porktaco
Well-known
maybe it's just that my RFs are comfy in the hand, maybe it's the softrelease, maybe they're just a little heavier, but i'm having a bitch of a time getting anything slower than about 1/50 not to have motion blur on my NEX7.
am i the only one?
am i the only one?
Dylan Hope
Established
It could be that you're looking at your digital files much closer than you would your film scans/prints. It can be hard not to pixel peep with digital because it's so easy to.
If it's general blur, then maybe it's you moving the camera after you feel the exposure has been made, instead of after. I'm not sure how good the shutter lag is on the NEX, but if it's noticeable then maybe you move the camera after you press the shutter and not after the shutter is released? I know I sometimes have that problem with point and shoot cameras (I know the NEX isn't a point and shoot but you know what I mean)
If it's general blur, then maybe it's you moving the camera after you feel the exposure has been made, instead of after. I'm not sure how good the shutter lag is on the NEX, but if it's noticeable then maybe you move the camera after you press the shutter and not after the shutter is released? I know I sometimes have that problem with point and shoot cameras (I know the NEX isn't a point and shoot but you know what I mean)
Nettar
Member
porktaco, I have noticed a similar phenomenon. I tend to think that the answer depends partly on the sort of motion that is being blurred, and also on what you are used to. For example, in my film days I would usually get noticeably less blur of objects moving across the frame, when employing a horizontally-running focal plane shutter, than when using a between-the-lens shutter. The reason lies partly in the fact that the focal plane shutter exposed only part of the moving object at any one time, and either tended to pan with it, thereby reducing blur in a rather obvious manner; or, if the shutter and the object were moving in opposite directions, the camera recorded the moving object for a relatively short amount of time, again reducing the noticeable effects of blur. In comparison, a between-the-lens shutter effectively exposed the entire frame at once, creating a relatively large amount of opportunity for blur.
Of course, analogous arguments apply to objects moving vertically in the case of a vertically moving focal plane shutter. If objects are moving along a diagonal trajectory then the arguments apply to a lesser extent, but the outcome (in my experience) is often still visible. I feel that the arguments should also apply to camera shake.
The older focal plane shutters were relatively slow-moving; the experience described above was gained on focal-plane shutters on 6x6 and 6x7 SLRs from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The shutter on a NEX7 moves much faster (as dictated by the needs of live view), and, of course, uses an electronic front curtain; all of which conspire to expose the whole frame for almost all the time of the exposure, particularly if you are using a relatively slow shutter speed. This provides a greater opportunity for blurring. (In my medium-format days the arguments above were appropriate down to about 1/25th of a second, at which point the focal plane shutter started to use the front and rear curtains separately, rather than together to form a moving slit.)
I also agree with Dylan--we are probably pixel peeping too much! Nettar
Of course, analogous arguments apply to objects moving vertically in the case of a vertically moving focal plane shutter. If objects are moving along a diagonal trajectory then the arguments apply to a lesser extent, but the outcome (in my experience) is often still visible. I feel that the arguments should also apply to camera shake.
The older focal plane shutters were relatively slow-moving; the experience described above was gained on focal-plane shutters on 6x6 and 6x7 SLRs from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The shutter on a NEX7 moves much faster (as dictated by the needs of live view), and, of course, uses an electronic front curtain; all of which conspire to expose the whole frame for almost all the time of the exposure, particularly if you are using a relatively slow shutter speed. This provides a greater opportunity for blurring. (In my medium-format days the arguments above were appropriate down to about 1/25th of a second, at which point the focal plane shutter started to use the front and rear curtains separately, rather than together to form a moving slit.)
I also agree with Dylan--we are probably pixel peeping too much! Nettar
Smiert Spionam
Member
The shutter lag is very short, so I don't think that's an issue. Make sure that you've got the electronic first shutter enabled, though. I think the biggest issue is the very high pixel density, which is fairly unforgiving. It's comparable to something like a 54mp full frame sensor. Overall, though, I find the NEX-7 to be easier to shoot at lower shutter speeds than any SLR, and most rangefinders.
Livesteamer
Well-known
Logic may not apply. With my M6 I need to keep my shutter at 125 or faster and yet I recently used my IIIc at 1/10 of a second, expecting a blur and I got some great results. I think it is different for everyone and you just have to find what works for you. Good Luck. Joe
porktaco
Well-known
definitely a little extra pixel peeping with an unforgiving sensor... but my physical motion is different too. really, putting a little vinyl bumper button on the shutter release made a very big difference.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Maybe I'm being dumb, but I thought that's what slower speeds were for?
porktaco
Well-known
heh. i think so too
edodo
Well-known
I found the same issue when shooting with the nex 3, but your nex 7 should resolve the lack of eyebrow stabilisation!
24Mpixels is a lot, and a tripod is always better if you want to pixel peep!
24Mpixels is a lot, and a tripod is always better if you want to pixel peep!
Disaster_Area
Gadget Monger
I'm having no problems so far, I can get down to 1/15th of a second with roughly the same lack of blur as with my M2. It takes a bit of practice to squeeze the shutter instead of jabbing it, and having it so flush with the body doesn't help things. I'd suggest getting a soft release or making one yourself as the above poster did... should make things easier.
Brian Legge
Veteran
Are your lenses equivalent focal lengths? If your NEX7 is longer it would need a higher speed.
dreilly
Chillin' in Geneva
Were you shooting with a stabilized lens?
I found it with the Nex5N and the Ricoh GXR. I concluded that it was the change in shooting form from three supports (two hands and a brow/nose/cheek) to two or even one, and of course the lack of stabilization. The extra resolution is more demanding and does show smaller amounts of blur, so that compounds the issue. Try the same shot with the viewfinder and with the EVF and see if it makes a difference. You might realize that your photos might win by a nose.
I found it with the Nex5N and the Ricoh GXR. I concluded that it was the change in shooting form from three supports (two hands and a brow/nose/cheek) to two or even one, and of course the lack of stabilization. The extra resolution is more demanding and does show smaller amounts of blur, so that compounds the issue. Try the same shot with the viewfinder and with the EVF and see if it makes a difference. You might realize that your photos might win by a nose.
porktaco
Well-known
yeah. i think the different stabilization points are a factor.
lol nose
lol nose
uhligfd
Well-known
It might just be the mechanics: the NEX camera is very light, so a push of the button moves the camera more than it would a heavier body. Newton mechanics period.
This moving of any camera can be totally avoided by not giving it a directional force when exposing.
How done?
Simply squeeze the full camera body between your index finger and thumb as a vise grip would. No unsymmetrical force at all. Exposures down to 1/2 sec a cinch, if you did not have too much coffee and your arm does not flutter too much....
Try it and then realize: who needs lens or camera stabilization anyway? Only the mechanics impaired (of sorts). Good luck practicing squeezes instead of jabs. More loving anytime!
This moving of any camera can be totally avoided by not giving it a directional force when exposing.
How done?
Simply squeeze the full camera body between your index finger and thumb as a vise grip would. No unsymmetrical force at all. Exposures down to 1/2 sec a cinch, if you did not have too much coffee and your arm does not flutter too much....
Try it and then realize: who needs lens or camera stabilization anyway? Only the mechanics impaired (of sorts). Good luck practicing squeezes instead of jabs. More loving anytime!
porktaco
Well-known
it has caused me to consider my squeeze mechanics