Bad results with 300mm telephoto, help!

[chris_jordan12]

<p>Hi guys, wondering if others have had a camera movement problem shooting telephotos with a Phase One. I get terrible results with 300mm-- camera movement and double imaging, despite using a solid tripod, mirror lockup, and self-timer. Worst results are at shutter speeds around 1/15h to 1/60th. I assume it's vibration caused during the shutter snap. Any thoughts or solutions? Is it the same with 35mm or is there something about MF? Or is it just Phase One? </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>As I found when I was trying to shoot an equivalent of ~1900mm on APS-C, what is solid enough for ordinary focal lengths may be inadequate for longer lengths. I had to go out and get an "Ironboy" tripod before I could get things damped down sufficiently. 1/15 of a second even locked down is a long time for environmental perturbations to intrude, much less the trembles of the camera's own mechanisms.</p>

<p>In theory, unless you are pixel-peeping at 100%, you would normally notice less problem on a larger image with shake, etc -- you have the same shake on all formats but it's a smaller percentage on the bigger image. Older larger format lenses were often considerably less crisp than their 35mm equivalents, just as an aside, because nobody enlarged them much.</p>

<p> </p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>It's also not uncommon to add heights to tripods for larger cameras. But it is easier of your camera has a mirror lock up function.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>I suspect a typo in peter's response, but whether or not, <em><strong>w</strong></em>eights hung from the tripod can dampen out vibrations. Some tripods have a hook just for that purpose.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>Yep</p>

 

[savagesax]

A lot of photographers that use medium format with the longer lenses use a pretty heavy duty tripod with good

brackets, such as Kirk Enterprises. www.kirkphoto.com

 

He has some pretty cool stuff, but his costs are on the high side. Very well made though and this should solve

your problems.

[ondebanks]

<p>Chris,</p>

<p>There are 3 very different Mamiya/Phase One 300mm lens possibilities...it would help us to know which you are using?</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>I have a very sturdy manfroto that does what I need. Going with the ultra-light-graphite type tripods can be the wrong direction to go in, sometimes. I would rather a slightly heaver tripod when I have to "bolt" my mf gear down. Hanging a camera bag full of gear on the hook can be a nice edge.</p>

<p>Off the top of my head, I don't remember the exact model number. I can look if you need me to.</p>

 

[chris_jordan12]

<p>Wow, thanks for the thoughts guys. Shutter vibration is a strange beast, I have a carbon fiber Gitzo with fat sturdy legs, but there must be some movement happening there. I shot 8x10 for so many years, with vibration-free in-lens shutters, that I have always thought camera vibration is not an issue as long as you wait a few seconds for everything to calm down before firing the shutter. I hadn't really gotten the concept that the camera itself is causing the vibration, but now it makes sense. And it's the only explanation for my images that have obvious camera shake in them-- otherwise I'm doing everything right-- mirror lock, self timer, etc. I'll try hanging my gear bag from the tripod hook, and using my old heavy Bogen... ~cj</p>