Waterfall Photography Using Timer Question/Problem

Hi all,

 

First post here. I've had my Rebel 7Ti for a couple of years now. I mostly use it for waterfall photography (with a tripod of course). As opposed to using a shutter release cable, I've primarily been taking the shots using the timer (a lot of my shots are a 0.5 - 2 sec exposures). If I recall correctly, I would partially depress the shutter to lock in focus, then push it all the way down to start the timer. I usually take 3 exposures of each shot (often +-2/3 stops).

 

This last round of pictures, many came out quite blurry. Perhaps I somehow messed up the focus? The only thing I believe I may have done differently is to put the timer on 2secs as opposed to 10secs. I might have done that during a previous session or two..not sure..but if I did, those shots turned out fine.

 

Do the experts on here see an issues with using the timer as opposed to a shutter release when taking longer exposure shots using a tripod? If so, could someone please describe why and also provide a bit of education on how to use/improve either the timer process or the shutter release cable process?

 

Thank you!

Welcome to photo.net as you signed up today. Are you, by chance, a student trying to sort out an assignment? I ask because this has happened on the site in the recent past. Nothing wrong with it, but the disclosure is helpful for all.

 

Have you used live view to focus? You only mention using the shutter.

 

Nothing wrong with using an in-camera timer. It's consistent. Counting off 1,000's or using a stop watch with the shutter release is fine also. Do what works for you.

 

Posting a sample from your round of problematic images will help us to help you. This way we see what you're trying to describe. It's a photo web site.....please, show us a photo.:rolleyes:

I usually use the timer for long exposures on a tripod and haven't run into a problem with blurred images--you should be OK. You may want to use live view both because you can see well to focus, as Laura suggested, and because that locks up the mirror; on some cameras the mirror action can sometimes introduce a bit of vibration. Were you by any chance shooting this set of images from a bridge? One time that I did have some blurry long-exposure waterfall frames was when someone walked across the footbridge I was shooting from. I hardly noticed the vibration, but the camera sure did.

. . . I've had my Rebel 7Ti for a couple of years now. I mostly use it for waterfall photography (with a tripod of course). As opposed to using a shutter release cable, I've primarily been taking the shots using the timer . . . This last round of pictures, many came out quite blurry. . . The only thing I believe I may have done differently is to put the timer on 2secs as opposed to 10secs. I might have done that during a previous session or two..not sure..but if I did, those shots turned out fine.

Do the experts on here see an issues with using the timer as opposed to a shutter release when taking longer exposure shots using a tripod? If so, could someone please describe why and also provide a bit of education on how to use/improve either the timer process or the shutter release cable process?

 

No idea if you messed up focus or not. Posting an image of reasonable resolution could provide an answer as to exactly what is going wrong.

 

***

 

However: the highlighted and underlined section of your information may be relevant and it may be critical.

 

When the Timer Shutter Release is used for exposures between about ½ sec and 2 seconds there is more likelihood that Camera Motion Blur is captured on the image because of Mirror Slap Vibration.

 

If the Timer Shutter Release is used for exposures longer than 2 seconds, then Mirror Slap Motion Blur is less likely to be apparent.

 

The reason is simple: let’s say the Mirror Slap makes the camera vibrate for 1/10th second, that 1/10th second is 20% of the ½ second exposure, but it is only 1% of a 10 second exposure.

 

To avoid Mirror Slap Blur when using the Timer Shutter Release, use “Mirror Lock-up” Technique.

 

WW

Edited December 2, 2020 by William Michael

Have you switched off image stabilisation?

 

I've always used the self timer for tripod work, 2 or 10 seconds, it doesn't matter which - although 10 seconds might give the camera more chance to settle down,

When the Timer Shutter Release is used for exposures between about ½ sec and 2 seconds there is more likelihood that Camera Motion Blur is captured on the image because of Mirror Slap Vibration.

Unless I am mistaken, then the timer is used to introduce a pre-exposure delay. Not sure about the Canon 7ti - but usually a pre-exposure delay timer will raise the mirror at the beginning of its time span, then release the shutter at the end - so any mirror slap should have died down even if the timer was set to only 2s. The same should be true for any vibration introduced by touching the camera at the to start the pre-exposure timer. Tripod vibrations introduced at the same time should also have died down after 2s and certainly after 10s. Unless there's a strong wind and the tripod isn't sufficiently sturdy (or not weighted down) - in which case wind-induced vibration of the tripod could cause blurry images. Same issue can arise if the tripod or camera rig was touched during the exposure.

Another thought - if you are using small apertures like F/16 or F/22 to obtain long shutter speeds, sharpness will be affected by diffraction. I rarely shoot at apertures smaller than F/11 for this reason.

Have you tried setting up with Autofocus, then switching to Manual Focus to take the shots ?