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Operating tips and accessories for 645DF

B

baxter

New member
The 645DF/P45+ camera is arriving this week and I'm off to Cornwall for a week to put it through its paces shooting Coastal scenes and details. I know the area well, but this won't be the case with the new set-up. Will also have the 28mm and hopefully the 150D if it arrives from Denmark.

Web access is slow where I stay, so I am trying to pre-empt possible issues and hope to benefit from the considerable shared experience of forum members.

I've ordered the Phase L bracket, spare battery and necessary adaptor rings for my Lee filters.

I am concerned about vibration from the mirror and focal plane shutter after someone said this might be an issue. Originally I was intending to try mirror up mode possibly with self timer and trying standard cable releases from my LF kit. Should I be spending more of the money I don't have on the electronic cable release? Is there anything else I should be considering please?

I use a Pentax digital spotmeter normally, so I can ease myself into understanding the inbuilt metering. It will feel weird not having to use Velvia reciprocity adjustments!

It is a long time since I used hyperfocal distances. Are the DoF scales on the lenses accurate? Is there a good iphone app which utilises accuracy sufficient for MF digital?

Also happy to listen to any hints tips about using the camera, primarily for landscapes, but also more general shooting which doesn't use flash!

Many thanks

Baxter
soon to be live new website
 
Jack

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hi Baxter and congrats on the new rig!

Shutter/mirror bounce on the DF body is hugely improved over previous offerings. Still, you will see evidence of some around 1/20th sec. So for best results I recommend using mirror up and a 4 - 6 sec delay for anything under 1/60th, and I use that combo regardless of shutter speed if I'm on the tripod anyway. I carry an electro release, but only rarely use it since MLU + delay is so convenient -- YMMV. Also, the shutter button on the DF body still carries the socket for a standard mechanical release -- no doubt you have one of those laying around -- so I'd suggest using one of them for this trip before deciding to spend on the electro release. Note that on the DF body, the self timer delay cancels on power off so you'll need to reset it each time you turn the camera on. Also note it takes one press on the shutter button for MLU then a second press to initiate the self-timer/exposure.

I find the internal meter very accurate and usually leave the camera in Av mode with multi-pattern metering selected. However, in difficult lighting, I prefer spot metering and manual exposure (easier for me to make direct adjustments after years of doing that with film than dialing in compensation), so will switch to manual exposure with spot metering -- I have my C1 custom user setting pre-set up for that combo so all it takes is a short spin on the mode dial to change to that combo.

DoF scales are about one to 1-1/2 stops too loose for a 6 micron sensor file IMO. Probably about right for 9 micron sensor, so call it about 1 stop off for your P45+ --- again, YMMV as criticality is a personal choice...

One iPhone app I like is Photo Calc, mainly for sunrise-sunset data. But they do have a decent DoF calc too. Unfortunately you cannot directly input a desired CoC, so you have to trick it by choosing the proper camera initially to get a format, then that format in turn changes the CoC used in the DoF calc. I use the Canon 5D setting for my P65+ files and find it pretty decent when I select the actual focal I am using on the DF, FWIW...
 
B

baxter

New member
Thanks Jack - that was really helpful. Bought photocalc, but not had a go with it yet. Nor am I likely to for a while....

I've had a pleasant surprise, the camera arrived this afternoon, with the 28 and 150 lenses. Thought it was going to be another couple of days and the 150 would be next week.

So I've got all these packets to wade through. Kid and sweet shop analogy runs true.

Feeling pessimistic about this evening's original plan to complete my accounts will run to schedule!!
 
Guy Mancuso

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Vibration effects on the DF with a 300mm lens was 1/40 and 1/40 with 1/30th being the worst case. This is far better than previous bodies. I did test this but at the moment can't find my post on it with samples
 
B

baxter

New member
Thanks for taking the trouble to let me know and find your original post Guy.

I'll be wary of 1/40s but my shorter lenses aren't nearly so demanding as the 300mm, so it's not a complete nightmare.

I see that there appears to be a hair on the GG screen which was exported FOC with the camera. Its reluctant to be blown away with a rocket air blower.

There must be a knack to removing lenses with the L bracket attached. It certainly seems a fiddle at the moment to my uninitiated fingers.
 
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