MK Controls Lightning Bug, Instruction Manual

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Page 2: ...tting the shot MK Controls is not liable for any injuries or damage that may occur while using our products Being safe should always be your primary concern Lightning can be lethal Be sure to seek shelter if a storm is too close Please note MK Controls Inc is not liable for any damage or injury associated with the use of the Lightning Bug MK Controls Inc 1160 Stone Drive Harrison OH 45030 support ...

Page 3: ...nection 9 Operation 10 Additional Features 12 Photography Tips 14 Synchronizing An External Flash 15 Troubleshooting 16 Lightning Safety 18 Warranty 19 Company Information 21 Please note MK Controls Inc is not liable for any damage or injury associated with the use of the Lightning Bug Lightning Bug is a trademark of MK Controls Inc ...

Page 4: ...s a fast acting rise of light formed by a high temperature event The Lightning BugTM exclusive sensitivity adjustment circuitry allows the photographer to customize the unit s operation to any shooting situation This gives the photographer full control over when to take the picture If you only wanted to capture the brightest and closest lightning bolts you would decrease the sensitivity If you wan...

Page 5: ...are endless The button on the flash foot is used to test any flashes attached to the PC port To help you get the most out of your purchase please take a few minutes to read this manual If you still have questions about using your Lightning Bug feel free to email our technical support team at support mkcontrols com We ll be happy to assist For examples of the kinds of images that can be taken using...

Page 6: ...urrent configuration settings Bright yellow LED flashes when the unit detects an event within its field of view Allows synchronizing of an external flash unit for unique foreground fill shots Allows testing of your camera connection Retains user settings even with battery removed Power saving mode to prolong battery life Battery can be removed or replaced without removing the Lightning BugTM from ...

Page 7: ...t 2 10 53 34 mm Overall Length 4 25 107 95 mm Overall Width 2 60 66 04 mm Weight without battery 2 96 oz 83 9 g Weight with battery 4 48 oz 127 0 g Camera connector port 2 5mm Stereo Battery Standard 9 Volt Please contact MK Controls Technical Support for more information if you intend to make your own cables MK Controls recommends either an Alkaline or General Purpose battery Rechargeable Lithium...

Page 8: ...ible click To remove the battery reverse the process Please note MK Controls does not recommend leaving the battery in place during long storage periods There is a slight current draw whenever the battery is installed and after a period of months the battery may no longer have sufficient operating power if left in the Lightning BugTM during long term storage In addition batteries can on occasion l...

Page 9: ...lease make sure it is fully seated for proper operation The camera connector is specific for the model camera you re using please follow manufacturer s recommendations for insertion of this connector When the Lightning Bug is powered on it will automatically activate your camera s meter on cameras that support this feature Turning the unit off automatically will release the meter There is also a f...

Page 10: ...vity Increase Sensitivity On Off Press and hold this button for approximately 2 seconds to turn the Lightning Bug on or off When the unit is first turned on it will execute a Power On Self Test POST which will light up all of the LED s and perform an internal function verification If during the POST you notice that any LED s fail to illuminate please contact MK Controls Technical Support for troub...

Page 11: ...or more details Displayed Information The orange LED display reflects the current sensitivity level or when in FPS adjust mode the frames per second see Table 1 LED Bar graph Display When adjusting the sensitivity all the LED s to the leftmost side will illuminate to allow easier visualization of the setting Within approximately 1 second of no further adjustments the display will return to the nor...

Page 12: ...s are detected within approximately 3 seconds the FPS setting is stored and the unit returns to the normal operating mode the yellow detection light will cease to flash Adjust Active Inactive Meter Mode By default the Lightning Bug will activate your camera s meter anytime the unit is powered on This functions on most cameras as if the shutter was held down halfway This greatly reduces the lag bet...

Page 13: ...Off the leftmost orange LED below the sign will be illuminated When the automatic meter control is Off the meter will remain OFF until the shutter trips When the automatic meter control is On factory default the meter will remain ON whenever the Lightning Bug is powered on and will be turned OFF when the unit is powered off Verify Shutter Trip You can verify that the unit is properly tripping your...

Page 14: ...on This will allow the Lightning Bug to drive the camera quickly in case of repeated lightning strikes In the right conditions with a fast camera you can capture up to 10 lightning strikes per second For day time use 1 Set the camera to Aperture Priority A mode The camera will calculate the proper shutter speed Set your aperture using the chart below 2 You can increase or decrease the sensitivity ...

Page 15: ...nchronized with your shutter trip This can be used for unique foreground fill effects by lighting up rocks flowers plants etc in the foreground This gives a more pleasing effect preventing the foreground from becoming too dark to see Using a standard PC cable available from your local camera store attach your external flash device to the PC connector on the Lightning Bug hot shoe adaptor For examp...

Page 16: ...g all around me but I m not getting any pictures Try pressing the LEFT and RIGHT buttons simultaneously with the unit powered on and connected to your camera If your camera takes a picture once per second the Lightning Bug is communicating with your camera Try a fresh 9V battery 5 My camera takes a picture when I press the LEFT and RIGHT buttons but I m still not getting any shots of lightning Wat...

Page 17: ...e of glass most modern glass windows in cars and homes block infra red light which the Lightning Bug needs to see in order to function 8 My camera keeps tripping the shutter whenever the Lightning Bug is attached to it Decrease the sensitivity of the Lightning Bug by pressing the LEFT arrow 9 I can t see my pictures on the camera back immediately after a shot is taken Change the meter mode functio...

Page 18: ... occur while using our products Being safe should always be your primary concern MK Controls Inc recommends that you follow all lightning safety tips that can be found at http www lightningsafety noaa gov http www lightningsafety com http www ready gov thunderstorms lightning Please note MK Controls Inc is not liable for any damage or injury associated with the use of the Lightning Bug ...

Page 19: ...t is caused by abuse misuse or an act of God such as a flood is not covered Battery leakage is also not covered Consequential and incidental damages are not recoverable under this warranty Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you If something goes wrong with your product please send it alon...

Page 20: ...nclude a story of how the damage occurred We reserve the right to use these stories on our website Your name will not be revealed We must be able to indentify that the pieces were indeed our product the internal circuit board must be identifiable for us to replace the unit under our replacement policy Your damaged unit will not be returned Why do we offer a no fault replacement policy We want you ...

Page 21: ...ls is based in Harrison OH and has manufacturing facilities located in Nashville GA Sales Inquiries sales mkcontrols com Technical Support support mkcontrols com Corporate Headquarters MK Controls Inc 1160 Stone Drive Harrison OH 45030 Manufacturing Headquarters MK Controls Inc 419 S Davis St Nashville GA 31639 Internet http www mkcontrols com ...