Jump to content

MLU necessary on the R8?


quixotic

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I did a test the other day with a roll of film.  Every odd numbered shot with no MLU, and every even numbered shot with MLU (same image for the two shots, therefore 18 different images on a roll of 36).  It was all on a tripod, so I could compare sharpness.  I didn't find any differences, though the longest shutter exposure was 1/6".  

 

Has anybody done any conclusive tests on this unit, particularly with longer shutter exposures?  

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello Everybody,

 

And, on a really solid tripod with a solid tripod head, after cocking the shutter & making all adjustments including focusing & stopping down the lens, was there at least 1 minute of waiting for everything to "settle down" before the shutter was GENTLY released? Longer than 1 minute if using a long lens or photographing something close up. Or both.

Best Regards,  

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Everybody,

 

And, on a really solid tripod with a solid tripod head, after cocking the shutter & making all adjustments including focusing & stopping down the lens, was there at least 1 minute of waiting for everything to "settle down" before the shutter was GENTLY released? Longer than 1 minute if using a long lens or photographing something close up. Or both.

 

Best Regards,  

 

Michael

 

Nope.  5 or 10 seconds maaaybe.  In the past, with other cameras, if there was any breeze, I'd tension a bungee cord from the head down to the ground, but that's usually with medium format.   

 

With the R8, at the exposure times I was using, I didn't see any difference between MLU and non-MLU anyway.

Link to post
Share on other sites

PS: Did you also use a cable release or the camera's own self-timer?

 

It was with a cable release, and the lens I had was a 35mm Curtagon.  

 

I did a bit more hunting around the internet after I posted, and someone mentioned that he/she never bothered with lock-up on the R8.  There was some speculation that it might have just been a selling feature, as opposed to a fix for an actual problem. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Vibrations (whether caused by pressing the shutter or by mirror vibrations) are much more troublesome with long focal length lenses. For tripod work I tend to use lock-up in conjunction with the self timer (or with a cable release if the very instant of shutter press is critical). I once took a picture of the central ceiling boss of York Minster, for which a sturdy tripod with legs unextended, mirror lock-up and the self timer were all essential. That used the 280/4 Apo R + 2X Apo Extender. I suspect that it is in extreme cases such as this that mirror lock-up is most useful. Paradoxically, some say that with very long exposures, say 10 seconds plus, lock-up starts getting less important again, because the fraction of the exposure that is subject to vibration is much less. Personally I play safe, and for tripod work, I tend to use lock-up and self-timer (or cable release) as a matter of course.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

As an aside, Hasselblad in their later models employed a system where the mirror as it swings up, also 'glides' back into a park position, rather than just thumping up. Maybe I didn't explain that very well, but my point is that is well accepted that mirror flop IS detrimental to image sharpness. Anything that can avoid it is good. Leica M has it well solved! :D

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Quixotic,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

A non-stretchable cord might give somewhat more stability when you use a cord to to add stability to a camera & lens on a tripod.

 

Also: Shorter focal length lenses need less stability than longer lenses. Even with that I can see the difference in sharpness in photographs between a properly stabilized Camera & lens on a tripod and a more casually stabilized camera & lens on a tripod when using a 35mm lens on an M3.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...