Lightning strikes over a mountain range at night.
Black control box with labeled buttons and indicators for motion horizon bolt hunter, including power, sensitivity, and interval settings.
Bolt Hunter logo with a lightning bolt symbol between the words and the slogan 'The future of lightning photography has arrived' underneath.
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Black control device labeled 'Bolt Hunter' with three sections for status, sensitivity, and interval, featuring power, camera, and lighting controls with green indicator lights.
Setting up Bolt Hunter rapidly and easily capturing lightning shots

Meet Bolt Hunter

The lightning camera trigger designed by storm chasers, for storm chasers. This isn’t just another trigger. It's intelligent, grounded in science, and for the first time ever: predictive.

This project started with a single goal: to build a trigger that doesn't miss.
But we didn't stop there. We added weather sealing, smarter detection, predictive timing, simultaneous triggering and timelapse, a brand new night-mode, wireless control, connection monitoring, and so much more. 

Close-up of a hand holding a compact black device with labeled controls and LED indicators, branded 'Bounce Hunter' by Motion Horizons, for controlling lighting or camera equipment.

Bolt Hunter is the ultimate companion for weather photographers.

Not just a better trigger

Diagram of a motion-activated camera trigger with labeled features including USB-C charging port, weather-sealed body, auto-tightening cold shoe mount, tactile buttons, built-in intervalometer, and a handheld remote control labeled Bolt Hunter.
A camera mounted on a tripod or stabilizer, set up on the side of a road with a landscape of hills and sky in the background.

Optimized sensor
for lightning

Featuring adjustable sensitivity and automatic ambient light compensation.

Open grassy plain with rolling hills under a cloudy, stormy sky.

Simultaneous Lightning + Timelapse

Triggers on bolts in between timelapse exposures, and auto-adjusts intervals.

Camera set up on a tripod capturing a sunset over rugged mountains and a canyon.

Triggers even in direct sunlight

Because sunset bolts are EPIC.

A person holds a smartphone displaying the Bolt Hunter app with camera settings, while a camera mounted on a tripod is connected and active in a dimly lit room with blue and red lighting.

Optional Mobile App for Advanced Control

Change settings, see stats, and receive notifications from the safety of a vehicle or building.

Comparison of camera accessories and features. The left side shows a universal compatible camera cable with a 2.5mm shutter release cable, and the right side highlights predictive algorithms that analyze lightning, shutter lag, and trigger timing in real-time.
Night Mode icon with a moon and stars, and Rapid Deployment icon with a finger pressing a button, alongside descriptive text explaining their functions.
Infographic showing features of a device, with icons of a smartphone with a Wi-Fi signal and a bell, and text highlighting "Optional Mobile App with Bluetooth" and "Audible Feedback".
Comparison between a low-profile, auto-tensioning cold shoe mount with an integrated spring designed for reverse cage shoes and a weathersealed, rugged enclosure that is rain-resistant, compact, and built for all conditions.
Graphic showing camera status detection and real-time firmware updates with icons of a camera and a cloud with Wi-Fi signal.
Graphic showing a battery icon with text indicating 48+ hour battery life, built-in lithium battery, USB-C charging, time-left meter, and smart power-off. Next to it, a camera on a tripod with text about movement detection and alert features, including optional notifications and alerts when the camera is moved or blows over.

Compatibility

Bolt Hunter works with almost every camera on the market. Check your model here.

Built for Every
Storm Photographer

From beginners to seasoned chasers, Bolt Hunter makes lightning photography simple.

Behind the Tech

A look at the engineering that makes Bolt Hunter unique.

Animation of a desert landscape with mountains in the background, with the text '100% Playback Speed' displayed at the top.

During R&D, we collected and analyzed thousands of lightning events, and the data revealed three key things that make or break a photo:


  1. Early detection of the faint intracloud flashes that happen before a strike

  2. Each camera’s unique shutter lag

  3. The right shutter speed to match the storm

We learned that most triggers miss because they only react. Lightning happens faster than any camera can respond.

Shutter lag doesn’t stand a chance

Bolt Hunter actually measures your camera’s unique shutter lag and combines it with a predictive algorithm to anticipate the next return stroke.

It fires at the optimal moment, even during faster shutter speeds, significantly improving success rates.

Six graphs displayed in a grid, each showing different data trends with peaks and valleys, colored in blue, black, green, purple, and other shades, on a white background.
A mathematical formula calculating trigger time, involving terms for delay time, rise time, and temperature differences.

Lightning photography is just a math problem.

Bolt Hunter solves it for you.

Chasers across the country have already captured some incredible lightning shots using pre-production units. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and consistent:

Bolt Hunter is the “most reliable” trigger they’ve ever used.

Field-Tested.
Chaser-Approved.

A man smiling with arms raised making peace signs standing on a desert road with a dust storm and sparse desert vegetation in the background.

“It’s better than anything I’ve used before. I wouldn’t want to shoot with anything else.”
- JOHN SIRLIN

Storm photography tour guide and veteran storm chaser with over 30 years of experience.

A lightning bolt strikes over a dark, stormy sky with rugged terrain below.
A lightning strike during a storm over a flat landscape with green fields and dark, swirling storm clouds.
Lightning strikes during a storm over desert landscape with cacti and bushes at sunset
A person standing outdoors on rocky terrain with snow-capped mountains in the background, wearing a brown beanie, sunglasses, and a long-sleeve shirt.

