Pentax 645 and MLU

[cbettis]

Do the Pentax 645 (MF) bodies have mirror lock-up? If no, are there

any users with comments about mirror shake in this camera? Thanks,

Chuck

[peter_weimann1]

Chuck, mirror shake is a problem of every MF SLR camera. Even if Pentax claims having reduced shake to 35mm niveau, it is still there. The 645NII has MLU. Using a tripod and/or right technique solves this problem. For example: If you use the 5,6/400mm lens on your 645NII and mount the combo on the tripod collar of the lens, you will have mirror shake problems. If you mount the camera on the tripod the problem is gone. To see some results click here:

 

http://peter-weimann-nature-photography.meinatelier.de

 

Hope this helps

Greetings

Peter

[jimvanson]

Chuck -- Pentax's 645 has what is probably the best controlled mirror in medium format photography.<P>I'd check out articles like <a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/645-mlu.shtml"><b>this</b></a>.<P>I have to agree with it as I have never thought that any of the shots I've taken with my "n" were soft because of mirror movement (BUT I will admit that I'm MUCH more of a handheld shooter -- I don't strap a 300mm on my "n" and then ground it on a tripod -- nor have I shot the original 645 much).

[kevin_hundsnurscher]

I've never encountered any problems with mirror shake before. It's a very robust camera body.

[lee_shively]

The current model has mirror lockup, the previous two models do not (I think). The original model certainly does not. I have one of them and I've never felt the need for MLU. The cameras have a reputation of having a very well damped mirror.

[peter_weimann1]

In a brochure Pentax once claimed to have reduced mirror slap to a level on par with 35mm and that for this reason MLU was not neccessary. The 35mm camera they referred to unfortunately had MLU. ???

Fact is, and this info comes from my own experience, you have a problem with for example the 5,6/400 when you use the lenses tripod collar. I check my slides with a really good 8x loupe, so I know what I am talking about. Being a professional I can not afford reduced quality. But when you mount the camera to the tripod and then the lens just to the camera you will be hasslefree. That is all about it. Period.

Greetings

[patrick_umlauf2]

I've done a few tests with resolution targets and a P645 mounted on a tripod (the body, not the lens). I found singnificant loss in resolution with the 150 mm lens compared to flash shots. Mirror shake in the P645 is indeed well damped but with lenses from 150 mm up still an issue. The problem is solved by laying your hand or a beanbag as a dampener on the lens during exposure.

[berni_landau]

I own a MF 645 with 300mm f/5.6 and 400mm f/5.6 lenses and have not had problems with camera shake due to the mirror moving. I usually mount the 400mm lens to the tripod directly when shooting landscapes and have not had any problems generating crisp images (even at low shutter speeds like 1/8th or 1/15th of a second). I think using a sturdy tripod, focusing precisely and having a steady hand are more important factors in achieving high resolution images.

[ron_huff1]

Chuck,

 

The p645 system is well know to have a superb system for dampening the mirror movement. Michael Reichmann of Luminous Landscape fame tested a 645nII using the camera with both the MLU and without. He examined the resulting slides rigorously. His conclusion was that Pentax's claims that MLU was not needed seemed to be well grounded. This article may still be on his site.

 

I get tack sharp chromes at all speeds from my N, and I end up shooting a fair amount at 1/8, 1/15 and thereabouts.

 

Admittedly I do not shoot with the 400 or 500 mm lens. But from my extensive reading on this topic before I got the N, people are generally saying that they get very sharp images with all lenses up to and including 400. And with macro images as well.

 

If you are going to shoot with a 400 or 500mm then definitely get an NII and use MLU, but if not, I think any of the 3 models are great. Though I would certainly invest in an N or NII for the superb metering, autobracketing, data imprinting, etc.

 

Ron Huff

[lindsay_robb]

Hmm. Well, everyone here seems to agree that there is no problem with the Pentax 645 manual camera body not having mirror lock up. Maybe these people have never tried any macros with the camera? Just a guess.

 

Because I have owned the camera for over a year now and there is definitely a noticable *slap* of the mirror. You can even feel it in your hands! This was a problem when i started using it for macros. My tripod is already pretty heavy but I find I have to weight it down as much as possible.

 

I will admit that I never considered it a problem when doing regular travel and landscape photography but Pentax certainly can't say it doesn't have significant mirror slap!