Lightning question

[Gox]

Hi,

I'm currently debating whether or not someone can see through their eyelids in the presence of a close lightning strike. I maintain that this has happened to me a few times when I've been in bed and lightning has been right over my house. I can see the room...things on my nightstand, the dresser, the curtains...whatever is in the direction I happen to be facing when it happens.

A fellow science-y type wants me to try and recreate the effect using the flash from my camera. I think it wont work with a camera flash since it isn't as bright.

So my questions for you light-loving folk...
1. What is the candlepower of a camera flash?
2. What is the candlepower of a lightning strike?
3. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

Thanks for any help you can give me. If you are interested in reading the original post it is here . Forgive our zany banter, we all know each other pretty well and frowny faces don't necessarily imply anger. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

M.

[Lynx_Arc]

I think if you put the flash close enough it should approximate a lightning bolt flash unless you were the recipient of an almost direct strike that would scare your bodily functions out of you. Lightning is bright but I haven't heard of people going optically blind from looking at it, although I have been known to be wrong. You may consider a higher power professional external flash though, some camera flashes are wimpy unless you all but glue em to your eyelid.

[Zelandeth]

Having had a lightning strike REALLY close (i.e. less than 10 feet away), I can assure you, I have never encountered an artificial light source that bright. Took at least half an hour for the afterimages of the car that was in front of me to fade totally.

Light is nothing though compared to the sound of lightning at that sort of range!

FlashCRACKOOOOOOMMMMMM! Cue me diving away from the sign I was walking past, running across the garage forecourt, diving into the office, and proceeding to pass out. An experience I do not want to repeat.

[Gox]

[ QUOTE ]
Zelandeth said:
Having had a lightning strike REALLY close (i.e. less than 10 feet away), I can assure you, I have never encountered an artificial light source that bright. Took at least half an hour for the afterimages of the car that was in front of me to fade totally.

Light is nothing though compared to the sound of lightning at that sort of range!

FlashCRACKOOOOOOMMMMMM! Cue me diving away from the sign I was walking past, running across the garage forecourt, diving into the office, and proceeding to pass out. An experience I do not want to repeat.

[/ QUOTE ]Were your eyes open or closed at the time of the strike?

[wwglen]

If it is a eal effect then a flash close to you wouldn't simulate it. The effect would be because the brughtness of the whole room and the items in in. NOT the brightness of the flash directally in your eyes.


wwglen

[ODatsBright]

I can go along with Zelandeth. I've not been that close, only about 50' from a strike to a tree. Lightening that close is insanely bright. Took about 15 minutes before the spot went away everytime I blinked.

Best option would very likely be a professional type flash unit.

[Zelandeth]

Well, giving an idea how bright it is. My camera hates low light situations, and has major contrast issues when it's dark. However, at three AM, lighting strikes still managed to light everything up so the camera saw it as shown in the following photos. The lighting bolt is the only light source there.

Range of that is roughly 75 feet. Note however, that you can see in the photo all the way to the horizon - all lit just as brightly. Which is a lot brighter than it looks there. That image is a freeze frame from my digicam on "Movie" mode. Just had it running all the way through the storm, got lucky in that it caught a couple of shots!

That's a LOT of light.



We live right on the top of a hill, hence storms are "interesting" at our house.