BradleyGibson
New member
In another thread I began discussing vibration and the Contax 645.
I've found that when shooting the 350/4, the Contax' shutter causes enough vibration to render the resulting image critically unsharp.
I've isolated the problem to shutter induced because I'm using mirror-lockup, which also stops down the lens and I'm using a remote electronic release. The system doesn't have any other moving parts. Technique-wise, I wait 6-10s after mirror up to fire, to ensure residual vibrations are damped. All controls on support, heads (if present) and collar are tight.
I have tried shooting both indoor and outdoor (in my home, a parking lot as well as in a large commercial building.) To completely eliminate the ground as a variable, I also shot on a vibration isolating Edmund Optics pneumatic table (isolates the shooting surface from building vibration) just to see if there was surprise variable involved here. No indications that the vibrations were coming from outside the camera/support system.
Next, I shot a number different tripods (my own 8-year-old Manfrotto carbon-fiber tripod, a giant Gitzo 5561SGT and a more practical Gitzo 2540. To eliminate variables, the lens' foot was screwed directly and tightly to the support. Shockingly (well, to me, anyway), using the above-mentioned technique, all the tripods gave roughly the same results, which showed significant vibration (resolving tree bark at ~60ft.)
When adding in my Acratech GV2 and leveling base I did find that the head did not change the performance, but the leveling base definitely worsened it. So my Acratech leveling base is now benched.
I tried sandbag weight on the camera itself, as well as strapped my 25+ backpack to the legs, the lens and the camera itself.
I was able to get good results OFTEN with the bag weighting the tripod (but not consistently), and not really much improvement with either the weights or my bag hanging from the lens or camera.
I have more testing to do to get consistent results, but that's where I'm at so far.
Any thoughts or input welcome. I'll post a 100% crop or two later today so you can all see what I'm talking about.
Best regards,
-Brad
I've found that when shooting the 350/4, the Contax' shutter causes enough vibration to render the resulting image critically unsharp.
I've isolated the problem to shutter induced because I'm using mirror-lockup, which also stops down the lens and I'm using a remote electronic release. The system doesn't have any other moving parts. Technique-wise, I wait 6-10s after mirror up to fire, to ensure residual vibrations are damped. All controls on support, heads (if present) and collar are tight.
I have tried shooting both indoor and outdoor (in my home, a parking lot as well as in a large commercial building.) To completely eliminate the ground as a variable, I also shot on a vibration isolating Edmund Optics pneumatic table (isolates the shooting surface from building vibration) just to see if there was surprise variable involved here. No indications that the vibrations were coming from outside the camera/support system.
Next, I shot a number different tripods (my own 8-year-old Manfrotto carbon-fiber tripod, a giant Gitzo 5561SGT and a more practical Gitzo 2540. To eliminate variables, the lens' foot was screwed directly and tightly to the support. Shockingly (well, to me, anyway), using the above-mentioned technique, all the tripods gave roughly the same results, which showed significant vibration (resolving tree bark at ~60ft.)
When adding in my Acratech GV2 and leveling base I did find that the head did not change the performance, but the leveling base definitely worsened it. So my Acratech leveling base is now benched.
I tried sandbag weight on the camera itself, as well as strapped my 25+ backpack to the legs, the lens and the camera itself.
I was able to get good results OFTEN with the bag weighting the tripod (but not consistently), and not really much improvement with either the weights or my bag hanging from the lens or camera.
I have more testing to do to get consistent results, but that's where I'm at so far.
Any thoughts or input welcome. I'll post a 100% crop or two later today so you can all see what I'm talking about.
Best regards,
-Brad