mirror lock up

[swmocity]

whats the purpose of this feature...ive been reading about it...still dont understand it though

 

[dklod]

I think its to further reduce camera shake or reduce the vibration of it swinging back during long exposures. Lock the mirror, set the self timer (or vice versa), press the shutter..

 

[Sw1tchFX]

it's for shootings at about 1/4th-1/60th of a second when you're on a tripod because the reflex mechanisim is what creates the most vibration at taht point and when the mirror is locked up, the only thing moving is the curtain which makes very little vibration compare to the mirror.

 

[Big Mike]

That's correct.

Mirror lock up should be used when you have the camera on a tripod and are using a remote (or the self timer). The whole idea of using a tripod is so that you are not touching the camera while it fires, and that it's very still which should maximize the sharpness of your photo, especially at slower shutter speeds.

The camera has moving parts, the mirror and the shutter...and these can cause vibrations, which can cause blurry images, especially at certain shutter speeds and with longer lenses.

So mirror lock up is a mode that will trigger the mirror to fire well before the shutter, allowing the camera a short time to settle down before the exposure is taken.

 

[swmocity]

is is a downside to use it all the time?

 

[Big Mike]

is is a downside to use it all the time?

If you are using the camera on a tripod, then it might be a good idea to use it all the time. It's wouldn't really be practical to use while holding the camera in your hand...firstly, it would do absolutely no good because your hands will be moving the camera more than the mirror does and secondly, you would need to press the shutter button twice, once to flip up the mirror and again to fire the shutter...and you wouldn't be able to see out of the viewfinder when the mirror is up. Believe me, it's very annoying when you forget to turn MLU off, and then pick up the camera to get a shot and press the button...only to find out that you missed your chance.

 

[Overread]

many a canon user curses the direct print button - and wishes for a MLU on/off button!

Its not good for tracking fast moving targets - birds, planes etc - static subjects really are its only area since you lose time as you go through using the camera - so a moving target can be out of frame/focuse by the time the shutter is used

 

[Big Mike]

many a canon user curses the direct print button - and wishes for a MLU on/off button!

Amen!

Its not good for tracking fast moving targets - birds, planes etc - static subjects really are its only area since you lose time as you go through using the camera - so a moving target can be out of frame/focuse by the time the shutter is used

If you are shooting a moving subject, you would need to be using a faster shutter speed to avoid blur...so MLU probably wouldn't be needed anyway. MLU is really only suited to shooting still subjects like landscapes or still life etc.

 

[dklod]

Does it automatically activate live view on Nikons and Canons that have it??

 

[reg]

No, but the live view button does.

:er:

 

[Josh66]

I don't use it much anymore due to my broken LCD - it's a pain in the ass to turn it on, and even harder to turn it off without being able to see the LCD.

Can anyone show me a blurry picture, and a not-blurry picture of the same thing where mirror lock-up is the only variable?

I know what it's supposed to do - but I have never had a photo come out less sharp because of mirror shake. Does anyone have a photo that shows mirror induced vibration?

 

[reg]

Not my photos but

without:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/without_mlu.jpghttp://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content...dowsVistaCompatibilityMode_1415B/image{0}.png

with:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/with_mlu.jpg

 

[Josh66]

Not my photos but

without:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/without_mlu.jpghttp://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content...dowsVistaCompatibilityMode_1415B/image{0}.png

with:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/with_mlu.jpg

Thanks. That's a pretty noticeable difference. I wonder what the exposure times were for those...

 

[swmocity]

Not my photos but

without:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/without_mlu.jpg

with:
http://markusjaisphoto.com/images/with_mlu.jpg

wow big difference

 

[Battou]

I don't use it much anymore due to my broken LCD - it's a pain in the ass to turn it on, and even harder to turn it off without being able to see the LCD.

Can anyone show me a blurry picture, and a not-blurry picture of the same thing where mirror lock-up is the only variable?

I know what it's supposed to do - but I have never had a photo come out less sharp because of mirror shake. Does anyone have a photo that shows mirror induced vibration?

I have a ton of them, I could show extremes if I can find them. Mirror lock and shutter delay are absolutely required for true macro work and night work.