User's Manual

28 Promote Control 3.15 User Manual Rev 23

NOTE: You may optionally enable a Setup setting called "Keep bulb ramp length on start time

change". With this setting enabled, changing bulb ramping start delay will simultaneously and change

bulb end delay and sequence delay, keeping the total bramp and sequence duration the same. This

may be useful if you want to memorize a currently set ramping duration and simply change the

moment when the ramping starts.

12. Enter the "End" exposure using "End" setting. If you pre-metered the end exposure as described

above, enter that exposure time here.

13. Use the next setting to set a delay to end the exposure ramping period. Most sunsets/sunrises take

about 30 minutes, so this delay should be "Begin Ramp" delay + 30 minutes.

14. Finally, specify when to end the complete sequence. For best results you may want to use "Begin

Ramp" delay + 2-3 hours here.

As you change the values, Promote Control calculates and displays how many total images will be taken.

Make sure your memory card can fit that many images before you proceed.

In many circumstances your start exposure will be shorter than what Promote Control allows you to

choose. For example, you set your aperture to F/8 with ISO 100, and your camera says you need to use

exposure of 1/100 second. However, Promote Control will only allow going as short as 1/20 second (this

may vary depending on camera model). This case would require installing and keeping ND filters in front

of your camera lens to make exposures longer than 1/20 second, or enabling Advanced Bulb Ramping.

The Advanced Bulb Ramping mode, available exclusively with the Promote Control, allows for automatic

ISO changes, as well as dynamic ND filter calculations and usage. See Advanced Bulb Ramping

section for more details.

Pre-Flight Checklist

Once everything is setup, go through the following steps before you begin:

1. Make sure your camera ISO is not set to "Auto". Doing so may interfere with bulb ramping.

2. Set camera exposure mode to Bulb.

3. Disable automatic focusing on your camera.

4. If your camera is set at an angle, and your lens is prone to unexpected zoom/focus changes due to

gravity, for example of Canon EOS 28-135 USM lens, you may want to use scotch tape to fix the

zoom/focus rings. On ultrasonic lenses focus setting will not move, but zoom setting may change.

5. If your memory card allows, set your camera to RAW image format. This will make post-processing

much easier. If you find yourself changing image quality setting at this time, re-check that your

camera can still fit the planned number of images as pre-calculated by the Promote Control.

6. If you plan on using ND filters in Advanced Bulb Ramping , and your ND filters require a holder