“My capture rate is absolutely insane with Bolt Hunter... like what is even happening.”
- CONNOR HEALEY

Veteran storm chaser, and 1st place winner in Siena International Photo Awards’ “The beauty of nature”

Connor Healey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Connor Healey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Connor Healey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Lori Grace Bailey Bolt Hunter Testimonial

“Bolt Hunter instantly became my go-to for its rock solid performance and durability.”
- LORI GRACE BAILEY

Professional photographer, lightning strike survivor, and monsoon photography workshop host.

Lori Grace Bailey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Lori Grace Bailey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Lori Grace Bailey Bolt Hunter Testimonial
rob gallucci photographer

“This changes everything. Bolt Hunter outperforms every other trigger I’ve used.”
- ROB GALLUCCI

Internationally recognized & award-winning photographer and monsoon photography tour guide.

Rob Gallucci Bolt Hunter Testimonial
Lightning strikes over a mountain range during a thunderstorm at dusk.
Rob Gallucci Bolt Hunter Testimonial
A person stands on a hill with arms raised in front of a stormy sky, accompanied by a tripod and camera, with rain visible in the distance.

“This is a game changer… Bolt Hunter is the best trigger I’ve ever used by far, and it’s not even close.”
- JIM TANG

Professional storm chaser and landscape photographer

A lightning storm over a modern bridge with blue lighting, above a highway at night.
Lightning strike hitting a mountain in a desert landscape at night with dark clouds
Bright lightning strikes over the Grand Canyon during a thunderstorm at night.

Shot with Bolt Hunter

Photos captured using Bolt Hunter test units the 2023–2025 storm season.

Lightning storm over a rugged, arid landscape at sunset with dark clouds overhead.
Lightning storm over a highway with a blue sculpture and streetlights
Thunderstorm over a flat desert landscape with a large mountain and lightning in the distance at night.
Lightning strikes over mountainous landscape during a thunderstorm.
Lightning striking a mountain at night.
Lightning striking over a mountain range with green desert vegetation in the foreground.
Lightning storm over the Grand Canyon with dark clouds and sunlight breaking through.
A lightning bolt strikes in the mountainous terrain on a cloudy day.
Lightning strikes in a dark sky over open grassy plains with scattered bushes and trees, with mountains in the background.
Lightning strikes in a cloudy sky over a green hilly landscape during a thunderstorm.
Lightning bolt strikes over a mountain range during a thunderstorm, with dark clouds and a grassy plain in the foreground.
A road going through an open landscape with multiple lightning strikes in a dark, stormy sky.
Lightning bolts striking the ground in a dark, cloudy sky over a barren landscape.

Our Guarantee

Try it for 60 days. If Bolt Hunter isn’t the best trigger you’ve ever used, we’ll refund you.

Bolt Hunter

Lightning Camera Trigger

Price tag showing $279 for a super early bird ticket, with a crossed-out original price of $349, indicating limited supply.

Bolt Hunter launches on Kickstarter soon! Early backers get the deepest discounts and limited early-bird pricing.

Choose your camera model and enter your email to get exclusive updates and a launch-day alert.

[[OPTIONS-HERE]]

After signup, we’ll take you to the Kickstarter pre-launch page.

A man standing on a rocky ledge overlooking a canyon with waterfalls and trees, holding a camera in his right hand, wearing sunglasses, a dark t-shirt, and dark pants.

About Us

We are a team of innovators, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of photography and storm chasing technology.

If you’d like to get in touch, shoot us an email at info@bolthunter.io, or call or text us at (916) 469-5035‬.

FAQ

Answers to the common questions we’ve been asked.

  • If you have a 2.5mm TRS Y-splitter, it should work. However, we don't sell them since Bolt Hunter is designed to work with a single camera by measuring its specific shutter lag and predictively timing the exposure. Shutter lag can vary by camera - even of the same model, so your mileage may vary. That being said, if you're set on using one trigger for multiple cameras, you can disable the predictive timing feature.

  • Every trigger is going to miss some shots - even Bolt Hunter. If there's no intra-cloud flash preceding the stepped leaders, and the bolt has a single return stroke, there isn't a trigger in the world that can catch it - despite what they claim. There are some other scenarios where you might miss the shot as well, but they're more a matter of luck versus trigger tech. For example, if another exposure has just ended, all cameras have a lockout period before they can re-trigger. Even though Bolt Hunter has buffered triggering to overcome this, every now and then a pesky bolt will fall through the cracks.

  • Using USB or Bluetooth to connect to your camera is possible, but will always be slower to trigger than the traditional shutter cable. It would be unlikely to work for lightning. That being said, we are exploring dual connection methods where your camera's settings could be controlled via Bluetooth or USB and triggered using the conventional shutter cable. Stay tuned for updates on this!

  • We have tons of pretty cool ideas, and some will be easier to implement than others. In addition to USB-C or Bluetooth camera control, one of these is Dynamic Exposure Control. This would allow bulb-ramping when shooting timelapse with Bolt Hunter, so you get smooth daytime-to-sunset transitions all while triggering on lightning as a storm rolls through. 

    There is one other pretty exciting idea we would mention. Have you ever been shocked by your tripod when shooting lightning? It's more common (and dangerous) than you might think and has happened to us quite a few times over the years. We've done some testing with a Tesla Coil to simulate the electric field that causes this, and we actually think Bolt Hunter can detect when a close-range lightning strike is imminent, and even notify you to take cover immediately. Theoretical at this point...but we are going to test it out this year and see if it works! Any safety features we could add would be a priority.