Pentax 67 shutter shake

Has anyone experienced any loss of sharpness in images due to shutter shake (not mirror) with the Pentax 67 at slow shutter speeds ie. below 1/30 sec.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Mark

Mark,

Suggest you visit:http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~jrf/pentax67.html for a very complete discussion of the shutter-induced vibration with a P67. It does occur under certain circumstances, but it is pretty easily controlled. Those of us who use the camera for landscape work routinely use shutter speeds from 1/30 down to 1/2 second, and need to control any vibration at all.

 

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If you don't have I-net access, send me an e-mail and I'll fax or mail you a copy of the information from that site.Hope this helps.

Bob

It has never happened to me and i am really sure it comes from your Pentax problem. Maybe this could be better if you bought a new camera.

I have just bought a Polaroid Fuji Fx 300 that gives me plenty satisfaction. Here is my advice: buy Fuji.

Hi Bob! That' s cool...

Have a good day.

Mark: In my ten years of using this camera I have noticed shutter induced vibration several times. I've noticed it when I'm traveling and working with a lighter tripod and 2-3x telephotos. My conclusion; if shutter shake is ruining your pictures, you are using a tripod that is too light. I now travel with a heavy Bogan and have not had any problems since. Steve

I used to own a Pentax 67 with lenses up to 300mm, and used it with a variety of tripods from light Gitzo's 200 series to heavy Bogens (3051 and 3058), and Ries J series. Using the finest grained slide films, and checking results with a 20x magnifier, I found a problem with shutter vibration at 1/15, 1/8, and 1/4 second. The camera was used with the mirror up and cable release and there was a significant problem with any tripod. But instead of a cable release, if you put your hands on the camera and press down steadily, and press the shutter release, the problem mostly goes away.

I would recommend never using 1/15: use 1/8, or 1/30 instead, using the press down method. If you're using 200mm or longer, use a very solid tripod as well, such as the Gitzo340, or any 400 or 500 series tripod, Bogen 3051, or Ries J series wood tripod. Also, the tripod head has to be sturdy: Bogen 3047, 3039, Canon Pro Ball, Arca Swiss Monoball, etc.

Say I'm having some of the same problems with long exposures. I lock-up my mirror and use a cable release on a Gitzo 320 with a Bogen micro adjusting head. I think I need a more stable head. I can get some movement of my camera on the head if I grip it with both and shake it some. Is this enough of a shake to cause problems? Can anyone recommend a good head? How are the Gitzo Ball Head like

the 1376?

 

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ken

I am not seeing a vibration problem with my Gitzo 340 (plate in use, not the column). This is with a Bogen 3057 head. In tests done a couple of years ago (not highly scientific but at the least, consistent) I found a B-1 ball head did not perform as well as the 3057. However, in actual photography, the B-1 did fine.

 

 

 

Dan, I'd be interested in hearing which head you were using because my tests were with a very satisfactory 320. However, I did not test with the 300mm and would be interested to know if that's the lens the 320 wouldn't handle.

 

 

 

Mike

Hi, found a solution to camera shake. This was causing me a great deal of softness in my overall image quality, this occurs below 1/30 second. I have a solid gitzo tripod and head. In shooting below 1/30th I put a small bean bag (about 1 pound) on top of the camera. This may sound crazy, but it works great.

 

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keng

I regularly use my Pentax with shutter speeds extremely slow. I was recently in Zion and went up to the Virgin River Narrows. I was using speeds of 30 sec to one minute. Slow film with the best light or dim light of the forest or canyons and slow speeds are unavoidable. I use a Gitzo 410 with a Foba Superball and when I fly I use a Bogen 3221 and Arca Swiss B1. I used the Bogen at Zion and had no problems. I was just at Redwood National Park and in the early morning I was using speeds of 45 sec to one minute with my Gitzo. Once again no problem. I have read that speeds around 1/8 are not good in any camera? maybe that is the problem? Lock the mirror and use good technique and the Penatax is great

A lot of good advice here. Even with mirror lock-up there is a tendency for camera vibration at shutter speeds of 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, and some on 1/2.

 

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To cure:

1- Use a solid tripod that is heavy enough. A Bogen 3021 is a minimum.

2- Use a good ball head. The shorter in height the better. Less leverage.

3- Avoid these shutter speeds.

4- Rest your hand on the camera. Make sure there is no play in the quick-release plate (a common problem). I use this method.

5- Dampen the camera vibration with a bean bag sounds like a good idea.

 

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Mostly, just be aware that the tendency is there!!!!! Then figure a way around it. I rarely take soft pictures . . .blown up to 16x.

 

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Steve

I have been a working professional landscape photographer for 20 years and had a Pentax 67 system for 5 years. We enlarge prints up to 40X60 so image quality is a big criteria. Indeed, the 67 has a problem with shutter vibration. It doesn't seem to matter if a heavier tripod is used. Placing a sandbag on a tripod head, then placing the camera on the bag will eliminate the problem. But who wants that hassle? I sold my system.

