thunderstorm is different and quality of the lightning flashes will vary.

1 -Exposure preset by manual settings or by meter activation, i.e. shutter speed priority mode. Auto focus switched to manual. The Lightning Trigger automatically activates the metering system of many 35 mm SLR cameras enabling the fastest shutter lag time!
2 - Without exposure preset: Exposure is set as shutter button is fully depressed without prior activation of meter. Adds considerably to shutter lag time.

* With camera set to RS or RT modes.
** Using Mirror Pre-release
*** Cable with sub-min/miniature connector available for use with these cameras
**** Minolta FS1100 standard flash shoe adapter recommended
***** Requires addition of jack for release of shutter solenoid
*** *** Use of a hot shoe adapter recommended to extend distance above shutter button.