[LRflex] Shake rattle and Christmas cheer.

From: "KEITH LONGMORE" <keith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 11:37:36 -0000
Hi Folks
Couldn?t help commenting about shake, after reading the debate.

I have an R-E and an R-3; I also have a large collection of other cameras.
I think there are three keys to minimizing shake:

1 ? a heavy camera

2 ? a smooth shutter release

3 - sobriety. (Couldn?t resist that one!!)

 

Neither the R-E nor the R-3 are lightweights; put the motor drive on the R-E
and it weighs a ton.  I also have a Canon EOS 600, which is also heavy.

 

I have taken many pictures with the Canon, using the 100-300 lens in macro
mode, for capturing animal shots, especially birds in our local zoo.  It is
rare that I have a problem with shake ? despite the camera informing me that
what I?m doing is unwise.  The thing is, the Canon has an electric
(magnetic) shutter release, which is quite light and fairly smooth.
However, its mirror goes with quite a jolt.  I always use shutter speed
priority when I use it.

 

Now, the R-E has a reasonably smooth shutter release, but I can?t hold it as
steady, no matter how hard I try.  I haven?t so far used a really long lens
with it ? 100 Macro Elmarit maximum ? but anything close up that I could do
on the Canon is very difficult to get sharp with the R-E.  Having said that,
I held exposures of about ¼ second on holiday in October with the wide-angle
(35) lens, and they are pretty sharp.

 

The R-3 (which unfortunately gave up the ghost again) is heavy, has a very
smooth shutter release, and importantly, the mirror doesn?t appear to jolt
the camera.  I haven?t been able to use that camera yet, but this comment is
based on ?feel? and dry shooting. My intention, if it ever gets to work
again, is to use it with my 500 mm Paragon, for wildlife shots (Norfolk is a
photographer?s dream for over-wintering migrant birds).

 

I still have the Pentax S1 that I bought as a teenager in 1963.  Now that
camera had a lovely shutter release, and I was able to hold exposures of up
to a second, and get sharp results, something I can rarely do with other
cameras.  The camera was neither heavy, and the mirror wasn?t the least
violent that I?ve used, but it was a joy to use. The shutter sticks now, and
it hasn?t been used for probably 20 years or more; this is prompting me to
service it!  There?s another thought about that camera: the lenses (M42)
were all very solid, no rattles or wobbly bits in the focusing mechanisms to
be disturbed by the mirror?s jolt.

 

There are a lot of influences on shake, and much depends on what ?fits? you
about the camera.  Too heavy, and you will waver, too light and you?ll
shake.  Rough shutter release, and nothing will make it sharp short of a
tripod and cable.  Clunky mirror, wear in the lens focusing mechanics, all
contribute.  For all that, the sharpest results I have ever had are with my
1952 Zorki 1C and my 1973 Kiev 4.  And I hope to do as well with the Leica
IIIbG that I have just bought??.using the Russian optics.

 

Well, don?t blame the camera for an excess of Christmas cheer, will you? :-)

Have a good one.

Keith


------
Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
    http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm
Archives are at:
    //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
[LRflex] Shake rattle and Christmas cheer.

Other related posts:
