Can you make a sharp picture in 2 seconds?

[portocar]

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Is the 2 seconds self-timer enough for all vibrations to dissipate when the Leica M8 is placed on a gitzo carbon tripod or should the 12 seconds self-timer be used?

 

Also, is it necessary to use a shutter release cable or can I just press teh button and move away?

[jaapv]

Depends on ball head , focal length and shutterspeed as well. There was a tripod test in LFI about a year ago. Demoralizing, it made one long for a brick wall to put the camera on. But seriously, my gut feeling is that generally, pressing the shutter release and having it click after two secs should be fine.

[rwfreund]

From vibration graphs that I have seen in the past, for a well damped system (tripod plus ballhead plus camera plus lens) the answer is yes as long as you don't perturb that system very much in the pressing of the shutter release..

The problem is in finding a well damped system. Often with some of the carbon fiber tripods, using the hook to add a hanging weight improves the damping.

For a poorly damped system, even 12 seconds may not be enough.

I find, through use, that 2 seconds is enough.

-bob

[ho_co]

Nestor--

The LFI test that Jaap mentions found that the carbon fiber tripods it tested were less stable than either aluminum or wooden ones.

 

The only way to answer your question is for you to do it. Any system you use should be completely damped as Robert said, but that's not easy.

 

It's always a tradeoff. With a reasonably large tripod you should do fine with a 2 sec delay.

 

Although I always assume that the 2 sec delay is enough, nonetheless on my lightest-weight tripod I know that any light breeze may be enough to cause some vibration with some lenses.

 

But since you're asking, it might be a good idea to try several shots with cable release and several without, with and without self-timer, and with self-timer at both long and short delay settings.

 

Then the next time someone asks this question, you can answer with experience!

 

--HC