Camera shake with pentax 645!

[timothy_crankshaw]

(apologies if this post appears twice-It does not seem to have been

added first time). I have recently purchased a Pentax 645 NII for

weddings and am disappointed with the quality of some of the photos.

The problem is with long distance or full length shots. The photos

appear 'soft' as if a No1 softner has been used. The edges are

distinctly fuzzy and the overall appearance is not the standard I

would expect. Any close up shots are pin sharp.

 

I use fill flash so am restricted to 1/60th sec hand held. Pentax

have suggested it is camera shake and to purchase their leaf shutter

lenses or use tripod. I also use an old Mamiya with fill flash at

1/60 hand held no problem.

 

I would like any other suggestions as to what it might be before

parting with my hard earned cash. Anybody had any other problems of

this nature?

 

Many Thanks.

[bill_dewberry]

What F stop are you using when you get these soft images ?

[timothy_crankshaw]

Any, but I work around the F5.6 to 11 range.

[peza]

At 1/60 handheld, steady hand shooter a (as I consider myself) will get 2/3 of of pictures reasonably sharp with 120mm lens.<br>

I took quite bit of pic's in 150-200mm range with 35mm camera on 1/125 sec and sometimes it happens pic is blury, we are just bloody humans :)<br><br>

 

I don't know how much you enlarge, but 150mm lens (first short telephoto in Pentax line except 120mm macro) is way too long to use handheld at 1/60.. I'm quite surprized to hear such a complain, because Pentax 645 is well known for it's well dampened mirror and test on <a href="http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/645-mlu.shtml">luminous-landscape.com</a> just confirmed this.<br><br>

 

Are you absolutely sure you have steady hands enough ? What about focusing problem ? Do you see light sources stretched, or just BLURY, like not focused ?

[louis_webb]

What film do you use/what size enlargements do your clients want?How about using an Iso400(?+) film so you can increase shutter speeds to 1/250+.Having said that,I've found no problems with a 150mm lens with a Bronica Etrsi,at 1/125,with 160 portra in average Uk daylight,so maybe you do need a l-s lens.

[timothy_crankshaw]

The lens is the standard 80mm. I am in my mid thirties so have no problem with the shakes. I can use my Mamiya right down to about 8th before any noticable movement is detected. I have used both the multi focus modes and spot modes ensuring focus on the face. The image looks sharp in the viewfinder.

 

Just a thought I have had (which I should have done before) is to put a test film through using different combinations and process it at a different lab to my usual to explore all the possibilities.

 

I read all the stuff about the 645 and everybody else thinks it is great. This is the reason I plumpted for it after my Bronica ETRSi was stolen.

[timothy_crankshaw]

I usually use Fuji 160 NPS but have used 400 NPH. Clients usually don't go any bigger than 10x8, but occasional larger size.

[Aoresteen]

Put the Pentax on a tripod and take a couple of long shots

 

Then take a couple hand held. If the tripod shots are sharp and the handheld ones are soft, it's camera shake. If both are soft, then it's the lens.

[david_chilvers]

Hiya Timothy

 

I was talked out of the contax 645 and into a Pentax N11. i read so many reviews on the net that were favourable so i thought, OK.

I sold it and the 45-85 and 80-160 two weeks later and brought the Contax.( i shoot handheld most of the time.)

I must say that the camera and the features were super but boy were those zooms heavy. The crunch came when i used a tripod around my garden in controlled conditions and was not impressed. I am of the honest opinion that some cameras suit some people and some suit others but you can bet your life that if someone isn`t going to get on with a camera it will be me so perhaps my findings should be ignored, who knows.

 

Dave c

[bob_chong]

"If the tripod shots are sharp and the handheld ones are soft, it's camera shake"

 

Wouldn't that mean "person shake," not camera shake?

[Bill Bowes]

Hello everyone. Take a lesson from freestanding target shooting. Use the camera strap wrapped around your right hand (reverse this if left handed) and craddle the camera with your left hand. S L O W L Y push the shutter button. If possible, back up into a wall, a pillar, what ever you can find. Another trick is to have a small bean bag with you. Works great on tables, railings, a short friends head (I have done it!). If all above fails, do get the tripod out. Enjoy, Bill

[edsel_adams]

Id check the lens mount & the lens.Camera shake shouldnt be such a noticeable issue.Also try taking the close up & far away shots in the dark with flash.Flash's short duration negates camera shake.If the flash shots are soft,its the glass.

[shannon_m1]

remember you do always have the possablity of useing reflectors too. therefor you could raise the shutter speed, reducing camera shake. however i would use a tripod, expecially if its formals. the bride and groom arnt going anywhere. they want these pics done. theyll do what ever it takes, w/in reason.

[peza]

Don't you realize this camera DOESNT's sync at higher speed than 1/60 ?

[jeff_drew4]

Am I missing something? What lens are you using for this post? the leaf shutter lens solution is a good one, since your flash synch issues get better. Tripods are most always better than none. Pentax lenses are generally excellent. Is this one an autofocus model? If yes, were we focussing on our subject accurately?

[jeff_drew4]

I'll add one more question: Film flatness? I have not used the 645 or any other 645, but rollfilm loading in my TLRs, 670 RFs, Hassy backs and P67 all seem to produce softer images with loosely rolled film. Insert loaded tightly?

[alberto pastorelli]

The only problem I can imagine arise from the synchro flash of 1/60.

If you fire with enough daylight you can have "double images" that can give that softness.

Despite of this, my experience is opposite. I shot handheld with the 300mm without notice any softness.

I've also made some shot with the 2x + the 1.4x and the 300 (..not handheld !!) with great results (1 tripod under the camera and 1 monopod under the 300mm)

regards