H3D mirror - shutter delay

[photolinia]

Hello everyone,

I know that H3DII has a programable mirror up to shutter delay time from 0msec to
I think 250ms or so...

I'm planning to try to experiment a little myself, but curious if anyone had any setting that worked better than others for various
shutter speed values - using it handheld...

thanks,
-ilya

[BobDavid]

A lot depends on what you're shooting and what focal length lens you're using (wide versus tele). The delay really helps cut down on vibrations and blur from mirror slap.

[Nick_T]

Hello everyone,

I know that H3DII has a programable mirror up to shutter delay time from 0msec to
I think 250ms or so...

I'm planning to try to experiment a little myself, but curious if anyone had any setting that worked better than others for various
shutter speed values - using it handheld...

thanks,
-ilya

I find 50ms pretty optimal and barely noticeable.
Nick-T

[photolinia]

I find 50ms pretty optimal and barely noticeable.
Nick-T

Thanks Nick - so does that mean that at less than 50ms you're seeing less sharpness due to mirrir vibration, but
going beyond 50ms does not improve the sharpness any more, but creates a noticable delay?

is this 50ms value pretty constats across shutter speeds for you?

thanks!!
-ilya

[Dick Roadnight]

I find 50ms pretty optimal and barely noticeable.
Nick-T

This is a setting I had not come across, and could be very useful.

50 ms is the default value, so it is not normally anything you can benefit from much.

On the H3D it is the handle grip menu, Menu/settings/custom options/Extra mirror delay

The camera did not come with an English Language H3D supplement, but there is one on line.

It seems that you cannot set different delays for different profiles.

You can buy a delay box for a Shutter Beam, but it is nice to have it built in to the camera - e.g. to allow a cloud of smoke to develop, or an air bag to expand before the exposure.

For some applications you may want to eliminate the delay to save missing a picture, especially when using flash.... I do not know what the total delay is between pushing the button and the start of the exposure, or how much shorter it is if you lock up the mirror.

[paul_jones]

i have the 100ms delay set on my h1 (you can do it on the older models if you have the newer firmware), and i really dont notice the delay, and it works really well.

paul

[Dustbak]

Same here 100ms delay. I don't notice the delay at all. I have had no problems with mirrorslap anymore (which isn't to say that the H is a piece of equipment where I willingly and deliberately would go looking for problems in that area)

[gwhitf]

I had mine set to 50, but recently got nervous in low light and set it to max 200 or something. As far as it would go. I'm playing around with leaving it at Max; so far, no issues.

I notice that with it set to 200 or whatever max is, it makes me slow down and really hold the camera steady. It sends a good subtle message to the brain -- slow down and hold steady.

I'm trying to find the setting for 900, to mimic the lag in the PhaseOne 645...

[arashm]

I'm trying to find the setting for 900, to mimic the lag in the PhaseOne 645...


LOL now that's good laugh  

[G_Allen]

I use the 50ms setting with my H2. I tested, and for me there was no difference between 50ms and the longer settings. I can handhold the H2 easily at 1/60, somewhat reliably at 1/30.

The mirror delay makes a huge difference. Without it, I was even getting camera blur shooting on a tripod.

For jumping, or quick movement in studio, I flip the mirror up. No appreciable shutter lag.

[gwhitf]

I shot a strobe portrait today, with the H2 set at 200 delay. It is truly weird, like the camera is broken or something. Or, at first glance, I thought the H2 had some "rear curtain" setting or something, so that the strobe fired at the end of the shutter release. There was such a delay in the firing of the strobe head, I damn near could have pressed the shutter from behind the camera, then run around and gotten in the picture, by the time the shutter fired. (Kinda like Mamiya).

When you are shooting strobe, you are clearly reminded of the delay factor that you have set.

My recommendation now, (along with everyone else's, it seems) is to set the body at 50ms delay. At 200, it reminds you of those old USA-to-Europe phone calls, where there'd be that massive delay in the voice signal, and you'd end up talking over the person on the other end of the phone.

[photolinia]

I shot a strobe portrait today, with the H2 set at 200 delay. It is truly weird, like the camera is broken or something. Or, at first glance, I thought the H2 had some "rear curtain" setting or something, so that the strobe fired at the end of the shutter release. There was such a delay in the firing of the strobe head, I damn near could have pressed the shutter from behind the camera, then run around and gotten in the picture, by the time the shutter fired. (Kinda like Mamiya).

When you are shooting strobe, you are clearly reminded of the delay factor that you have set.

My recommendation now, (along with everyone else's, it seems) is to set the body at 50ms delay. At 200, it reminds you of those old USA-to-Europe phone calls, where there'd be that massive delay in the voice signal, and you'd end up talking over the person on the other end of the phone.

Thanks! Funny you say that. The mamiya I rented was doing that - a huge delay!

[Dick Roadnight]

... recently got nervous in low light and set it to max 200 or something. As far as it would go. I'm playing around with leaving it at Max; so far, no issues.

I notice that with it set to 200 or whatever max is, it makes me slow down and really hold the camera steady.

If 200 or 250 ms give any advantage in sharpness it is the obvious setting for hand-held landscapes (without moving subjects) or landscapes without Mirror Lock Up - gan you confine this to a "Hand Landscape" profile?