Long lenses, slow shutter speeds and tripods

[Dikdik]

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Here's the situation. I've got the 280/4 Apo, and the 2X Apo converter, which would give a 560/8 combination. I'm inside a cathedral, wishing to photograph a detail high in the roof requiring this combination. I've got a good quality tripod (Manfrotto 055MF4 + junior gear head).

 

My question is, at these extended focal lengths, will an exposure of seconds inevitably lead to camera-shake related unsharpness, even when using a tripod?

 

 

Hello Masjah,

that's an interesting problem. You have to fight against very, very small vibrations.

First of all, sorry, but your equipment is a little bit small for that big lens. Your tripod is calculated to a load capacity of 7 kilograms. The lens, the extender, the gear head, the camera, batteries, perhaps a filter, all that I have calculated to about 4 kilos. The maximum height of your tripod is 165 cm. So, you have to erase all possible vibrations extremely carefully .

 

Allright, let's start!

 

1. Place under each leg of your tripod a piece of 2 or 3 mm thick leather about 10 cm in diameter. You have to prevent for vibrations from the building itself caused by the surrounding traffic, by weather conditions outside the cathedral or by tourists inside. The ground of buildings very often vibrates. We are talking about a thousendth of a mm. No music of organs inside! No service inside! No walking people inside! You should be the only one in the church!

 

2. Place an another piece of leather between the tripod and the gear head; if possible.

 

3. between your lens (congratulation; it is a fantastic lens) and the gear head you should also place a piece of shock absorbing leather. I use for this purpose a simple piece of wash-leather.

 

4. place a 1 to 2 kilo beanbag on the top of your lens. Alternatively you can use a simple pail filled with water of the same weight under the column of the tripod.

 

5. Take care your system is despite all this funny material still stable. The lens must really be fixed on the gear head. (I do not guarantee for all !!!!!)

 

6. Use - very important - the mirror lock up release button. The extremely fast moving mirror inside our cameras is the most frequent source of lost sharpness in the pictures.

 

7. Use a cable release or the self timing shutter release after using the mirror lock up button. In some Leica R models you have to work thereafter in the m-mode.

 

8. Try different f stops (f at 11 produces more sharpness than f at 4), different exposure times and use films of low speed with smallest grain. Use 2 or 3 films. One photo will be ok.

 

9. Please, excuse my clumsy English.

 

I wish you good luck and perhaps, you will show us the results.

Best regards from Germany

dikdik

[masjah]

Wolfgang

 

Many thanks for your thoughtful response. I do already use the mirror lock-up and self-timer, and I have used different f stops. The main things you suggest which I sitll have to try are lossy materials at critical interfaces (for example, leather, as you suggest) and extra mass added to the system to lower the frequency and amplitude of any induced vibrations. I'll let people know how I get on, and post any decent results. Your English is very good!