Canon T5 Mirror Up for Continuous Remote Shooting

What is mirror lockup?

Mirror lockup is a camera feature found on most EOS DSLR cameras. Its function is to reduce the amount of vibration produced inside the camera when you take an image.

Why is this important?

When you press the shutter button to take an image, the mirror in your DSLR camera flips up. This mirror returns to its normal position once the shutter has closed. There is a delay between the time that you press the shutter button and the instant the photo is taken. This is called shutter lag, and it is measured in milliseconds.

In order to keep the shutter lag to a minimum, the reflex mirror has to move out of the way very quickly. When it comes to a sudden halt it sets off vibrations throughout the camera body and lens. This can result in a very slightly blurred image in certain circumstances.


ABOVE: In a DSLR camera, the image passes through the lens and reflects off the mirror up to the pentaprism and through the viewfinder (left). The mirror then flips out of the way to expose the sensor and capture the image (right).

If you are using a fast shutter speed, it's likely to be so short that any vibrations will not have an effect on the image. But if you are using a shutter speed slow enough to warrant the use of a tripod, it's possible that the vibrations will introduce camera shake into the photo. The extent of the effect depends on the equipment you're using. Heavier cameras are less likely to be affected by the vibrations, while telephoto and macro lenses will show the effects more as they magnify both the subject and, as a result, the camera shake.

Camera features

There are two Canon camera features specifically designed to help reduce the effect of mirror vibration in DSLR cameras:

When mirror lockup is enabled and you push the shutter button once to raise the mirror, make sure you wait a few seconds for the vibrations to die away, then press it again to take a photo. Otherwise it'll defeat the object of using this feature in the first place!

How do I set the mirror lockup feature?

When it was first introduced, mirror lockup was available in the Custom Function menu. More recently, it's been moved to the Shoot menus on enthusiast and advanced level cameras.

To enable mirror lockup, press the camera's MENU button, then find the appropriate Custom Function option or correct Shoot menu. Select Enable.

When mirror lockup is enabled, press the shutter button once to raise the mirror. Pause a moment or two and then press the shutter button again to fire the shutter. The camera focuses and takes an exposure reading before it raises the mirror, which means that this technique is best suited to static subjects. It also helps if the light is steady so that the exposure doesn't change during the pause.

It's a good idea to use a remote release so that you do not move the camera as the shutter button is pressed. Even pressing the shutter button can create unwanted vibrations. Alternatively use the self-timer feature so that there's a delay.

Which subjects is this useful for?

This feature is best used for subjects such as:

  • Close-up and macro, especially for higher magnifications
  • Astrophotography
  • Photomicrography


ABOVE: Mirror lockup is useful for astrophotography, where you're using much longer focal lengths and want your stars to be pin-sharp.

There may also be other instances when using super telephoto lenses on a tripod, because longer focal lengths magnify the effect of any camera vibrations.

With most other types of photography this feature is not necessary as any vibration caused by movement of the mirror will be minimal compared to movement caused by handholding the camera. If you're unsure, you can always perform your own tests and compare results with and without mirror lockup.

Vulnerable shutter speeds

The shutter speeds at which your images are most likely to suffer from mirror movement vibrations are between 1/100 and 1/4 second.

Shutter speeds faster than 1/100 second are too short to be affected  by the vibrations. With exposure times of 1/4 second or longer, the vibrations – which fade away quite quickly – only affect the first part of the exposure. Generally speaking this isn't enough to reduce the overall sharpness.

Your camera model may also have an impact – older cameras are likely to be more prone to vibrations, whereas more advanced cameras have a smoother action. Again, if in doubt, do some tests.

Tripod choice

The sturdiness of your tripod will have an effect on whether mirror lockup is useful in your shooting situation. If your tripod is one of the lighterweight versions, or has a ball socket head which can be more prone to movement, then mirror lockup can be invaluable.

Can I use mirror lockup when handholding?

In theory mirror lockup can be used while you are handholding your EOS camera. The best way is to set the 2 second self-timer delay so that you only have to press the shutter button once. In practice, though, we doubt that anyone can hold a camera steady enough to see the benefit of the mirror lockup.

On some cameras the self-timer delay is automatically set to 2 seconds. On other cameras you can set the delay to either 2 seconds or 10 seconds. In our tests we found 2 seconds was sufficient time for the vibrations to subside, but if you have the option you can only benefit by setting the 10 second delay.

The self-timer delay means that you can work without a remote release – any camera movement created by pressing the shutter button will have disappeared by the time the shutter fires.

Can I use this feature on my mirrorless camera?

EOS R-series and M-series cameras don't use a mirror box assembly – the image is fed directly to the sensor at all times. So there's no mirror movement to cause internal vibrations in the same way as in DSLR cameras.

Still got soft shots?

Of course, vibrations from the mirror are just one cause of soft or slight blur in images. There are many other possible reasons. If the floor your tripod is standing on isn't static, other people (or even you) moving across the floor could introduce unwanted vibrations.

For more information on possible causes and solutions for image blur, check out the Sharp shots article.

stephanprookint77.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.eos-magazine.com/articles/camera-feature/mirror-lockup.html

0 Response to "Canon T5 Mirror Up for Continuous Remote Shooting"

Post a Comment

Iklan Atas Artikel

Iklan Tengah Artikel 1

Iklan Tengah Artikel 2

Iklan Bawah Artikel