Sirs

 

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I've not had any experience with the Pentax 67 but I am wondering whether my comment could help: has anybody tried lining Sorbothane sheets on their QR plates. Sorbothane is a well-known material for dampening vibrations and may help in this instance. My only worry is that with Sorbothane between the camera body and the QR plate the screw may not seat itself deeply enough in the tripod mount.

 

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Sorbothane sheets may be purchased from any high-end audio hobby vendor such as the Audio Advisor but caveat emptor. Cheers...Rene

 

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P.S. In fact, one may attach a sheet of Sorbothane anywhere on the body (on the base, etc.) or to the film-loading door of the camera.

I have seen this a few times with my 67, usually

when shooting outdoor scenes in somewhat unstable

ground or soil, e.g., near streams or in desert-like

conditions. I recommend buying two or three 1-2 foot

bungee cords and using these to weight down your tripod

with your camera bag (if it's like mine, it is excessively

heavy and really anchors the whole system :-).

 

Wayne

 

Wayne

I found my 67s to be quite prone to shutter shakes. I use a heavy tripod with ball head and a lighter tripod for back packing. Not to repeat what has been said above about speeds to avoid with a lighter tripod, I would just add this: If a light touch on the end of the lens induces a move, then you should avoid speeds from 1/30 to 1/2 with this lens-tripod combination. When shooting with telephoto lenses such as the 400mm, If shooting at speeds from 1/60 and higher, especially without mirror up lock, a good way to control vibrations is to keep the camera firmly against the forhead. If slow speed is needed, then close the lens to attain 1 or best, several seconds. In these conditions, the Pentax 67 system delivers superbly sharp images.

Not to beat a dead horse (since this is the 3rd thread on this forum within a week or two on which I've commented regarding this issue), but I've found that using the Pentax 67II with the Gitzo G1548 tripod and G1572 head consistently produces vibration-free images at all shutter speeds (including the complete 1/4-1/60 range) with up to 200mm lenses (my maximum), as viewed under 8x and 10X loupes (my maximum). And no special technique (such as suspending weights, applying hand pressure, etc), has been necessary. Just mirror lock, cable release, and stand back, like you would with any other camera.

 

I believe the reason for this success is partly due to the sturdiness of the G1572 head (its got a big mounting plate and weighs nearly 4 pounds), but mostly due to the carbon-fiber construction of the G1548 tripod. Even the heaviest all-metal tripod/head combination I tried (the G500/G1572, close to 15 pounds) had a tiny trace of shutter vibration, but with the 9-point-something-pound G1548/G1572 combo, there is none.

 

The downside: this is an extremely expensive solution considering what you're getting is just a tripod and head.

 

Scott

<P>I am contributing belatedly to this thread because it helped me solve a problem I had with shutter shake and led me to resolution test results that may help others seeking out assistance, especially with lenses longer than 200mm .</P>

<P>I was having major problems with shutter shake with my recently acquired 300mm lens used with shutter speeds between 1/15 and 1 second for landscape photography. I ran lens resolution tests indoors with my Pentax 6X7 and late model SMCP 300mm f/4 lens (pre-EDIF). I had never previously observed shutter shake problems with my lenses from the 45mm through 200mm. Using the 300mm was an entirely different matter. </P>

<P><B>Based on information in this and other threads, I was able to get reasonably sharp images with the 300 and avoid shutter shake problems with the following setup (1/2 sec exposure at f/16): </B></P>

<P><B>Optimal Setup:</B> Gitzo 1548 (carbon fiber) tripod, Arca-Swiss B1 head, cable release, MLU, and 9 inch Kirk Hugger bean bag sitting on the finder prism. </P>

<P><I>What happened when I deviated from the optimum setup.</I> In each test, exposure was ½ second at f/16 using MLU, cable release, B1 head, Arca-style non-twisting contour plate. Tests were run on Edmund lens resolution test poster with TMax 400. </P>

<OL><LI><I>Remove bean bag from prism:</I> lowered center resolution (lines per mm - lpm) below optimal setup by 29%. </LI>

<LI><I>Use Bogen 3033 tripod instead of Gitzo 1548:</I> 13% decreased lpm </LI><LI

><I>Use Bogen 3221 instead of Gitzo 1548:</I> 37% decreased lpm </LI><LI><I>Use Bogen 3221 and no bean bag instead of Gitzo 1548 with bean bag:</I> 69% decreased lpm </LI></OL>

<P>I don't trust myself being steady enough to replace the bean bag with downward pressure on the prism. From now on I'll drag along my Gitzo 1548 and bean bag or leave the 300mm f/4 at home on anything other than bright, sunny days.</P>

There is a shutter shake problem with the P67. I have not found it a problem with lenses up to 200mm. I shoot mostly T-max 100 B&W which is a very sharp, grainless film, and the negatives hold up well to a 15x loop, and often to a 22x loop. I use a Gitzo 320 and an NPC QR Pro head. However with the 400EDIF there is a problem. I purchased a Bogen accessory to I can attach the camera to the tripod, but still there is a problem at shutter speeds below 1/125. Next I will try two tripods. The alternative I have also tried is to shoot tmax 400. The film is incredibly sharp, but there is an increase in grain.